Chapter 3: The Locked Door
I barely slept.
At 6:42 the next morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table with the photograph Elena had sent me.
Nova's school hallway.
Mrs. Carter behind her.
The locked storage room.
And something I hadn't noticed before.
A small red light above the door.
A security camera.
I zoomed in.
The camera pointed directly toward the hallway.
“Mom?””
I quickly turned the phone facedown.
Nova rolled into the kitchen.
She was still wearing her pajamas, her hair sticking up on one side.
“You're awake early.””
“So are you.””
She looked at me suspiciously.
“Are you worried?””
“No.””
She raised an eyebrow.
“You're doing the face.””
“What face?””
“The face where you say you're not worried.””
Despite everything, I laughed.
“Come here.””
She rolled closer.
I crouched beside her.
“Did anything happen at school yesterday?””
Nova's expression changed.
“Yesterday?””
“Before your party.””
She looked at the table.
“Not really.””
“Nova.””
“I don't want you to be mad.””
“I won't be mad at you.””
She picked at the edge of her sleeve.
“Mrs. Carter told me I should stop asking Sky to sit with me at lunch.””
My heart sank.
“Why?””
“She said Sky needs other friends.””
“What did you say?””
“I said Sky can decide that.””
I almost smiled.
“That sounds like you.””
Nova didn't smile back.
“Then Mrs. Carter got angry.””
“What happened?””
“She took my chair.””
My body went still.
“What?””
“She pushed me away from the door.””
“Where?””
“The storage room.””
I stood.
“Why?””
“She said my charger was blocking the hallway.””
I stared at my daughter.
“Was your charger blocking the hallway?””
“No.””
“Did she put you inside the storage room?””
Nova nodded.
“For how long?””
“I don't know.””
“Were you alone?””
She looked down.
“For a little while.””
My hands began shaking.
“Who got you out?””
“Sky.””
The kitchen suddenly felt too small.
“Sky?””
“She heard me calling.””
Nova swallowed.
“She told Mrs. Carter I needed my charger.””
“And what did Mrs. Carter say?””
Nova's voice became tiny.
“She said I was making things difficult again.””
I closed my eyes.
For weeks, I had told myself the little changes at school were coincidences.
Nova coming home quieter.
Nova asking to eat lunch in the library.
Nova saying she didn't want to attend the class movie.
I had blamed fatigue.
I had blamed growing up.
I had blamed everything except what was happening.
A car horn sounded outside.
The school.
We were going to be late.
At 8:05, we entered the principal's office.
Mrs. Carter was already there.
She sat beside the principal with her hands folded neatly on the table.
When she saw me, she smiled.
“Thank you for coming.””
I didn't return the smile.
“Where is the footage from yesterday?””
The principal blinked.
“What footage?””
“The hallway camera.””
Mrs. Carter's expression tightened.
“I'm not sure what you're referring to.””
I placed the photograph on the desk.
“This.””
The principal looked at it.
Then at Mrs. Carter.
“I wasn't aware there was an issue with the camera.””
Elena had told me to ask one question.
I asked it.
“Did you report the incident involving my daughter yesterday?””
The principal sighed.
“We received a complaint regarding an altercation.””
“Between Nova and whom?””
He looked down at his notes.
“Another student.””
“Which student?””
Mrs. Carter answered.
“Ethan.””
I knew the name.
Ethan was one of the children who had canceled Nova's party.
“What happened?””
Mrs. Carter leaned forward.
“Nova became upset when Ethan wouldn't move his chair.””
I stared at her.
“My daughter uses a wheelchair. Why would she ask another child to move his chair?””
“She wanted access to the table.””
“So?””
“She became frustrated.””
“Did she touch him?””
Mrs. Carter hesitated.
“Not exactly.””
“Then what happened?””
“She raised her voice.””
I looked at the principal.
“And what did Ethan say?””
Neither answered.
I turned back to Mrs. Carter.
“What did he say?””
Her mouth tightened.
“He made an inappropriate comment.””
“What comment?””
Silence.
Then the principal finally spoke.
“He used a derogatory term.””
I felt the air leave my lungs.
“What term?””
Mrs. Carter looked at me.
“He called her a cripple.””
I gripped the edge of the chair.
“And what did you do?””
Mrs. Carter folded her hands tighter.
“I separated the children.””
“You punished Nova.””
“We removed her from the situation.””
“You locked her in a storage room.””
“That is not what happened.””
“Then why did my daughter say she was locked inside?””
Mrs. Carter's face hardened.
“Children can misunderstand situations.””
I leaned forward.
“My daughter doesn't misunderstand locked doors.””
The principal raised a hand.
“Let's remain calm.””
“No.””
My voice surprised even me.
“I was calm when sixteen families canceled my daughter's birthday. I was calm when one of them said their child wasn't comfortable around medical equipment. I was calm when I found out her teacher encouraged parents not to come.””
Mrs. Carter's face went pale.
The principal stared at me.
“Who told you that?””
Before I could answer, the office door opened.
Sky stood outside.
Her mother was behind her.
And Sky was holding the same brown paper bag from yesterday.
She looked directly at Mrs. Carter.
May you like
Then she said,
“I have the video.””
