Chapter 2 - The Rules
Marcus kept his voice low because rage, he had learned, was most useful when it was controlled.
“What does ‘earn dinner’ mean?”
Caleb looked at Simone and immediately regretted speaking.
“Caleb,” Simone said, “finish your food.”
Marcus turned to her. “Don’t.”
One word.
She stopped.
Nia sat with both hands under the table, shoulders drawn in.
Marcus pulled out the chair beside her. “Tell me the rules.”
“There aren’t any rules,” Simone said.
“Nia.”
His daughter stared at the grain of the wooden table.
“If my room isn’t perfect, I lose dessert.”
Marcus waited.
“If I forget a chore, I lose snacks.”
His throat tightened.
“And dinner?”
Nia swallowed. “Sometimes.”
“Sometimes when?”
“If she says I’m being difficult.”
Marcus looked at Simone.
She folded her arms. “You have no idea what it’s like here all day. You get home, play hero for ten minutes, and suddenly I’m a monster.”
“You took food away from a child.”
“I disciplined her.”
“Food isn’t discipline.”
“That’s your opinion.”
“No,” Marcus said. “That’s a boundary.”
Simone’s nostrils flared.
Nia finally picked up her fork, but her hand shook so badly the metal clicked against the plate.
Marcus placed his hand over hers.
“Slow down. Nobody is taking it.”
The words came out before he could stop them.
Nia looked at him.
That look said she did not believe him yet.
Marcus hated himself for missing whatever had taught her not to.
Later, after the kids were upstairs, Simone followed him into the living room.
“You embarrassed me in front of them.”
“You did that yourself.”
“You always take Nia’s side.”
“She’s ten.”
“She manipulates you.”
“She’s ten.”
“You keep saying that like it means she can’t lie.”
Marcus turned.
“Has she lied about food before?”
Simone hesitated.
A tiny hesitation. Half a second.
But Marcus saw it.
“What else have you done?”
“Nothing.”
He stared.
“Nothing,” she repeated.
His phone buzzed on the coffee table.
A notification from the family security system.
Motion detected: Kitchen.
That was strange. Everyone was upstairs except him and Simone.
Marcus opened the app.
The kitchen camera was offline.
He frowned.
“Why is the camera disconnected?”
Simone’s face went still.
“It’s been acting weird.”
Marcus checked the activity log.
Kitchen camera: manually disabled.
Every weekday.
3:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Exactly the hours Nia was home before Marcus returned from work.
He looked up from the phone.
May you like
Simone was already walking away.
And for the first time in their marriage, Marcus followed his wife because he was afraid of what she might delete.
