Chapter 1 - THE TABLET
Daniel rose and placed himself between Rachel and Noah.
“Don’t touch him.”
Rachel stopped so abruptly that the hem of her blue birthday dress swung around her knees.
Her face hardened.
“He’s my son.”
“And right now he’s terrified of you.”
Noah clutched the tablet against his chest.
The video continued recording.
My father looked toward the front door as though calculating whether he could simply leave.
Daniel noticed.
“Nobody goes anywhere.”
“Don’t order me around in my own family,” Dad snapped.
Daniel finally turned toward him.
“Our sister is on the floor.”
The room went silent.
“You were standing over her with her crutch.”
Dad opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Daniel looked around at the relatives who had watched everything.
“Aunt Carol?”
My aunt stared at the carpet.
“Uncle Mike?”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
Daniel’s expression changed as he understood.
Everyone had seen.
Nobody had moved.
My shoulder throbbed when I tried to sit up.
Daniel immediately crouched beside me again.
“Stay still.”
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.”
Rachel let out a sharp laugh.
“Of course she says that now.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What is wrong with you?”
“She came here looking for trouble.”
“I came because Noah invited me.”
Noah’s head snapped toward me.
“I did.”
Rachel turned on him.
“Noah.”
The warning in her voice made him shrink back.
Daniel stepped closer to his son.
“Say whatever you need to say.”
Noah swallowed.
“I wanted Auntie here.”
Rachel’s cheeks flushed.
“She’s confusing him.”
“No,” Daniel said.
“You’re frightening him.”
Dad finally moved toward the kitchen.
Daniel blocked his path.
“Where are you going?”
“To get some air.”
“You’re staying until the police arrive.”
Half the room reacted at once.
Rachel stared at Daniel.
“The police?”
Daniel held up his phone.
“I called them from the driveway after Noah called me.”
Rachel went pale.
Dad’s anger returned immediately.
“You’re calling the police on your own father?”
“I’m calling the police because I walked into a room and found my sister hurt on the floor.”
“You don’t understand what happened.”
Daniel pointed toward Noah’s tablet.
“Then I guess we’re lucky there’s a recording.”
Rachel’s eyes flicked toward the device again.
This time everyone noticed.
Noah noticed too.
He backed another step into the hallway.
Daniel followed him.
“Can you save that video?”
Noah nodded.
“I think so.”
“Do it.”
Rachel suddenly moved.
Daniel reacted faster.
He put out one hand and stopped her without touching her.
“Back up.”
She stared at him with fury.
“You’re choosing her over your wife.”
Daniel’s voice became quiet.
“I’m choosing the truth over a lie.”
Outside, distant sirens grew louder.
Several relatives began whispering.
Others suddenly discovered reasons to leave.
Daniel turned toward them.
“If you witnessed what happened, please stay.”
Nobody moved.
That hurt more than I expected.
The sirens stopped outside the house.
Red and blue reflections flashed across the front windows.
Rachel stared at my father.
My father stared at the ruined cake.
May you like
And for the first time since I had arrived at the party, neither of them looked angry.
They looked afraid.
