Chapter 6 - Laura Comes Home
Vanessa did not confront Ethan immediately.
That was worse.
She walked downstairs.
No shouting.
No threats.
No attempt to take his phone.
Ethan spent the next hour waiting.
At dinner Vanessa behaved normally.
Daniel discussed work.
Noah slept in the portable bassinet beside the table.
Ethan barely touched his food.
Daniel noticed.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah."
Vanessa smiled.
"Teenager."
Daniel laughed.
Ethan looked at her.
She lifted her water glass.
A tiny private victory.
Later, after Daniel fell asleep, Vanessa entered Ethan's room.
She did not turn on the light.
He woke when she sat on the edge of his bed.
Ethan jerked upright.
"What are you doing?"
"Shh."
"Get out."
"Your mother is coming."
His heart began pounding.
"How do you know?"
"You talk loudly."
"Leave."
Vanessa leaned closer.
"Do you think Laura wants you?"
Ethan stared at her.
"Don't."
"She moved eight hundred miles away."
"Shut up."
"She chose her job."
"Shut up."
"And now you're calling her because you want somebody to rescue you."
Ethan pushed the blanket away.
Vanessa caught his wrist.
"Listen carefully."
"Let go."
"If Laura comes into this house accusing me of abusing you, your father will find out everything you've been saying."
"Good."
"He'll also find out you secretly record people. That you lie. That you tried to take Noah."
"I never tried to take him."
"That's what I'll say."
Ethan stopped.
Vanessa's fingers tightened.
"Your father already thinks you're jealous."
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
Ethan remembered the conversation.
He hated that she knew exactly where to press.
Vanessa released him.
"Call your mother."
She stood.
"Tell her not to come."
"No."
"Then tomorrow gets ugly."
The next morning Laura arrived before Ethan made a decision.
She drove directly from the airport in a rental car.
Daniel opened the door.
For several seconds they simply stared at each other.
"Laura?"
"Where's Ethan?"
Daniel's expression changed.
"Upstairs. Why?"
Laura stepped inside.
"We need to talk."
Vanessa appeared from the kitchen holding Noah.
Ethan came down the staircase.
The moment he saw his mother, whatever control he had maintained disappeared.
"Mom."
Laura looked at him.
Her eyes dropped immediately to the fading marks on his wrist.
Then to Vanessa.
"You."
Daniel stepped between them.
"Can someone tell me what's happening?"
Laura looked at Ethan.
He nodded once.
Then she told Daniel everything.
At first he listened.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
Laura stared.
"No?"
"You're telling me Vanessa is starving Noah and attacking Ethan?"
"I'm telling you what our son told me."
Daniel turned to Ethan.
"Is this true?"
Ethan's throat tightened.
"Yes."
Vanessa began crying.
Not loudly.
Quietly.
Perfectly.
Daniel looked at her.
She held Noah closer.
"I knew this would happen."
Laura's jaw dropped.
"What would happen?"
Vanessa wiped her cheek.
"Ethan doesn't want me here."
"Don't do that," Ethan said.
Daniel raised a hand.
"Everybody stop."
Vanessa looked at him.
"I didn't want to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
She hesitated.
"Ethan tried to take Noah out of the house."
Ethan stared.
"What?"
"He said Noah would be safer with him."
"That's a lie."
"He has been angry since the baby came."
"She's lying."
"He records me."
"Because you hit me."
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
Laura stepped forward.
"Daniel, look at your son."
"I am."
"No. Look at him."
Daniel did.
Ethan's eyes were wet, but he refused to cry.
Laura continued.
"Does he look jealous?"
Daniel's expression softened.
For one second Ethan thought he had reached him.
Then Vanessa spoke.
"Ask him why he deleted videos."
Ethan froze.
"What videos?" Daniel asked.
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
"The ones he edited."
"I didn't edit anything."
Daniel frowned.
Vanessa continued.
"He records little moments, cuts them, then threatens me."
Laura laughed in disbelief.
"You're accusing a fourteen-year-old child of blackmail?"
Vanessa looked wounded.
"I'm trying to protect my baby."
The argument lasted forty minutes.
Nobody won.
Finally Daniel made a decision.
Laura would take Ethan for several days.
Not because he believed Vanessa.
Not because he believed Ethan.
Because he wanted space.
Ethan packed silently.
Before leaving, he entered Noah's nursery.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
Daniel was downstairs with Laura.
Ethan touched his brother's tiny hand.
"I'll come back."
Vanessa watched him.
"No, you won't."
Ethan looked at her.
She smiled.
"By the time you come back, your father will know exactly who you are."
Ethan leaned closer to Noah.
Then whispered something Vanessa could not hear.
"I know exactly who she is."
As Ethan walked away, he noticed the black box fan inside the nursery closet.
May you like
Vanessa saw him notice.
Neither said a word.
