Chapter 2 - What My Father Knew
I called Dad before we even reached home.
He did not answer.
I called again.
Voicemail.
The third time, Mom declined the call.
I knew because a text appeared almost immediately.
Your father is exhausted. Let this wait until morning.
I stared at it.
Daniel glanced over.
“Your mom?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
I showed him.
He read it once.
“She’s buying time.”
“For what?”
“That’s what we need to find out.”
We reached home shortly after midnight.
Daniel checked every window.
Every door.
Then he took Sophie upstairs while I stood in the kitchen staring at my phone.
Thirty-seven messages had appeared in the family group chat.
Madison had started them.
Apparently Claire’s military husband threatened me on Christmas.
Then:
For anyone wondering, I tapped Sophie because Claire was letting her scream two inches from my face.
My cousin Olivia answered first.
You hit the baby?
Madison replied:
Not HIT. A TAP. Claire is being dramatic.
Another cousin wrote:
Why would you put your hand on a baby at all?
Then Mom entered.
Everyone needs to calm down. It was an upsetting evening and alcohol was involved.
Alcohol.
As if wine had somehow slapped Sophie.
I scrolled.
Dad had written nothing.
At 12:19, the group chat suddenly disappeared.
Mom had removed me.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel came downstairs.
“What happened?”
“My mother removed me from the family chat.”
He exhaled.
“Claire.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I don’t think you do.”
I looked at him.
“You’re still waiting for them to act like reasonable parents.”
“They are my parents.”
“Yes.”
“And tonight they watched someone hit your daughter.”
That landed.
I sat down.
Daniel knelt in front of me.
“I’m not telling you what relationship to have with them.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I’m saying Sophie comes first now.”
I nodded.
He continued.
“Even before people you love.”
That was harder.
Much harder.
My father finally called at 1:04 a.m.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Is the baby okay?”
“Yes.”
“Thank God.”
“Dad, what did your text mean?”
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“In my car.”
“Why?”
“Your mother doesn’t know I called.”
I closed my eyes.
Daniel sat opposite me at the kitchen table.
“What happened years ago?”
Dad breathed out.
“When Madison was twenty-one, she worked at a daycare for about three months.”
I frowned.
“She told me she worked at a coffee shop.”
“She did afterward.”
“What happened at the daycare?”
Dad did not answer immediately.
Then:
“She lost her temper with a child.”
Every hair on my arms rose.
“What does that mean?”
“She grabbed a little boy too hard.”
“Hit him?”
“No.”
“Dad.”
“There were marks on his arm.”
I covered my mouth.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“The parents complained.”
Dad continued.
“There was an investigation.”
“What happened?”
“The daycare fired her.”
“Was she charged?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Another silence.
“Because the family agreed not to pursue it.”
“How?”
Dad sounded ashamed.
“We paid them.”
My stomach turned.
“You paid them?”
“Medical costs, legal fees, compensation.”
“And Mom convinced everyone Madison had made one mistake.”
I stared at the wall.
“How much?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“How much?”
“Forty thousand.”
I almost dropped the phone.
“Forty thousand dollars and you never told me?”
“You were in college.”
“I was her sister.”
“We thought she learned.”
“Did she?”
Dad said nothing.
That was my answer.
“There was another incident.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“With who?”
“Dad?”
“When Madison was twenty-six, she was watching Olivia’s daughter.”
My cousin Olivia.
The same woman who had asked in the group chat whether Madison hit Sophie.
“What happened?”
“Madison screamed at her and shoved a chair.”
“Did it hit the child?”
“No.”
“Did Olivia know?”
“She knew there was an argument.”
“But not the daycare incident?”
“No.”
I felt physically ill.
“You let her around children.”
“We were trying to help her.”
“You protected her.”
“I know.”
“You protected her from consequences.”
Dad’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
For the first time in my life, I heard my father cry.
“I should have told you before Sophie was born.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Your mother begged me not to.”
“Why?”
“She said Madison was doing better.”
“And tonight?”
“I saw her face after it happened.”
Dad stopped.
“What about her face?”
“It was the same look.”
“What look?”
“The one she had after the daycare incident.”
My voice dropped.
“What did it look like?”
“Like she wasn’t sorry.”
I closed my eyes.
Then remembered Madison’s final accusation.
You have no idea what they’ve done for you.
“Dad.”
“Yes?”
“What was Madison talking about when she said I didn’t know what you’d done for me?”
Silence.
“Dad?”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“I need to tell you in person.”
“No.”
My voice hardened.
“No more protecting me with silence.”
He breathed slowly.
Then said, “Three months ago, your mother and I changed our estate plan.”
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with Sophie?”
“We created a trust for her.”
I looked at Daniel.
“How much?”
Dad hesitated.
“One-third of what would have gone to Madison.”
My stomach dropped.
“Madison knows?”
“Yes.”
“When did she find out?”
Dad answered quietly.
May you like
“Tonight.”
And suddenly, the slap no longer looked random.
