Chapter 1
PART TWO — THE RULES NIA LIVED UNDER
Both of Nia’s hands were badly irritated.
The skin across her fingers was dry and red. Several places were cracked from repeated exposure to hot water and cleaning products.
There was no serious wound.
But Marcus could tell immediately that this had not happened from doing dishes once.
He gently took Nia by the wrists.
“How long have your hands been like this?”
Nia looked at the floor.
“I don’t know.”
“Nia.”
“A while.”
Vanessa immediately stepped closer.
“She has sensitive skin. She’s always been like that.”
Marcus ignored her.
“When did it start getting this bad?”
Nia whispered,
“During your last trip.”
Marcus frowned.
“My last trip was almost two weeks ago.”
Nia said nothing.
Caleb did.
“She cleans every day when you’re gone.”
Vanessa spun toward him.
“Caleb, that’s enough.”
He stood up.
“No, Mom. It’s true.”
Marcus carefully released Nia’s hands.
“What does she make you clean?”
Nia remained silent.
Marcus waited.
Ava pointed toward the refrigerator.
“There’s a list.”
Vanessa moved immediately.
“Ava!”
But Marcus was already walking toward the kitchen.
A white sheet of paper was attached to the refrigerator with a magnet.
Across the top, written in large letters, were three words:
NIA — EVERY DAY.
Marcus read the page.
Sweep downstairs.
Mop the kitchen.
Mop the living room.
Wash breakfast dishes.
Wash dinner dishes.
Clean Caleb’s bathroom.
Clean Ava’s room.
Fold laundry.
Take out the trash.
Wipe kitchen counters.
Marcus’s eyes moved slowly down the page.
There were boxes beside every chore.
Some contained check marks.
Others contained numbers.
He pointed at them.
“What are these?”
Nia barely spoke above a whisper.
“Points.”
Marcus turned.
“What kind of points?”
Nia looked uncomfortable.
“If I finish enough chores, I can use things.”
“What things?”
“The television.”
She paused.
“And Wi-Fi.”
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“It’s just a reward system.”
Marcus looked back at the sheet.
“A reward system for one child?”
“She needs more structure than the others.”
Marcus pulled another page from behind the first.
It was a weekly chore chart.
Caleb’s name appeared once.
Take out trash — $5.
Ava had two chores.
Put away toys — $5.
Feed dog — $5.
Then there was Nia’s column.
Marcus counted.
Twenty-three separate tasks.
No allowance.
No money.
Only points.
He slowly looked at Vanessa.
“You pay Caleb.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“You pay Ava.”
Still nothing.
Marcus lifted Nia’s sheet.
“But Nia works for permission to use the television?”
“She’s older.”
“What does that have to do with it?”
“She can handle more.”
Marcus looked at Nia.
A memory suddenly surfaced.
“Nia, is this why you don’t answer my calls after dinner when I’m traveling?”
She nodded.
Marcus felt something sink inside his chest.
“What are you usually doing?”
“Finishing the list.”
He looked away.
All those evenings from hotel rooms.
All those quick calls.
Every time Vanessa had told him everything was fine.
Every time Nia had said she still had homework.
Marcus had assumed his daughter was simply busy with school.
Now he understood.
Then another memory came back.
“Nia.”
She looked up.
“Last month, I sent money for your school art program.”
Nia stared at him blankly.
“What money?”
Marcus didn’t move.
Behind him, Vanessa’s expression changed.
Only for a second.
But Marcus caught it.
“I sent Vanessa eighty dollars.”
Nia shook her head.
“I didn’t get eighty dollars.”
Marcus slowly turned toward his wife.
Vanessa answered before he asked.
“We needed groceries.”
Marcus stared at her.
“You used her art money for groceries?”
“It went toward the household.”
“The household.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t think to tell me?”
Vanessa became defensive.
“You’re gone all the time. You don’t understand how expensive everything is.”
Caleb suddenly spoke again.
“Dad.”
Marcus looked at him.
The boy seemed nervous.
“What?”
Caleb swallowed.
“Mom makes Nia pay for stuff too.”
Nia immediately looked at him.
“Caleb, please.”
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“Pay for what?”
Caleb looked toward Nia, almost apologizing.
“Things Mom says she wasted.”
“Like what?”
“Food.”
He paused.
“Soap. Laundry detergent.”
Ava added quietly,
“And things she breaks.”
Nia shook her head.
“I don’t break things.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Do you actually give Vanessa money?”
Nia’s voice became smaller.
“Sometimes.”
“What happens if you don’t have any?”
Ava answered.
“Mom writes it down.”
Vanessa snapped,
“That is enough!”
Marcus turned toward her.
“Writes what down?”
Nobody spoke.
Marcus looked toward the refrigerator again.
Behind the chore list, he noticed the edge of a small envelope.
He pulled it free.
Three handwritten words were written across the front.
NIA OWES HOUSE.
Marcus stared at it.
Then he opened it.
Inside was a folded sheet.
A ledger.
Dates.
Amounts.
Descriptions.
Food.
Electricity.
Laundry detergent.
Cleaning supplies.
School clothes.
Marcus kept reading.
The room became completely silent.
Finally, he looked at Vanessa.
His voice was almost unnaturally calm.
“You are billing my twelve-year-old daughter for living here?”
Vanessa’s face went pale.
Before she could respond, Nia whispered,
“She said I have to pay all of it when I turn sixteen.”
Marcus looked down at the paper again.
May you like
This time, he saw the total.
$1,486.
