Chapter 5 - Mia Had Seen Elena In The Library At Night
The mansion library appeared repeatedly in Mia’s story.
At first, I didn’t understand why.
Then one night she asked:
“Are you mad I went in there?”
“No.”
“Elena said I wasn’t allowed.”
“When?”
“When my leg got hurt.”
Mia’s brace was from a playground fracture six weeks earlier.
It was healing normally.
Nothing about the injury itself was suspicious.
But because she was temporarily less mobile, Mia spent more time inside the mansion during family gatherings.
One evening she woke from a nap and went looking for me.
She passed the library.
The door was open.
Inside were Elena and Cole.
A black case sat on the desk.
Elena was wearing Laura’s diamond ring.
Mia recognized it.
She walked in.
“That’s Mommy’s.”
Elena immediately covered the ring with her other hand.
Cole closed the case.
Then Elena crouched in front of Mia.
“No, sweetheart. It isn’t.”
“Yes.”
“You’re confused.”
“No.”
Elena smiled.
“You’ve been taking medicine for your leg. Sometimes medicine makes people remember things strangely.”
Mia believed that.
Because she was seven.
Then Elena added:
“Your dad has enough to worry about without you making him sad about your mother again.”
That sentence was the real threat.
Not:
I’ll hurt you.
Something far more sophisticated.
Telling the truth will hurt your father.
So Mia stopped telling me.
May you like
Until Elena began treating her more cruelly.
---
