Chapter 2: Dad’s Backup Plan
Amanda hid the device behind her back.
“Both of you upstairs.””
I stayed beside the table.
“Who is it?””
“Upstairs, Ethan.””
Lily hurried over and grabbed my hand.
Amanda pointed toward the stairs.
“Now.””
Something about her voice frightened me more than shouting would have.
We climbed halfway up.
Then Lily pulled me behind the wooden railing.
“Wait,” she whispered.
“We’ll get in trouble.””
“I want to know about Daddy.””
So did I.
Below us, Amanda opened the front door only a few inches.
A tall Black man stood outside wearing a gray suit.
I recognized him.
Mr. Marcus Reed.
Dad’s attorney.
He had come to our house twice before.
“Marcus?””
Amanda sounded surprised.
“What are you doing here?””
“I need to speak with Ethan.””
My heart jumped.
Amanda immediately blocked the doorway.
“He’s busy.””
Marcus looked past her.
“With what?””
“That’s none of your business.””
“It became my business at noon today.””
Amanda’s shoulders stiffened.
“What happened at noon?””
Marcus reached into his jacket.
Amanda flinched.
But he only removed an envelope.
“Daniel left instructions with my office before his trip.””
Dad’s name made my chest ache.
Amanda glanced up the stairs.
Lily pulled me lower.
“What instructions?””
“If a certain device transmitted an emergency sequence, I was supposed to come here personally.””
Amanda looked at the black device in her hand.
For the first time, I understood.
The blue light.
The beep.
She hadn’t activated it.
I had.
When I grabbed her wrist, my thumb must have pressed something.
Amanda forced a laugh.
“This is ridiculous. Ethan is seven. He probably pressed it accidentally.””
“Maybe.””
Marcus’s expression didn’t change.
“That’s why I need to see him.””
“He’s fine.””
“Then there shouldn’t be a problem.””
Amanda opened the door wider and stepped onto the porch.
She lowered her voice.
“He has behavioral issues when Daniel travels.””
My stomach twisted.
That wasn’t true.
“He refuses meals. He lies. He tries to turn Lily against me.””
Lily’s eyes widened.
“She’s lying,” she whispered.
I squeezed her hand.
Marcus looked through the doorway.
His gaze landed on the kitchen table.
One bowl of noodles.
Two plates covered with chicken, potatoes and vegetables.
Then his eyes moved to Amanda.
“Where’s Ethan’s plate?””
Amanda glanced back.
“He wanted noodles.””
I almost laughed.
I hated instant noodles.
Dad knew that.
Marcus apparently knew something too.
“Daniel mentioned Ethan’s food preferences specifically in his instructions.””
Amanda’s face tightened.
“This is insane.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“I’m going to ask once more. May I speak with Ethan?””
“No.””
“Then I’ll call Daniel.””
Amanda’s confidence cracked.
“You can’t.””
“Why not?””
“He’s working.””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“Then he won’t answer.””
Amanda reached for him.
“Wait.””
Marcus stopped.
The silence stretched.
Finally, Amanda looked upstairs.
“Ethan!””
I stood.
Lily stood beside me.
We walked down together.
Amanda gave me a smile I had never seen before.
It looked painful.
“There you are, sweetheart.””
Sweetheart.
She had never called me that.
Marcus noticed.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He crouched.
“Hey, Ethan.””
“Hi.””
“You okay?””
I looked at Amanda.
Her smile remained.
But her eyes were warning me.
“Yes.””
Marcus studied my face.
“Have you been eating?””
“Yes.””
“What did you have for breakfast?””
Amanda interrupted.
“This is inappropriate.””
Marcus never looked away from me.
“Ethan?””
My throat tightened.
“Toast.””
“What kind?””
“Half.””
Amanda stepped forward.
“He didn’t want more.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“What did you eat yesterday?””
I looked down.
“Cereal.””
“And dinner?””
My eyes burned.
“I wasn’t hungry.””
Marcus became very still.
“Ethan, look at me.””
I did.
“What did you have for dinner?””
Amanda spoke sharply.
“Marcus—”
“Nothing.””
The word came out before I could stop it.
Lily grabbed my hand.
Marcus stood.
Amanda’s face turned red.
“He refused dinner because I disciplined him.””
“For what?””
“He was disrespectful.””
“I asked if I could call Dad,” I whispered.
Marcus looked at her.
“You withheld food because a seven-year-old asked to call his father?””
“That’s not what happened!””
“It is,” Lily said.
Everyone turned toward her.
She started crying again.
“Mom told Ethan Daddy didn’t want him bothering him.””
Amanda stared at her daughter.
“Lily.””
“And she threw away his sandwich.””
“Enough!””
Lily jumped behind me.
Something changed in Marcus’s face.
Not anger.
Decision.
He took out his phone.
Amanda rushed forward.
“What are you doing?””
“Following Daniel’s instructions.””
“You are not taking my stepson anywhere.””
“I didn’t say I was.””
“Then who are you calling?””
Marcus looked at the device still clutched in Amanda’s hand.
“Daniel.””
Her face drained again.
Marcus tapped the screen.
The call connected almost immediately.
He put it on speaker.
“Marcus?””
Dad’s voice filled the kitchen.
My knees nearly gave out.
“Dad!””
There was silence.
Then Dad said my name.
“Ethan?””
“I’m here.””
“Are you okay?””
I looked at Amanda.
Her lips silently formed two words.
Say yes.
Before I could answer, Lily shouted:
“He’s hungry, Daddy!””
Amanda grabbed the phone.
“Daniel, she’s confused.””
Dad’s voice became frighteningly calm.
“Amanda.””
“What?””
“Put Marcus back on.””
“Daniel, this has been completely blown out of proportion.””
“Amanda.””
She stopped talking.
“I need you to answer one question.””
Her fingers trembled around the phone.
Dad paused.
Then he asked:
“Why did you unplug the kitchen camera two days after I left?””
May you like
Amanda went completely still.
And I realized the little black device in my pocket had never been Dad’s only backup plan.
