Chương 5
No.
Did you talk to him?
The typing indicator appeared, vanished, then returned.
His attorney spoke to me.
That was not the question.
Mara waited.
Her mother sent, We need to be careful now. Everything we say can be misunderstood.
Mara read the sentence three times.
Then another message arrived.
He says you kicked him before he raised the belt at you.
The room seemed to tilt.
That’s a lie.
I know emotions were high.
That’s a lie, Mara typed again.
I’m not accusing you. I’m trying to understand all sides.
There are not all sides to whether he raised it.
Please do not text details. Mark says messages can be used out of context.
Mara stared at the screen until the words blurred.
From the hallway came a soft footstep. Eli stood near the couch in one of June’s oversized T-shirts.
“Is Dad coming here?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
She was not sure.
Eli climbed onto the far end of the couch and pulled his knees to his chest.
“Did Mom call?”
“She texted.”
“What did she say?”
“That Dad’s staying with Uncle Mark.”
Eli nodded. His hair stuck up on one side. “Is he mad at me?”
Mara’s first instinct was to say no. She could not do it.
“He’s mad at everyone,” she said. “That doesn’t mean you did anything.”
“I broke the pencil box.”
Mara looked at him.
“The plastic one,” he said. “I dropped it.”
“That’s why he got the belt?”
Eli’s shoulders lifted.
“What happened before I came down?”
“I was drawing at the table. He said move because he needed it. I said I was almost done. Then he grabbed the paper and it ripped.”
“What were you drawing?”
Eli pressed his mouth against his knee.
“What?”
“A house.”
“Okay.”
“With us.”
Mara waited.
“You weren’t in it,” he said.
The words landed strangely. “Why?”
“You were at college.”
“I’m fifteen.”
“In the picture you weren’t.”
“Was Dad in it?”
Eli shook his head.
“Mom?”
Another shake.
“Who was?”
“You and me. But you were older.”
Mara looked toward the dark kitchen. The faucet dripped.
“Did Dad see?”
“He asked why he wasn’t there.”
“What did you say?”
“I said because it was my picture.”
Mara closed her eyes.
Eli whispered, “That was rude.”
“No.”
“He said it was.”
“It wasn’t.”
“He ripped it, and I tried to get it, and the pencils fell. The box broke. Then he got the belt.”
“Where was Mom?”
“Hallway.”
“Did she tell him to stop?”
Eli took too long to answer.
“She said he was scaring me.”
“And then?”
“He said good.”
Mara felt something inside her settle into a harder shape.
The next morning, Simone met them at Claire’s house. She sat at the kitchen table with a new cup of coffee and explained that the temporary placement would continue for at least several days while the agency completed interviews and assessed the home.
Laura arrived late with a folder and no makeup. The faint discoloration near her jaw was visible in the kitchen light.
Claire noticed it immediately.
“What happened to your face?”
Laura touched the spot. “I walked into a cabinet.”
Claire looked at Mara, then back at Laura. “Try again.”
“Not everything is Daniel.”
“No. Just the things you lie about.”
Simone raised one hand. “We need to keep this focused.”
Laura placed the folder on the table. “I brought school information, insurance cards, medication records. I am cooperating.”
“You brought paperwork,” Claire said.
“Which is more than you’ve done.”
“I picked up your children.”
“You’ve always wanted to.”
Claire stood.
Mara had seen her father fill rooms with anger. Claire’s anger did not expand. It sharpened.
“Do not do that,” she said.
Laura’s face tightened. “Do what?”
“Turn this into some old competition so you don’t have to look at what happened.”
“I am looking at it.”
“No. You’re organizing it.”
Simone asked Claire to sit.
Eli was in the living room with headphones, playing a game on June’s tablet. June had returned that morning and been told only that Mara and Eli were staying because of a family problem. She accepted this for nine minutes before asking whether Daniel was dead.
Now she pretended not to listen.
Simone reviewed the safety conditions. Daniel had been released pending further proceedings. He was staying with Mark and prohibited from contacting Laura, Mara, or Eli except through attorneys or approved channels. Laura could return home. The children would remain with Claire while the agency evaluated whether Laura could maintain separation and protect them.
“I already said I can,” Laura replied.
Simone opened her notebook. “Did you speak with Mr. Bennett last night?”
“No.”
Claire folded her arms.
“Did anyone relay messages between you?”
“His attorney contacted me.”
“Did Mr. Bennett provide information through his attorney?”
Laura looked at Mara. “I was told his understanding of the incident.”
Simone’s expression did not change. “Did you repeat that understanding to your daughter?”
“I was trying to prevent confusion.”
“You contacted her outside the agreed supervision.”
“It was after midnight. She was in a strange house. I’m her mother.”
“The contact itself is not the only concern.”
Laura’s eyes filled. “I did not tell her to lie.”
“No,” Mara said. “You just told me his lie.”
Laura turned to her. “I said I knew emotions were high.”
“He was swinging a belt at Eli.”
“He says he struck the counter.”
“He says a lot of things.”
“Mara, you kicked him hard enough to injure him.”
The room went quiet.
Claire stared at her sister. “That’s where you’re going?”
“I’m not defending him.”
“You just did.”
“I’m acknowledging that more than one thing happened.”
Mara’s hands began to shake beneath the table. “He was coming at me.”
“I know you believed that.”
“I didn’t imagine it.”
“I didn’t say you did.”
“You keep saying things that mean it.”
May you like
Laura sat back as though Mara had slapped her.
Simone closed the notebook. “Mrs. Bennett, do you believe your daughter acted to protect herself or her brother?”
