Chapter 5 - Leah Had Never Agreed To Six Thursdays
Leah Monroe did not shake my hand.
I didn't offer.
She checked Mia’s face, arms, backpack, phone.
Then found the crushed sandwich.
“What happened?”
Mia looked at me.
I answered.
“I threw it.”
Leah looked at me.
“Why?”
“I thought she was approaching my daughter.”
“You thought a nine-year-old was approaching your daughter.”
I felt the sentence land.
“Yes.”
Leah’s jaw tightened.
Sophie stepped in.
“Mom was scared.”
I looked at her.
Leah did too.
Mia said:
“She’s mean when she's scared.”
I almost laughed.
Nobody else did.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Leah.”
She stood.
“No.”
He stopped.
“Why was Mia behind the gym?”
“I came here to ask you that.”
“She showed me the message.”
“What message?”
Mia handed her the phone.
Leah read.
Her face changed.
“I didn't send this.”
Daniel said:
“Neither did I.”
Walter remained near the hallway.
Leah looked at him.
He raised both hands slightly.
“Not me.”
She turned to Daniel.
“Who else knew?”
Daniel's shoulders tightened.
“Eric.”
Walter closed his eyes.
Leah laughed once.
“You told Eric.”
“I needed someone at the school.”
“You had me.”
“Leah—”
“One meeting.”
Her voice stayed quiet.
That made everyone listen harder.
“You asked if Sophie could meet Mia once because Mia kept asking whether you had a family.”
Daniel looked toward the girls.
Leah continued.
“I said yes. Here. With you present. Then Mia tells me there have been six Thursdays.”
Daniel didn't answer.
Claire the wife wanted to ask when.
Claire the mother already knew.
Every Thursday.
Leah looked at Sophie.
“Did your dad tell you these were secret?”
Sophie looked at Daniel.
He said:
“Answer her.”
Leah’s eyes flashed.
“Don't coach her now.”
Daniel went silent.
Sophie said:
“He said Mom wasn't ready.”
Leah looked at me.
I felt anger move from Daniel to me before she stopped herself.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
She believed me.
That almost made it worse.
“What did you think was happening?” I asked.
“Two meetings.”
“Why two?”
“After the first one, Mia asked again.”
Daniel said:
“So did Sophie.”
I turned.
Sophie frowned.
“I asked one time.”
Daniel looked at her.
The room shifted.
Leah stared at him.
“You told me Sophie kept asking.”
Daniel's mouth tightened.
“I thought—”
“You told me.”
He stopped.
No way around the verb.
I looked at Mia.
“How many times did you ask?”
She shrugged.
“Couple.”
Daniel had taken two children's mild curiosity and turned it into permission for a routine.
Leah looked exhausted.
“Why?”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Because they liked each other.”
“That wasn't your decision.”
“I know.”
“No, you know now.”
Walter moved slightly.
Leah saw.
“Do not.”
He stopped immediately.
That surprised her.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“I was going to tell Claire.”
I laughed.
He looked at me.
“No.”
I shook my head.
“Don't make me participate in that sentence.”
He looked away.
Leah closed Mia’s backpack.
“We're leaving.”
Sophie’s face fell.
Mia looked at her mother.
“Can I say bye?”
Leah hesitated.
Then nodded.
The girls moved toward the window.
Not far.
Still visible.
I watched Daniel watch them.
His face softened.
Leah noticed too.
“That,” she said.
Daniel looked at her.
“That is why you kept doing it.”
“What?”
“You liked seeing them together.”
He said nothing.
Leah continued:
“You wanted it to look like we were family again before you and I had done any of the work.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“This wasn't about using the girls.”
“Then why did Claire not know?”
I looked at him.
He had no answer that could survive the room.
Then Walter said quietly:
“Because Daniel learned from me that if you expect a no, you arrange the yes first.”
Daniel turned.
The anger between father and son arrived instantly.
Leah looked at both of them.
“Don't.”
They stopped.
She looked at me instead.
“Your husband told you I'm his sister?”
“No.”
Something in her face shut.
Daniel whispered:
“Leah.”
She ignored him.
I said:
“He told me he was an only child.”
Leah looked at Daniel.
That hurt her in a way the six meetings had not.
She nodded once.
May you like
Then said to me:
“I lived in his house for seven years.”
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