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“Say it.”

“Yes.”

I rubbed my hand over my mouth.

“And Midnite?”

She cried harder.

I waited.

“Yes,” she whispered.

The word was so quiet I barely heard it. It still settled something I had been fighting for weeks.

I had wanted the truth. Hearing it from her mouth made me think about every time I defended her. How much had I missed while I was busy telling people they had my daughter wrong?

“Why?” I asked.

“I was mad.”

“At a horse?”

She shook her head.

“Then why did the horse have to die?”

“I don’t know.”

“That ain’t a fuckin’ answer!” I barked.

“I don’t know!” she cried. “I’m sorry. I won’t hurt any more animals. I promise.”

She reached toward me and I pushed her away.

“Don’t touch me, Storie.”

“I’ll be good, Daddy. I swear.”

I couldn’t keep treating this like she had talked back or snuck her phone into class. This was big. Way too big for me to handle.

I thought of Monica. What was the truth there?

“Did you kill your mother?”

Storie stopped reaching for me.

“No.”

“Look at me.”

“I didn’t kill Mommy.”

“Did you put something over her face?”

“No!” She shook her head so hard her hair fell across her cheek. “I only said that to scare Melody.”

“Why would you tell somebody that?” I asked.