Chapter 2: The Secret Behind the Garage Door
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The refrigerator hummed.
A balloon popped somewhere in the living room, making Maya flinch.
I kept staring at Tasha.
"Explain what you just said.""
She looked toward the hallway.
"Not here.""
I almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the woman who had just shoved my daughter over a smear of frosting suddenly wanted privacy.
"You had no problem doing this in front of my child," I said.
"You can explain it in front of me.""
Tasha rubbed her forehead.
"You're misunderstanding everything.""
Jordan let out a bitter laugh.
"That's what you always say.""
"Jordan, stop.""
"No. I'm tired of stopping.""
He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
"Remember this?""
Tasha's eyes widened.
"Where did you get that?""
"Your bedroom.""
"Give it to me.""
"No.""
He unfolded it and placed it beside the hotel receipts.
It was a printed text conversation.
I recognized Daniel's number immediately.
My hands began shaking.
The messages were dated six weeks earlier.
*Daniel:* I can't keep doing this. Laura is starting to notice.
*Tasha:* Then stop acting suspicious.
*Daniel:* What about the kids?
*Tasha:* Maya saw us, but she doesn't understand.
*Daniel:* Are you sure?
*Tasha:* I told her she imagined it.
I read the messages twice.
Then a third time.
Maya had seen them.
And instead of protecting her, Tasha had made an eight-year-old child feel responsible for keeping an adult secret.
I turned toward my daughter.
"Sweetheart, did Aunt Tasha tell you that you imagined something?""
Maya nodded.
"She said Daddy was helping her because she was sad.""
My throat tightened.
"When?""
"At Grandma's house. When you went outside to get your purse.""
Tasha interrupted.
"She misunderstood the situation.""
Jordan stepped forward.
"She didn't misunderstand anything.""
"Jordan!""
"You told her Daddy was practicing a surprise for you!""
Tasha's mouth snapped shut.
I stared at her.
"A surprise?""
Jordan nodded.
"They were in the garage. I heard them talking. Mom told Maya that if she told you, everyone would lose their family.""
I felt something crack inside my chest.
I crouched beside Maya.
"Baby, look at me.""
She raised her face.
"Did anyone tell you that Mommy would be sad if you told me?""
Her lower lip trembled.
"Aunt Tasha said Daddy would go away, and it would be my fault.""
I pulled her into my arms.
"Oh, sweetheart. No. None of this is your fault.""
She buried her face against my shoulder.
"I didn't want Daddy to leave.""
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The real damage.
My husband and my sister-in-law hadn't just betrayed me.
They had recruited my daughter into their lie.
Tasha moved closer.
"Laura, please. I never wanted Maya involved.""
I stood.
"Then why did you threaten her?""
"I didn't threaten her.""
Jordan shook his head.
"You told her not to talk.""
"I was protecting everyone!""
"From what?"" I demanded.
Tasha looked at the envelope.
Her eyes filled with tears, but I couldn't tell whether they were real.
"Daniel and I made a mistake.""
"One mistake?""
I lifted the hotel receipts.
"These are from different months.""
She said nothing.
"How many times?""
"Laura—"
"How many?""
Tasha finally whispered, "Since Christmas.""
Christmas.
I remembered that Christmas.
Daniel had bought me a silver necklace and kissed my forehead beneath the mistletoe.
Tasha had helped me prepare dinner.
She had sat beside my husband and laughed at his jokes.
She had even taken pictures of our family.
I remembered one photograph in particular.
Daniel had his arm around me.
Tasha stood behind us, smiling.
Now I wondered whether she had been laughing at me the entire time.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Daniel appeared.
*Daniel:* Hey, babe. Running late. Don't wait up. Love you.
I stared at the screen.
Then I turned it toward Tasha.
"Interesting timing.""
She looked away.
Jordan spoke quietly.
"Mom, tell her about the money.""
Tasha went completely still.
I lowered my phone.
"What money?""
Jordan hesitated.
Then he reached into his pocket again.
This time, he pulled out a small notebook.
"I found it in her desk. She told me it was about the house.""
Tasha rushed toward him.
"Don't you dare!""
I stepped between them.
"Back away from him.""
She stopped.
Jordan opened the notebook.
There were handwritten numbers, bank transfers, and a list of dates.
At the bottom of one page was a sentence written in Tasha's handwriting.
Once Laura signs, everything becomes easier.
I read it again.
"What am I supposed to sign?""
Tasha looked at me.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely terrified.
May you like
Then Jordan turned another page.
And I saw my husband's signature.
