Chapter 5 - what maya said
The first warning came from a three-year-old.
Maya was sitting on Elena’s bed coloring.
Elena had finally moved back into the primary bedroom after the stair lift was installed.
Vivian hated the lift.
She called it ugly.
Elena called it necessary.
Maya drew a purple circle.
Then a green line.
Then she said, “Grandma says babies are bad.”
Elena looked up.
“What?”
“Leo bad.”
“Grandma said that?”
Maya nodded.
“When?”
“When he cried.”
Elena put down her phone.
“What happened?”
Maya shrugged.
“He cried. Grandma got mad.”
“Did Grandma hurt Leo?”
The child looked toward the hallway.
That frightened Elena more than the answer would have.
“Maya?”
“She grabs.”
“Where?”
Maya squeezed her own arm.
Elena’s stomach tightened.
That evening she examined Leo carefully.
No obvious marks.
No bruises.
He seemed happy.
Vivian laughed when confronted.
“Oh, please.”
“Maya said you grabbed him.”
“He was reaching for the stove.”
“Was he in the kitchen?”
“He crawls everywhere.”
“You keep the gate closed.”
Vivian’s face changed.
“So now you think I abuse children.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You’re accusing me.”
“I’m asking.”
“You should be thanking me.”
There it was again.
The accounting system Vivian preferred.
Every act of assistance purchased immunity from criticism.
Elena pushed her wheelchair backward.
“Don’t grab him hard enough that Maya notices.”
Vivian stared at her.
“You’re becoming paranoid.”
“Just don’t.”
Two days later Vivian announced she had dismissed the daytime caregiver.
Elena thought she had misunderstood.
“You fired Tessa?”
“We don’t need her.”
“I hired her.”
“She sits around half the day.”
“She helps me shower. She helps with Leo.”
“I can do that.”
“I don’t want you doing everything.”
Vivian laughed bitterly.
“That would be a first.”
Elena felt anger rise.
“Call Tessa.”
“No.”
“Mom.”
“We are not wasting four thousand dollars a month on a woman who sits in your kitchen drinking coffee.”
Elena stared.
“We?”
Vivian paused.
“Yes. We.”
“That’s my decision.”
“And I am the one managing this house.”
Elena’s voice dropped.
“No. You’re helping.”
Vivian smiled without warmth.
“You really don’t understand how much you depend on me.”
That sentence stayed with Elena.
She called Tessa privately.
“Did my mother fire you?”
Tessa hesitated.
“She said you decided to reduce expenses.”
“I didn’t.”
“I thought that was strange.”
“Why?”
Another hesitation.
Then Tessa said, “Because last week you told me you wanted to add Fridays.”
Elena closed her eyes.
“Come back Monday.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Tessa lowered her voice.
“Elena, there’s something else.”
“What?”
“I heard your mother on the phone.”
“With who?”
“I don’t know. But she said you were not capable of managing the children and that it was becoming obvious.”
Elena’s hand tightened around the phone.
“What exactly did she say?”
“I shouldn’t have listened.”
“Tessa.”
There was silence.
May you like
Then Tessa answered.
“She said, ‘Once the paperwork is finished, she won’t be able to stop me.’”
