Chương 10
She wanted villains to be less useful after they were exposed.
She folded the letter.
Noah came into the kitchen.
“What burned?”
“Nothing.”
“It smells burned.”
“Water boiled over.”
“Water doesn’t burn.”
“The stove had something on it.”
“What?”
“Noah.”
He opened the refrigerator.
“Okay.”
She watched him drink orange juice from the carton.
“Glass.”
He froze.
“Sorry.”
“Use a glass.”
He did.
Ordinary annoyance flooded through her with surprising relief.
As he put the carton back, he saw the letter.
“Is that Grandma?”
Evelyn did not ask how he knew.
“Yes.”
“What does she want?”
“She wrote about what happened.”
“Did she say sorry?”
“Yes.”
Noah stared at the refrigerator shelves.
“I don’t want to see her.”
“You don’t have to.”
He nodded.
“Ever?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“I don’t know about ever.”
His face tightened.
“I said I don’t want to.”
“I heard you.”
“So why did you say you don’t know?”
“Because you’re ten. I’m not going to make you decide what you want forever.”
He looked annoyed.
“That’s dumb.”
“Probably.”
He drank his juice.
Then he asked, “Does she still have the box?”
“No.”
“The police do?”
“I think so.”
He nodded.
“I hated that box.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Before?”
“Yeah.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
His shoulders rose.
“I tried.”
“When?”
“I said I didn’t like Grandma’s cocoa.”
The dish towel became still in Evelyn’s hand.
She remembered.
Don’t complain when someone makes you something.
Noah looked at her.
“You didn’t know.”
“No.”
“You thought I was being rude.”
“Yes.”
“I was kind of rude.”
Despite everything, Evelyn laughed.
“So was I.”
Noah smiled.
A week later, the child welfare caseworker recommended that any future contact between Margaret and the children remain supervised until the investigation and family safety plan were complete.
Evelyn agreed.
Noah refused contact.
Lily surprised everyone.
“I’ll see Grandma.”
Evelyn stared.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
“Why do you want to?”
Lily shrugged.
“I want my sweater.”
“What sweater?”
“The white one with the sparkles.”
“It’s at her house?”
“She says it is.”
“You talked to her?”
“No. She told Dad.”
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
He lifted both hands.
“I relayed the sweater information. That is my entire involvement.”
Lily rolled her eyes.
“I want the sweater and I want to ask her something.”
“What?”
Lily gave her a patient look.
“I’m going to ask Grandma.”
The supervised visit took place at a family-services office.
Evelyn sat in the room.
Margaret arrived without pearls.
It was such a small thing that Evelyn noticed immediately.
She wore navy slacks, a gray sweater, and flat shoes. She carried Lily’s white sweater folded over one arm.
Lily took it.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Margaret sat across from her.
A caseworker remained at the far side of the room pretending to review paperwork.
Lily put the sweater beside her.
“Did you put pills in Noah’s drinks?”
Margaret’s face tightened.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought it would make him sleep.”
“Did it?”
“Yes.”
Lily considered this.
“Then why was it wrong?”
Margaret looked briefly at Evelyn.
Evelyn did not help.
“Because it was not medicine prescribed to him, and because I did it without your parents knowing.”
Lily frowned.
“Mom gives me medicine without asking Dad sometimes.”
Evelyn almost laughed.
Margaret’s mouth twitched.
“That is different.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother gives you medicine meant for you and follows the instructions.”
“Oh.”
Lily picked at a loose thread on her dress.
“Were you trying to hurt him?”
“No.”
“Was Noah trying to hurt me?”
Margaret’s eyes shifted toward Evelyn again.
Evelyn held her breath.
“No,” Margaret said.
Lily looked at her.
“Then why is everybody still in trouble?”
Margaret was silent.
The caseworker stopped pretending to read.
Evelyn waited.
Margaret folded her hands.
“Because wanting something good does not make a dangerous choice safe.”
Lily thought about that.
“Mom says stuff like that.”
“I imagine she does.”
Lily looked at Evelyn.
“You two are annoying.”
The caseworker coughed into her hand.
Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek.
Margaret lowered her eyes, but Evelyn saw the smile.
For a moment the old family shape returned.
Then Lily asked, “Are you allowed to make cocoa?”
The smile disappeared.
“No.”
“Good.”
After the visit, Evelyn and Margaret stood outside the building while Lily waited in the car.
Margaret pulled her coat tighter.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t.”
Margaret nodded.
“You’re right.”
They stood in silence.
Cars moved through the intersection.
A delivery truck blocked one lane and earned three impatient horns.
Margaret watched it.
“I’m selling my controlling interest in the resort.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“Why?”
“I no longer want it.”
“That doesn’t sound like you.”
“No.”
“Is Daniel involved?”
“No.”
“Are you doing it because of the investigation?”
“Partly.”
Evelyn waited.
Margaret exhaled.
“Arthur loved that place. I turned keeping it exactly as he left it into a religion.”
“You could hire a therapist instead of selling real estate.”
Margaret looked at her.
“That was almost funny.”
“It was intended to be fully funny.”
“I’m rusty.”
Evelyn smiled despite herself.
Margaret’s expression softened.
“I do have a therapist.”
That surprised Evelyn more than the sale.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“How awful for the therapist.”
Margaret gave her a dry look.
“There. That one was actually funny.”
Evelyn laughed.
It stopped quickly.
Margaret looked toward Lily in the car.
“Does Noah still hate me?”
“He doesn’t use that word.”
“Does he ask about me?”
“Sometimes.”
“What does he ask?”
“If you’re still mad at him.”
Margaret’s face changed.
“Mad?”
“He thinks you blame him for exposing you.”
Margaret stared at the pavement.
“I blamed him for about a day.”
Evelyn appreciated the answer because it was ugly.
“And then?”
“Then I realized I was blaming a ten-year-old for making my behavior visible.”
She swallowed.
“I am ashamed of that day.”
“Good.”
Margaret nodded.
“Yes.”
In June, Noah asked to see her.
No one suggested it.
May you like
He brought it up while Evelyn was driving him home from basketball practice.
“Can Grandma come to one of my games?”
