Chapter 3: Eighty-Seven Dollars
Nia was sitting on her bed when Marcus entered her room.
Duke lay beside her with his head resting across her legs.
She had changed into pajamas, but her face still carried the exhaustion of the night.
Marcus closed the door behind him.
He sat on the floor instead of beside her.
It put them almost eye-level.
“Can we talk?””
Nia hugged a pillow.
“Am I in trouble now?””
“No.””
“For the money?””
Marcus’s chest tightened.
“So you know why I’m here.””
She nodded.
“Grandma said you’d be disappointed.””
Marcus leaned back against the side of the bed.
“Where did the eighty-seven dollars come from?””
Nia looked at him.
“I didn’t take Mommy’s money.””
“I didn’t ask if you did.””
“But everybody thinks I did.””
“I asked where yours came from.””
Nia looked down at the pillow.
Then she pointed toward her bookshelf.
“Blue box.””
Marcus saw an old shoebox painted blue.
He pulled it down.
Inside were folded pieces of paper.
Handwritten numbers.
Dates.
A list.
WASHED MR. DONOVAN’S CAR — $10
FED MS. PARKER’S CAT — $5
LEMONADE — $22
BIRTHDAY FROM DADDY — $20
Marcus read each entry.
There were months of them.
He looked up.
“You’ve been working for this?””
Nia nodded.
“What are you saving for?””
Her cheeks reddened.
“A camera.””
Marcus smiled despite himself.
“You want a camera?””
“A real one.””
“What for?””
She shrugged.
“I like taking pictures.””
“I know that.””
“You said phones make everything too easy.””
Marcus laughed softly.
“I said that?””
“At the park.””
He remembered.
Months ago, Marcus had taken Nia to a photography exhibit.
She had spent almost two hours looking at portraits.
On the drive home, she asked why older photographs felt different.
Marcus had told her photographers used to have fewer chances, so they had to pay attention before pressing the shutter.
Apparently, she had remembered every word.
“How much was the camera?””
“One hundred twenty-nine dollars.””
“And you had eighty-seven.””
Nia nodded.
“Where is the money?””
Her expression changed.
“Grandma took it.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“When?””
“Sunday.””
“Did she ask where you got it?””
“She said thieves always have stories.””
Marcus looked down.
His hands had clenched without him realizing it.
“What did your mom say?””
Nia’s voice grew quieter.
“She asked if I took the two hundred.””
“What did you say?””
“I said no.””
“Did she believe you?””
Nia’s silence answered.
Marcus looked at his daughter.
Then he noticed something on the desk.
A small folded envelope.
“What’s that?””
Nia quickly grabbed it.
“Nothing.””
Marcus raised his hands.
“Okay.””
She hesitated.
Then slowly handed it over.
Inside was a receipt.
He unfolded it.
A grocery-store receipt.
Three days earlier.
Marcus scanned the items.
Milk.
Bread.
Cereal.
Dog treats.
Then he saw the total.
$112.84.
Paid in cash.
He looked at Nia.
“What is this?””
Nia’s face crumpled.
“I’m sorry.””
“For what?””
“I used some money.””
“What money?””
“The money Grandma said I stole.””
Marcus stopped breathing for a second.
“You spent Mommy’s missing money?””
Nia shook her head.
“No.””
“Then explain.””
Nia swallowed.
“I found an envelope.””
“Where?””
“Under the couch.””
“When?””
“The day Mommy said she lost her money.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Why didn’t you give it to her?””
Nia began crying.
“I was going to.””
Marcus moved beside her immediately.
“Hey. Hey. Slow down.””
“She was yelling on the phone because the grocery delivery didn’t come and Grandma said there wasn’t enough food for everybody staying over.””
Marcus frowned.
“So?””
“I used some to buy groceries.””
“You went to the store alone?””
Nia shook her head.
“Ms. Parker took me.””
Their elderly neighbor.
Marcus knew her well.
“You told Ms. Parker where the money came from?””
“I said Mommy gave it to me.””
Marcus rubbed a hand over his face.
“How much was in the envelope?””
Nia thought.
“Two hundred.””
“How much did you spend?””
“One hundred twelve.””
Marcus looked at the receipt again.
“And the eighty-seven dollars?””
Nia nodded.
“That was what was left.””
