She jumps, turning quickly. She crosses over and drops onto the bed.
“Nothing.” She holds my face and pets my hair. “Nothing at all, Isobel. We’re just… going on vacation.”
“Will Dada be going on vacation with us?” I rub my eyes.
I don’t understand thelook on her face.
“No, baby, he won’t.”
“Why not?”
“We’re getting away from monsters.” She lays me back down.
I think she means the kind of monsters that live under the bed. I nod and believe her.
There’s a knock on the door and she jumps.
“Who’s that, Mama?” I sit up.
“Mama’s friend.” She gives me a small smile.
She opens the door, and a man fills the frame. It’s not Dada.
He has dark slicked-back hair, dark eyes.
I don’t like him.
Mama and the man talk as he steps inside, but I can’t hear them.
I want Dada.
He hands Mama a little baggie and she quickly grabs it. The man walks over and crouches beside the bed. He just stares, and it makes me feel bad.
“Who are you?”
His smile is small. It doesn’t look real.
“I’m Daniel. I’m going to be your new daddy.”
The room is toobright and too clean. Silence rings in my ears. Anger and frustration bubbles in my chest.
It’s been a few days since Detective Harlan was here. Every day, more and more memories seem to unlock.
How could I just let her take me away from my dad? All the while, she was leading me further into the monster’s den. I didn’t know then that sometimes monsters hid in plain sight.
I try to search my mind for memories of my dad, but it’s like they're buried under layers and layers of lies that Mama placed there.
She said she was keeping me safe.
That he was gone.
What could have been so bad about the man who made waffles and hummed along to the radio?
What did Daniel do to him?
Before my thoughts can continue to spiral, Maeve and Brenda walk in. Maeve plops down a pink box of pastries on the table while Brenda holds a tray of drinks.
“Morning, Iz!” Maeve chirps, handing me a donut.
