Chapter 2 - The Escape And The Echo
The night air was crisp and biting.
It grounded me.
Maisie was sobbing into my shoulder, her tears soaking my blouse.
I unlocked my car with trembling fingers.
I strapped her into her car seat with absolute precision.
I checked the buckles twice.
I kissed her forehead, completely avoiding the red mark on her left cheek.
My heart was beating so hard it hurt my ribs.
I got into the driver’s seat.
I locked the doors.
I started the engine and reversed out of Margaret’s pristine driveway.
I drove without a destination in mind.
I just needed to be far away.
Far from that dining room.
Far from the husband who let his mother assault our child.
My phone began to ring.
It was Evan.
I ignored it.
It rang again.
And again.
Then a text message appeared on my screen.
“You embarrassed my mother in front of everyone. Come back and apologize right now.”
I let out a harsh, bitter laugh.
He wasn't asking about his daughter.
He wasn't asking if Maisie was hurt.
He was worried about Margaret’s embarrassment.
Ten minutes later, my phone vibrated with a different kind of notification.
It was not Evan.
It was my best friend, Chloe.
“Are you okay? Is Maisie okay? Tell me you took her and ran.”
I pulled over into the brightly lit parking lot of a 24-hour grocery store.
I called Chloe back immediately.
“We are safe,” I said, my voice finally breaking.
“Come to my place,” Chloe demanded.
“Do not go back to that house.”
“I can’t,” I sobbed. “I don’t know what to do.”
“You don’t have to know yet,” Chloe said softly.
“But you need to know something else.”
“What?” I asked, wiping my nose.
“Tessa’s livestream,” Chloe said.
“She forgot to turn it off.”
My stomach dropped.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Tessa was broadcasting the dinner to the private family group,” Chloe explained.
“But she accidentally set the privacy to public when she started it.”
“Dozens of people were watching.”
“And someone screen-recorded it.”
“It’s everywhere, honey.”
“The slap.”
“Your husband doing nothing.”
“You hitting him.”
“The whole world just saw what Margaret did to Maisie.”
I looked in the rearview mirror.
Maisie had exhausted herself and fallen asleep.
The red mark on her cheek was still visible in the streetlights.
I took a deep breath.
May you like
The secret was out.
Good.
