Chapter 3 - WHAT THE CHILDREN KNEW
I did not sleep.
At six in the morning, I made pancakes because that was the twins’ favorite breakfast.
Lily sat at the table and stared at them.
“You can eat,” I told her.
She looked toward the hallway.
“Grandma said breakfast is earned.”
I put my fork down.
Across from her, Noah’s face tightened.
“Noah,” I said carefully. “How long has this been happening?”
He looked at his sister first.
That was the moment I realized the two of them had been carrying a secret together.
“Since summer,” he said.
My chest hurt.
“What happened in summer?”
“Grandma said Lily was getting spoiled. Then she started making rules.”
“What rules?”
Lily counted on her fingers like she was reciting classroom instructions.
“No snacks. No second helping. No eating if I cry. No eating if I talk back. No eating if I ask Mommy.”
I gripped the edge of the table.
“And you?” I asked Noah.
“She fed me.”
The shame on his face broke me.
“I gave Lily food when Grandma went upstairs,” he rushed to say. “I put crackers under my bed. But Grandma found them.”
Lily whispered, “She made him watch her throw them away.”
Behind me, Noah said, “Mom, she made videos too.”
I turned.
“What videos?”
“She would turn on her phone and ask Lily questions.”
Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
“She told me to say you forget to feed us.”
“Did you say it?”
She nodded once.
“Because she said if I didn’t, Noah couldn’t eat either.”
I crouched beside her. “You are not in trouble. Neither of you are.” Lily threw both arms around my neck.
Then someone pounded on the front door.
Three hard knocks.
May you like
A man’s voice called from outside.
“Mrs. Carter? County Child Protection. We need to speak with you about an emergency complaint.”
