Mark’s face was hard.
Lily, who was quiet on the couch, looked at
her wrist to check the time, and shook her
head to Mark.
“Daddy… It’s too late. I have to sleep. Can we
skip seeing grandma?”
She was so clearly guilty. Even Mark could
see it.
I picked up Lily, started walking to my
mother–in–law’s. Thankfully, we had bought
her a house when her health was declining.
I had to get her to tell the truth, no matter
Without hesitating, I knocked on her door.
“Mom, your son thinks I’m having an affair. He
thinks I beat Lily. Please tell us what’s what.”
My mother–in–law had always been good to
- me. She did the laundry, helped with Lily. I
treated her like my own mom.
I didn’t need her to lie for me. I just needed
her to tell the truth, to show that Lily was
lying.
She hugged Lily, looked at us warily.
“Sarah… She goes to work every day. I don’t…
I don’t see her bringing men home.”
I sighed in relief, ready to tell Mark what’s
what, but my mother–in–law’s face changed.
She started to cry.
“Oh… It’s terrible… Poor Lily. She ended up
with you as a mother. Son… Can I tell the
truth?”
I froze. What was she doing?
Wiping her tears, she sobbed.
“Lily always comes to me after she’s been hit.
I feel so bad for her, but I was afraid you’d
get divorced. I never told you. It’s my fault… I
let her suffer.”
I was stunned. It was like I’d been stabbed.
“Mom… What are you saying? Why would you
lie to Mark?”
Г
My mother–in–law seemed angrier than me,
she grabbed my phone.
“Then tell me! Where did these photos come
from?”
She held up my phone. It was full of pictures
of Lily in weird outfits, with tears in her eyes
but still smiling.
I was stunned. The first time around, my
phone had somehow gotten full of pictures of
my child and strange contacts, leading to my
murder.
I deleted everything. All of it.
There’s no way those pictures could be on my
phone!
But I don’t know how these photographs have
reappeared.
Mark kicked me in the stomach.
“You disgust me! Lily is your daughter! How
can you take those pictures of her? You don’t
deserve to be a mother!”
“I am going to jail, but I will take care of you. I
will not let you be a mother.”
I cried and grabbed my phone so I would at
least know why I was dying.
I was in shock at what was there.
Now I know why my daughter behaved the
way she did.
<
The Truth was right in front of me.
Chapter 2
“Lily! Tell me! Who have you been talking to?
Who’s on this phone?”
I grabbed her, desperate, needing to hear it
from her own mouth.
She just stammered, wouldn’t answer. I
shoved the phone towards Mark.
“Mark, I know why she’s been lying!”
My hands were shaking.
When I’d looked at the phone, I saw it was
connected to a watch.
Lily had said it was a birthday present from a
<
friend.
I knew she was in an expensive school so I
never questioned it.
I hadn’t thought much about it then, but
now…
Before I could say anything, Grandma Carol
practically leaped in front of me, like I was
going to hit Lily.
“Sarah, you messed up, you need to own it.
Don’t try to change the subject. It’s too late.
There’s evidence, we won’t believe your lies!”
Mark, who’d already been through the wringer
with me, was done trusting me.
“Enough! No more excuses.”
“You wanna dodge a beating? We can call the
cops right now and have them haul your
downtown. See what they think.”
“I’m giving you a chance to come clean
because you’re Lily’s mom. You wanna go to
jail, I’ll put you there myself.”
I stood up, calm for the first time.
“Fine. If the cops can clear my name, let’s call
them.”