Suddenly everything clicked.
Exactly.
Two hundred dollars.
Minus $112.84.
Nearly eighty-seven dollars.
The money in Nia’s desk had not been her savings.
It was the remainder.
Marcus asked, “Where was your camera money?””
Nia pointed toward a ceramic piggy bank.
Marcus lifted it.
Heavy.
Unopened.
He stared at it.
Then at the blue shoebox where she had been carefully documenting every dollar earned.
His mother had decided guilt first.
Nobody had bothered checking.
“Why didn’t you tell them?””
“I tried.””
“Who?””
“Mommy.””
“What happened?””
“She said I was lying because if I found the envelope, I should’ve brought it to her.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
Technically, Camille wasn’t wrong.
Nia should have returned it.
But she was nine.
She had made a childish decision to solve an adult problem.
It required correction.
A conversation.
Maybe consequences.
But humiliation?
Eating on the floor?
“No one called Ms. Parker?””
Nia shook her head.
Marcus stood.
He pulled out his phone.
Then stopped.
It was after nine.
He didn’t care.
He called their neighbor.
Ms. Parker answered after four rings.
“Marcus?””
“Sorry to call late. I need to ask you something about Nia.””
There was a pause.
Then the older woman said, “Is this about that grocery trip?””
Marcus looked at his daughter.
“Yes.””
Ms. Parker sighed.
“I’ve been wondering why nobody ever asked me.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“What happened?””
“Nia came over with an envelope of cash. Told me Camille had asked her to pick up groceries because the delivery got messed up.””
Marcus paced slowly.
“You took her?””
“Of course. I wasn’t letting that baby walk anywhere carrying cash.””
“Did she buy groceries?””
“Yes.””
“About a hundred twelve dollars?””
“That sounds right. She counted the change five times in my car.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Thank you.””
“Marcus?””
“Yes?””
“Your daughter looked scared that day.””
Marcus turned toward Nia.
“Scared of what?””
“She kept asking if she had done it right.””
His heart sank.
Ms. Parker continued.
“I thought it was strange, but I didn’t push. I figured there was some family stuff happening.””
“There was.””
After hanging up, Marcus sat beside Nia again.
“Nia.””
She looked at him.
“You should’ve brought that money to Mom.””
“I know.””
“And you shouldn’t tell Ms. Parker that Mom gave you permission when she didn’t.””
“I know.””
“That was wrong.””
Nia’s eyes lowered.
“But buying groceries doesn’t make you a thief.””
She looked up quickly.
“It doesn’t?””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“And nothing you did deserved what happened downstairs.””
Her face collapsed.
She leaned into him.
Marcus held his daughter as she cried.
“I hate when Grandma comes here.””
The words were muffled against his shirt.
Marcus closed his eyes.
“How long have you felt that way?””
“Since you started traveling more.””
That answer hurt more than he expected.
“What happens when she comes?””
“She says Mommy is too soft.””
“What else?””
“She checks my room.””
Marcus’s eyes opened.
“What?””
“She looks through my stuff.””
“Why?””
“She says kids don’t get privacy.””
Marcus pulled back.
“Has she ever hurt you?””
Nia hesitated.
Not long.
Barely a second.
But Marcus saw it.
His entire body went cold.
“Nia.””
“She didn’t hit me.””
Marcus waited.
“She grabs my arm sometimes.””
“How hard?””
“I don’t know.””
“Show me.””
Nia pulled up her pajama sleeve.
No fresh bruises.
Marcus almost relaxed.
Then she turned her arm.
Near the inside of her upper arm was a yellowing mark.
Finger-shaped.
Marcus stared at it.
“When?””
“Friday.””
Something in him changed.
He took a picture.
Then he gently lowered her sleeve.
“Pack a small bag.””
Nia’s eyes widened.
“Where are we going?””
“Nowhere.””
“Then why?””
“Because other people are.””
Downstairs, voices were rising.
His mother had apparently decided she was done waiting.
Marcus stood.
He kissed Nia’s forehead.
“Stay here until I come get you.””
As he reached the door, she called after him.
“Daddy?””
Marcus looked back.
“Are you mad at me?””
He stared at his daughter.
“No.””
May you like
Then he opened the door.
“I’m mad because the people who were supposed to protect you made you believe you had to ask.””
