Chapter 3 - THE STORY SAVANNAH GREW UP BELIEVING
Savannah remembered the story clearly.
She had been sixteen when Janice became pregnant.
There had been no baby shower.
No father attending appointments.
No photographs of a smiling couple.
Whenever Savannah asked about the baby's father, Janice gave the same answer.
His name was Caleb.
He had been trouble.
He left.
Months later, the story changed.
Caleb had died in a highway accident.
Savannah never questioned it.
Why would she?
Milo was born.
Derek appeared eleven months later.
Within two years, Derek was living with them.
By the time Savannah left home at eighteen, Milo called Derek “Dad.”
Now the supposedly dead man was standing in their doorway.
Caleb reached inside his coat.
The police officers immediately watched his hands.
He slowly removed a folder.
“I have an emergency court order.”
Derek laughed.
“For what?”
Caleb looked at Milo's trembling body.
“For exactly what I'm looking at.”
Savannah's stomach tightened.
One officer stepped inside.
“Mr. Holloway, put the belt down.”
Derek looked at the belt still hanging from his hand.
He dropped it.
The second officer crouched several feet away from Milo.
“Buddy, are you hurt?”
Milo didn't answer.
Savannah knelt beside him.
“You can tell him.”
Milo whispered:
“My legs hurt.”
The officer looked at Savannah.
“Can you show me?”
Milo shook his head violently.
Savannah wrapped an arm around him.
“It's okay.”
Janice finally moved.
“He's fine.”
Savannah turned.
The coldness in those two words stunned her.
“Fine?”
“He gets dramatic when he's scared.”
“He was being hit with a belt.”
“He was being disciplined.”
Savannah stared at her mother.
One officer immediately began writing.
Janice realized too late how the sentence sounded.
“I don't mean—”
“You watched him.”
“Savannah.”
“You stood there.”
“I was trying to keep the situation from getting worse.”
“You didn't move.”
Derek interrupted.
“She attacked me!”
Savannah laughed bitterly.
“You were beating an eight-year-old.”
Caleb stepped forward.
Derek pointed at him.
“You don't say a word in my house.”
Caleb finally looked at Derek.
There was no shouting in his voice.
That somehow made it more threatening.
“You hit my son.”
Derek smirked.
“You haven't been his father for eight years.”
Caleb's jaw tightened.
“No.”
His eyes shifted toward Janice.
“I wasn't allowed to be.”
Savannah turned slowly.
“What does that mean?”
Janice looked away.
May you like
Savannah's heart began pounding.
“What did you do?”
