Chapter 3 - WHAT LILY HAD BEEN TOLD
That night, Hannah packed a suitcase.
Carol stood in the bedroom doorway.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
Hannah did not turn around.
“I’m taking Lily to a hotel.”
“Over one argument?”
“No.”
Hannah folded another shirt.
“Over the fact that my daughter is afraid of her aunt.”
Melissa was downstairs.
She had refused to leave.
That told Hannah everything about the power structure in the house.
Carol entered the room.
“She’s not afraid of Melissa.”
“You saw her face.”
“She was upset.”
“She pointed at Melissa like she was pointing at the person who started this.”
Carol sighed.
“Children hear things incorrectly.”
Hannah stopped packing.
“Then let’s ask her.”
“Hannah.”
“No. Let’s ask.”
They found Lily sitting on the bed in the spare room holding her stuffed rabbit.
Hannah sat beside her.
“You’re not in trouble.”
Lily nodded.
“What did Aunt Melissa say?”
Lily glanced toward Carol.
Hannah noticed.
“Grandma is listening because Grandma needs to know too.”
Lily swallowed.
“She said you didn’t have your own house anymore.”
Carol’s face changed slightly.
“What else?”
“She said Grandma was paying for us.”
Hannah felt anger rise.
“We buy groceries.”
“I know.”
“What else?”
“She said Grandma was old and tired and I made more work.”
Carol looked hurt.
“I never said that.”
Lily’s eyes filled.
“Auntie said you told her.”
Melissa’s voice came from the hallway.
“This is insane.”
Hannah stood immediately.
“Get out.”
Melissa entered anyway.
“This child is twisting everything.”
Lily shrank against the pillow.
Hannah stepped between them.
“You are done calling her a liar.”
“I never called her a liar.”
“You just did.”
Melissa turned toward Carol.
“Mom, are you seriously going to stand here while she turns Lily against us?”
Carol looked caught.
That old expression.
The one Hannah remembered from childhood.
The family must stop being uncomfortable.
Someone must apologize.
Usually Hannah.
But this time Hannah didn’t move.
She looked at Lily.
“What did Aunt Melissa mean when she said you had to earn your place?”
Lily whispered:
“She said Grandma’s house isn’t free.”
Hannah’s throat tightened.
“She said if we wanted to stay, I should make things easier.”
“How?”
“Laundry.”
“What else?”
“Pick up.”
“What else?”
“Keep Paige happy.”
Hannah stared at Melissa.
“Keep Paige happy?”
Melissa scoffed.
“They fight like cousins.”
Lily shook her head.
“She said Paige gets upset because I get Grandma time.”
Carol sat down slowly.
“What?”
Lily looked toward her.
“Auntie said Paige is your real granddaughter too and I shouldn’t act special just because my apartment broke.”
Something in Carol’s face finally cracked.
Melissa snapped:
“I was trying to stop jealousy.”
“By making my daughter feel guilty for being loved?” Hannah asked.
“You’re twisting it.”
“No.”
Hannah closed the suitcase.
“You are.”
Melissa laughed bitterly.
“You always do this. You storm in, create chaos, then leave Mom to deal with the damage.”
Hannah froze.
There it was.
The real argument.
Not laundry.
History.
Melissa had spent years convincing Carol that Hannah was the daughter who left.
Now Hannah had returned.
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And apparently Melissa believed she needed to be reminded where she belonged.
Or didn’t.
