Chapter 6
I wanted to hit Grant.
That would have been easy.
Instead I looked at Noah.
He was watching me.
That changed the decision.
I crouched.
“No one is going to hurt you.”
Grant laughed.
“You can’t promise that.”
I turned.
He smiled.
“Life hurts people.”
“No.”
I stood.
“People hurt people.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Very profound.”
I ignored her.
I asked Isabella:
“When did this start?”
She knew what I meant.
“With Noah?”
She swallowed.
“About a year ago.”
My grandson was three.
Grant had been frightening him since he was two.
“And you?”
Isabella looked down.
“After the wedding.”
Six years.
My chest tightened.
Grant snapped:
“She’s exaggerating.”
I held up her wrist.
“This?”
“She pulled away.”
“From?”
“Me.”
“Why?”
“She was being disrespectful.”
Isabella whispered:
“I said no.”
Grant stared at her.
That word clearly offended him.
Vanessa stepped in.
“Isabella has always been dramatic.”
I turned.
“She is bruised.”
“She bruises easily.”
“Her son hides from his father.”
“He’s spoiled.”
“You destroyed his gift.”
“It was trash.”
Noah started crying.
Vanessa looked at him.
“There. Again.”
I stepped closer.
“He made it for his father.”
“He should learn Grant doesn’t want childish garbage.”
Noah whispered:
“I wanted Daddy happy.”
Grant looked at him.
Something moved in his face.
Not enough.
Then hardened.
“You know what makes me happy.”
The child immediately answered:
“Quiet.”
The word landed like a punch.
Isabella covered her mouth.
I looked at Grant.
“What else?”
Noah stared at the carpet.
“Don’t bother Daddy.”
“And?”
“Don’t make Mommy cry.”
Grant snapped:
“I never told him that.”
Noah’s lip trembled.
“You say it after.”
After what?
No one needed to ask.
The recorder continued playing quietly where I had left it.
Then Luca’s voice emerged again.
“The charity night is the better window.”
Grant:
“Massimo attends.”
Vanessa:
“Isabella and Noah stay upstairs.”
Luca:
“If Massimo refuses North Harbor?”
Grant laughed.
“Then Isabella chooses.”
I stopped the recorder.
I looked at my daughter.
“Chooses what?”
She had no idea.
May you like
Grant did.
And for the first time, he looked genuinely afraid of what I might hear next.
