Chapter 14 - The Things We Never Said
There was no quick way to repair what I'd done. Clara agreed to supervised visits with Emma in Nina's living room, with Nina present and Olivia free to leave whenever she wanted. I sat on the rug and shook a yellow rattle. Emma crawled toward me, then turned back to Clara when a truck rumbled past outside.
I wanted to say, See? She still knows I'm her father. Instead, I followed the plan and let her choose where she felt comfortable.
"She gets nervous at loud sounds now," Clara said. "The doctor says that can happen after a frightening event. We keep her routine calm and watch how she does."
"I wish I could take that day back."
"I wish you had believed me before that day."
Olivia sat at the table drawing flowers in the corner of her notebook. She finally spoke. "I didn't show you my videos because I thought you'd take my phone away. Aunt Vanessa said you would."
"I gave you reasons to think that," I admitted.
Clara's eyes filled, and I realized the whole house had been teaching the children that powerful adults should not be questioned. Vanessa hadn't invented that rule. She'd used one I had helped build.
I was charged for the slap. My attorney explained the court process, and I told him I would not dispute the physical act or shift blame to Vanessa. I entered a counseling program on my own and complied with Clara's boundaries. The outcome would be decided through the proper process, not a public apology.
After the visit, Olivia walked me to the door. "Dad, you know how Aunt Vanessa was always nice in front of guests?"
"Yes."
"She wasn't nice when nobody was looking. I thought that meant I was imagining things."
"You weren't."
May you like
She nodded slowly, then reached into her hoodie pocket. "I forgot I had this. I found it under the desk in her office the day before Emma got hurt."
In her palm lay a small storage card inside a cracked plastic adapter.
