Chapter 7: The Man Who Wanted to Become Her Father
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
I was sitting in Evelyn Price's office, staring at a photograph of my wife standing beside my estranged brother.
Now Lily was telling her school counselor that the same man had promised to become her new father.
"Mrs. Collins, where is Lily right now?"" I finally asked.
"She's in my office. She's frightened, but she's physically safe.""
"Please don't let anyone take her anywhere. I'm coming.""
"Of course. I've already informed the principal.""
I grabbed my keys.
Evelyn stood.
"Marcus, what's happened?""
"My brother has been visiting my house. Apparently, he's telling my daughter he's going to replace me.""
Evelyn's expression hardened.
"Daniel Bennett?""
I nodded.
She picked up the photograph.
"Then Rachel's concerns were more serious than I thought.""
I looked at her.
"What did she know?""
"Not enough to prove anything. But she believed Daniel and Tara had been communicating behind your back.""
I put the photograph into my jacket.
"I'll deal with that later. My daughter needs me.""
Evelyn stopped me before I reached the door.
"Marcus, don't confront Daniel without understanding what he's trying to accomplish. If he's involved in the guardianship arrangement, he may have a legal strategy.""
I looked at her.
"He's my brother.""
"That doesn't mean he has your daughter's best interests at heart.""
I left without answering.
The drive to Lily's school felt endless.
When I arrived, Mrs. Collins was waiting outside her office.
She looked relieved when she saw me.
"She's inside.""
I entered.
Lily was sitting on a small sofa, holding her backpack against her stomach.
Her eyes immediately filled.
"Dad!""
She ran toward me.
I caught her and wrapped my arms around her.
"I'm here, sweetheart.""
She buried her face in my jacket.
"I'm sorry.""
I pulled back.
"What are you sorry for?""
"Because I didn't tell you he came to the house.""
I frowned.
"Daniel?""
She nodded.
"How many times?""
"I don't know. Three. Maybe four.""
I looked at Mrs. Collins.
She gave me a moment before speaking.
"Lily told me that your brother visited while you were at work. She said your wife introduced him as someone who would be helping the family.""
I turned back to Lily.
"What did he say to you?""
She rubbed her eyes.
"He asked if I remembered him.""
"Did you?""
"A little. He came to Grandma's house when I was small.""
That was true.
Daniel had been close to our family before everything fell apart.
He had held Lily at her first birthday party. He'd bought her a tiny rocking horse for Christmas.
But after our father died, we had a terrible argument over his estate.
Daniel believed I had taken money that should have belonged to him.
I believed he'd manipulated our father during his final illness.
Neither of us had spoken to the other since.
"What happened when he came here?"" I asked.
Lily took a shaky breath.
"He brought me a doll.""
"What did he say?""
"He said he was my uncle and that he missed me.""
I nodded.
"Then?""
"He asked whether I liked living with Tara.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did you tell him?""
"I said yes.""
"Why?""
"Because Tara was standing there.""
I glanced at Mrs. Collins.
She quietly closed the office door.
Lily continued.
"Then he said things might change soon. He said sometimes children needed a different home when their father wasn't doing a good job.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"What else?""
"He said he could take care of me.""
I swallowed.
"Did he say he wanted to be your father?""
Lily nodded.
"He said I could call him Dad if I wanted.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you?""
"No.""
Her voice became smaller.
"I told him I already had a dad.""
I pulled her into my arms again.
"That's right.""
She started crying.
"But he said you were too busy with work and that Tara was tired of me.""
I held her tightly.
"Neither of those things gives him the right to say that.""
Mrs. Collins sat opposite us.
"There's something else, Marcus.""
I looked up.
"During lunch, Daniel came to the school with Tara. They asked to speak with Lily privately.""
My blood ran cold.
"What?""
"The receptionist asked whether you had authorized the visit. Your wife said you were aware of the arrangement.""
"That's a lie.""
"We know. I refused to release Lily.""
I looked at my daughter.
"Did they speak to you?""
She nodded.
"Through the office window.""
"What did they say?""
Lily hesitated.
Then she whispered, "Uncle Daniel said I should pack my things because soon I wouldn't have to live with you anymore.""
I felt something inside me snap.
I stood.
"I'm taking her home.""
Mrs. Collins nodded.
"I'd like to document everything first. Lily has been very brave in telling us.""
I looked at my daughter.
"Can you tell her exactly what happened?""
Lily nodded.
Then she reached into her backpack.
"I have something.""
She pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
It was a drawing.
Three people stood beneath a large house.
One was Lily.
One was Tara.
The third was Daniel.
A stick figure stood outside the house, separated from the others by a thick black line.
It was me.
Above the drawing, Lily had written:
My new family.
I stared at it.
"Who asked you to draw this?""
"Uncle Daniel.""
"Why?""
"He said I should practice what my life would look like after everything changed.""
I looked at Mrs. Collins.
She carefully took the drawing and placed it inside a folder.
"We'll keep this with the report.""
On the way home, Lily barely spoke.
At a red light, she finally asked, "Dad?""
"Yes?""
"Are you going to fight with Uncle Daniel?""
I looked at her in the rearview mirror.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with your uncle. But I'm going to make sure nobody takes you away from me.""
She nodded.
Then she looked out the window.
When we arrived home, Tara was standing in the living room.
Daniel was sitting on the sofa.
He had a cup of coffee in his hand.
Like he belonged there.
"Marcus," Tara said, sounding almost relieved.
"You're home.""
I walked past her and placed Lily's backpack beside the staircase.
Then I turned toward my brother.
"Get up.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Nice to see you too.""
"I said get up.""
He placed the coffee cup on the table.
"Still giving orders, little brother?""
"Don't call me that.""
Tara stepped between us.
"Marcus, please. We can talk about this calmly.""
I looked at her.
"You took my daughter to school with this man and tried to convince her I was going to lose custody?""
"That's not what happened.""
Daniel stood.
"I think you're misunderstanding the situation.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you tell my daughter you were going to become her father?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "I told her I'd always be there for her.""
"That's not what she heard.""
"Children misunderstand things.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Funny. That's the same excuse Tara keeps using.""
Daniel picked up his jacket.
"Perhaps we should discuss this without the theatrics.""
I stepped closer.
"You don't get to visit my home, frighten my daughter, and then tell me how to behave.""
His expression hardened.
"Rachel would have wanted me involved.""
I stared at him.
"Don't use my dead wife to justify what you're doing.""
Daniel looked at Tara.
She gave him a small nod.
That was when I understood they had rehearsed this conversation.
Then Daniel reached into his jacket and placed a document on the coffee table.
"I think you should read this before making any more threats.""
I picked it up.
It was a petition for temporary guardianship.
The applicant was Daniel Bennett.
The child was Lily Bennett.
And the supporting statement claimed that I had become emotionally unstable and incapable of providing a safe home.
At the bottom was a list of witnesses.
One name stood out.
Tara Bennett.
But beneath her signature was another name.
Someone who had never lived in our house.
Someone who had known Lily since birth.
My mother.
And suddenly, I understood why Daniel had returned.
May you like
He wasn't simply trying to replace me.
He was building a case against me.
