Chapter 9 - Ethan Told Us Why He Threw the Glass
The broken milk glass bothered Ethan.
For days.
He eventually asked me whether he could tell me something without Michael or Diane present.
We sat at the kitchen island.
Lily was upstairs with a babysitter from her preschool.
Ethan twisted his hands together.
“Grandma told me before breakfast that Lily was gonna get punished.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did she say?”
“That Lily stole her jewelry and thieves don’t get special food.”
“Did you believe her?”
He shrugged helplessly.
“Dad said not to talk about it.”
That was not an answer.
So I waited.
Finally:
“I knew Lily didn’t take the red box.”
“Then why did you laugh?”
His eyes filled.
“Because Grandma likes me.”
It was painfully honest.
He continued.
“She always says I’m the good one.”
There it was.
The reward.
Not money.
Not toys.
Identity.
Diane had spent years teaching Ethan that he was the sensible child, the easier child, the good grandchild.
When Lily became the accused “bad” child, Ethan protected his position by joining the humiliation.
“I threw the milk because Grandma laughed when I picked it up.”
He started crying.
“I wanted her to laugh at me and not be mad.”
I moved closer.
“What you did was cruel.”
He nodded.
“But that does not mean you are cruel forever.”
He looked at me.
“You have to repair what you did.”
“How?”
May you like
“You start by telling Lily the truth.”
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