Chapter 1
I came home early and found my mother-in-law slapping my five-year-old daughter for reaching toward a piece of cake. Then Lily whispered something that made me realize this had been happening every time I left for work.
I heard Lily cry before I even closed the front door.
I dropped my purse and ran toward the dining room.
My mother-in-law, Diane, was standing beside the table with one hand still raised.
Lily was pressed against the wall, holding her cheek.
“What did you do to her?” I shouted.
Diane turned around like I was the one causing a scene.
“She needs to learn not to grab things that aren’t hers.”
I rushed past her and pulled Lily into my arms.
My daughter buried her face against my neck.
“She was hungry,” Diane snapped.
“That doesn’t give you the right to hit her.”
“She already had breakfast.”
“It’s almost four o’clock.”
Diane rolled her eyes.
“She’s not going to starve.”
On the table was a plate filled with frosted cupcakes Diane had baked that morning.
Lily had only been trying to touch one.
I looked at my daughter.
“Sweetheart, did Grandma give you lunch?”
Lily didn’t answer.
She just tightened her arms around me.
Diane stepped closer.
“Don’t interrogate her.”
That sentence made my stomach turn.
I grabbed the plate of cupcakes from the table and threw it straight at Diane.
The plate hit her chest, and frosting splattered across her blouse.
She screamed.
“Have you lost your mind?”
I pointed at the door.
“You hit my child over food.”
Diane wiped frosting from her face and laughed bitterly.
“She’s spoiled because you baby her.”
Then Lily suddenly whispered into my shoulder.
“Mommy?”
I looked down.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
“Grandma doesn’t let me eat when you go to work.”
Everything inside me went cold.
I slowly turned toward Diane.
Diane’s face changed.
“Lily,” she said sharply. “Stop lying.”
My daughter started shaking.
May you like
Then she whispered four words that made Diane go completely silent.
“There’s food in Grandma’s room.”
