Chương 7
"Was Wren locked in the pantry?"
Corinne's lips pressed together.
"Was she?"
"Yes."
"Did you hit her today?"
Her eyes dropped.
"Yes."
"Did you lock food away from her?"
"That is not the same thing as starving her."
Julian held her gaze.
"You keep changing the question."
Corinne took a step toward him.
"Because you keep asking them like you've already decided what I am."
He almost answered.
Then he saw Desmond in the doorway.
The boy was studying both of them with the exhausted alertness of someone trying to predict the next explosion.
Julian lowered his voice.
"Des, go sit in the den for a minute."
Desmond did not move.
"I want to stay."
"I know."
"She'll change it."
Julian looked at him.
"What?"
"What happened."
Corinne's face twisted.
"I am standing right here."
Desmond flinched.
Julian lifted one hand.
"Nobody is changing anything."
Desmond's eyes stayed on him.
Julian softened his voice.
"I have the recorder."
"And the email?"
"I took pictures."
The boy hesitated.
"You won't delete them?"
The question stopped Julian cold.
"No."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Desmond finally left.
Julian waited until he heard the den door close.
Then he called the pediatrician's office.
The receptionist recognized his name and began with the bright professional tone used for routine scheduling.
Julian interrupted her.
"My daughter was struck in the face by an adult today."
Corinne turned away.
The receptionist's voice changed immediately.
"Is she safe right now?"
"Yes."
"Is the person who struck her still with her?"
"No."
Julian glanced at Corinne.
"She's with a neighbor."
"Is she conscious and behaving normally?"
"Yes."
"Any vomiting, confusion, severe headache, trouble seeing, difficulty walking?"
"No."
"Any swelling?"
"Redness."
He swallowed.
"And a visible handprint."
Corinne shut her eyes.
The receptionist paused.
"I'm going to get a nurse."
Julian waited.
Corinne walked to the kitchen sink and filled her glass again.
Her hand shook against the faucet.
Neither of them spoke.
The nurse came on and asked him to repeat everything.
This time Julian included Tuesday.
The pantry.
The panic.
The vomiting.
The fact that Wren had not been medically examined afterward.
The nurse stopped him there.
"She vomited after being locked in an enclosed space?"
"Yes."
"Did she lose consciousness?"
"I don't know."
Corinne turned.
"She didn't."
Julian covered the microphone.
"How do you know?"
"Because I was there."
"You didn't know she was in there."
"Afterward."
The nurse said his name.
Julian uncovered the phone.
"I'm here."
"We'd like her evaluated today."
"At your office?"
"Given the facial injury and the earlier event, I'd recommend the pediatric emergency department."
Corinne stared at him.
Julian's grip tightened around the phone.
"Okay."
"And Mr. Vale?"
"Yes?"
"Based on what you're describing, the clinicians may be required to make a report."
Corinne made a small sound.
Julian looked at her.
"I understand."
The nurse spoke carefully.
"If you believe either child is in immediate danger, call emergency services."
"I have them separated from their mother."
Corinne recoiled.
"Julian."
The nurse heard her.
"Is the person who caused the injury with you now?"
"Yes."
"Are the children with you?"
"One is next door."
"And the other?"
"In another room."
There was a pause.
"Do you feel safe maintaining that separation?"
Julian looked at Corinne.
She was crying again, but quietly now.
He hated the question.
He hated that it had become reasonable.
"Yes."
"Then take Wren in as soon as possible."
He ended the call.
Corinne gripped the counter.
"You told them."
Julian looked at her.
"What did you think I was going to do?"
"You could have taken her in and said she fell."
The room became very quiet.
Corinne heard herself.
Julian watched the realization spread across her face.
She covered her mouth.
"I didn't mean that."
"You did."
"I meant you didn't have to make this sound worse before anyone even sees her."
"Worse than what?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
"That's the first honest thing you've said in ten minutes."
She looked at him sharply.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Enjoy this."
Julian stared at her.
"You think I'm enjoying this?"
"There's something in your face."
He laughed once without humor.
"Yeah."
"Like you've finally found the thing that proves you were the good parent."
The words hit exactly where she intended.
Julian's jaw tightened.
Corinne saw it.
"That's not what this is," he said.
"Isn't it?"
"No."
"You get to be furious now."
"Corinne."
"You get to protect them now."
"Stop."
"You get to arrive at the exact moment that makes you the hero."
"Stop."
She stepped toward him.
"Where were you Tuesday?"
"In Richmond."
"Where were you last month when Wren screamed for forty minutes because I wouldn't let her sleep in our bed?"
"At work."
"Where were you when Desmond got suspended for shoving Ethan Parker?"
Julian stared at her.
"At work."
"Where were you when his math teacher wanted a conference?"
"Enough."
"No."
Her voice cracked.
"You don't get to make me the entire failure because you finally happened to be home for one."
Julian's face burned.
The easiest response would have been denial.
It would also have been a lie.
He set the phone on the table.
"I failed them too."
Corinne stopped.
Julian looked toward the den.
"I was supposed to notice."
Her anger faltered.
"I was supposed to know what this house felt like when I wasn't standing in it."
He rubbed both hands over his face.
"I let you carry everything because it was convenient for me."
Corinne stared.
"I told myself I was providing."
"You were."
"No."
He looked at her.
"I was also hiding at work because I'm good at work."
She looked away.
Julian continued before he could lose the nerve.
"Nobody throws cereal on the floor at work."
Corinne gave a strangled laugh that almost became a sob.
"Nobody needs help brushing their teeth twice at work."
He nodded.
"Nobody tells me they hate me because I said bedtime."
May you like
"No."
"I liked being the fun one."
