NINE SECONDS

I handed the phone to James.

He read Lauren's message twice.

His face did not change, which scared me more than anger would have.

"Screenshot it," he said.

The officer, a woman named Ramirez, leaned closer. "May I see that?"

I passed her the phone.

"Has your sister threatened either of you before?"

"No."

James looked at me.

I hated that look because it meant he knew I was lying to myself.

"Not directly," I corrected. "She says things. She gets angry. She breaks stuff. She once threw a wine bottle through my bedroom window when we were teenagers."

Ramirez raised an eyebrow. "Was that reported?"

"My parents said it was an accident."

"Was it?"

I swallowed. "No."

The questions kept coming.

Had Lauren ever hit me? Once, in high school.

Had she ever threatened my property? Several times.

Had my parents intervened? Mostly by telling me not to provoke her.

By the time I finished, the story of my childhood sounded very different out loud than it had inside my head.

The officer took notes.

James sat beside me, silent.

When Ramirez left, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me all of that?"

"Because it was years ago."

"Sarah."

"Because I knew what you'd say."

"What would I say?"

I looked down at Emma, sleeping in the hospital bassinet.

"That it wasn't normal."

He reached for my hand.

Before he could answer, my phone rang.

Dad.

I almost let it go to voicemail. Then I answered.

"Sarah," he said, with the controlled voice he used when he wanted everyone else to feel unreasonable. "Your mother is hysterical. Lauren says James threatened to kill her."

James heard him through the speaker.

"That's a lie," I said.

"I wasn't there for every word."

"You were sitting ten feet away."

Dad exhaled sharply. "I'm telling you how this can look. James is active-duty military. A violent complaint could affect his career."

"Are you threatening us?"

"I'm trying to protect you from making a decision you can't take back. Tell the police it was a misunderstanding."

"No."

Silence.

Then Dad said something I had never expected.