Chapter 4: What Maya Saw
I didn’t drive home.
I drove to the one place where I thought I might finally understand.
The address Rachel gave me.
Claire sat beside me in silence.
Maya slept in the back seat.
Every few minutes, Claire looked back at her.
Like she was afraid she might disappear.
“You’re not going to explain?”” I asked.
Claire stared out the window.
“I don’t know how.””
“Try.””
She swallowed.
“Lily was five when I met you.””
I said nothing.
“She was living with her father because Rachel and I were fighting over custody.””
“You never mentioned a custody battle.””
“Because I was ashamed.””
“Of having a child?””
“No.””
She looked at me.
“Of losing.””
The answer surprised me.
But not enough.
“You lost custody?””
Claire nodded.
“Temporarily.””
“Why?””
Her fingers tightened around her purse.
“Because they said I wasn’t stable.””
The words hung there.
“And were they right?””
Claire looked away.
That was answer enough.
When we arrived at the address, a young girl was standing outside with Rachel.
Lily.
I knew immediately.
Not because she looked exactly like Claire.
Because she looked exactly like Maya.
Same eyes.
Same nervous expression.
Same way of holding her hands when she was afraid.
Maya woke up.
“Daddy?””
I looked at her.
Then at Lily.
Two little girls.
Both connected to the same secret.
Rachel stepped forward.
“I’m sorry.””
I nodded.
“So am I.””
Lily looked at Claire.
“Mom?””
Claire started crying.
“Lily.””
The girl didn’t move closer.
That hurt more than anger.
Because children don’t distance themselves from parents without a reason.
Rachel noticed my expression.
“She’s been afraid of you.””
“Me?””
“No.””
Rachel looked at Claire.
“Of what would happen if the truth came out.””
I turned.
“What truth?””
Rachel handed me a folder.
Inside were documents.
Court papers.
Medical records.
Letters.
And one report that made my hands shake.
A child welfare report.
The date was six years earlier.
Before I met Claire.
I read the first page.
Then the second.
Then I stopped.
Because there was one sentence highlighted.
*Child reported being instructed to deny events occurring in the home.*
I looked at Claire.
“What events?””
She didn’t answer.
Rachel did.
“Lily saw Claire hiding money.””
Claire’s face changed.
“Rachel, stop.””
“You need to tell him.””
“What money?””
Rachel looked at me.
“The money from Claire’s mother’s inheritance.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with anything?””
“Everything.””
I looked down at the documents.
The numbers.
The dates.
The transfers.
Then I saw something.
A signature.
My signature.
My stomach dropped.
“What is this?””
Claire went pale.
“Marcus…”
“You used my name?””
She stepped closer.
“Listen to me.””
“No.””
I held up the paper.
“You opened an account under my name?””
“I was going to fix it.””
“Fix what?””
Her voice broke.
“Everything.””
I laughed quietly.
“Claire, I don’t even know what everything is anymore.””
Behind me, Maya started crying.
“Daddy…”
I turned immediately.
She looked at Lily.
“I’m sorry.””
Lily looked confused.
“For what?””
Maya wiped her tears.
“Because Mommy said you wouldn’t love us if you knew.””
Lily looked at Claire.
And that expression on her face was something I would never forget.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Disappointment.
“Mom,” Lily whispered.
“Why did you make us scared?””
Claire broke.
She dropped to her knees.
“I was trying to protect myself.””
The truth finally came out.
Not beautifully.
Not heroically.
Just painfully.
And maybe that was the worst part.
Because I had spent years believing I was protecting my family.
But I had been protecting a story.
A story Claire wrote.
A story Maya was forced to live inside.
Then my phone buzzed.
A new message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was one sentence.
*Marcus, if you want the truth about what happened the night Lily disappeared, ask Claire about the locked room.*
I looked up.
Claire had seen the message.
Her face turned completely white.
“Who sent that?””
I stared at her.
“Tell me.””
She whispered:
“No one knows about that room.””
And I knew.
May you like
Whatever happened six years ago wasn’t finished.
It had only been waiting for me to find the door.
