Chapter 2: The Story My Daughter Remembered
For a few seconds, I honestly thought I had misunderstood my daughter.
Maybe she was talking about a cartoon.
Maybe she had mixed up a dream with reality.
Maybe she had seen something on television and created a story around it.
Anything would have been easier than the silence that followed.
Richard slowly stood up.
His eyes never left May.
“What little girl?””
May looked at him.
“The one who cried.””
My hand went cold.
Daniel leaned closer.
“May, sweetheart, what are you talking about?””
She looked at him, confused.
“The little girl at the house.””
Richard’s expression changed.
“What house?””
May pointed toward Vanessa.
“That house.””
A few guests exchanged confused looks.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
Her voice was calm, but I noticed something different.
A small crack in her confidence.
“Richard, this is ridiculous.””
She laughed softly.
“She’s a child. Children say strange things.””
Usually, I would have agreed.
I would have apologized.
I would have taken May away and promised everyone she was just being imaginative.
But something about Vanessa’s reaction bothered me.
She wasn’t simply confused.
She was uncomfortable.
Richard noticed too.
“Vanessa.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
“Let her answer.””
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“Richard, you’re seriously questioning a four-year-old at your birthday party?””
“I’m asking a question.””
The tone of his voice was different.
Everyone noticed.
Daniel looked at me.
“What exactly did she say before I came over?””
I lowered my voice.
“She said Vanessa was the woman who bites.””
His face changed.
Not because he believed it.
Because he was worried about the damage it could cause.
“Maybe we should take her home.””
I nodded.
That was probably the right thing to do.
But before I could move, May spoke again.
“She bites when nobody is looking.””
My entire body froze.
Daniel stared at her.
“May.””
She looked up at him.
“I saw her.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“That’s enough.””
Her voice was sharper now.
The friendly party smile was gone.
“I don’t know what kind of game this child is playing, but I don’t appreciate being accused of something by a toddler.””
Richard looked at his wife.
“Vanessa, calm down.””
“I am calm.””
She wasn’t.
Everyone could see it.
May didn’t understand why adults were suddenly tense.
She just looked between us.
“I’m not lying.””
Those four words hit harder than anything else.
Because May had always been terrible at pretending.
She couldn’t hide when she stole a cookie.
She couldn’t hide when she broke a toy.
She couldn’t hide when she was scared.
She was honest to a fault.
I knelt beside her.
“May, can you tell Mommy what happened?””
She nodded.
“The little girl was crying.””
“When?””
She looked toward the garden.
Then she looked back at Vanessa.
“At the other house.””
“What other house?””
May tilted her head.
“The one with the purple door.””
Richard went completely still.
I noticed it immediately.
A strange expression crossed his face.
Not anger.
Recognition.
Like those words meant something to him.
Daniel noticed too.
“Richard?””
Richard didn’t answer.
He kept looking at May.
“Where did you see this?””
May shrugged.
“At the big room.””
“What big room?””
“The room where the little girl was hiding.””
A waiter walked past us and nearly dropped a glass.
The party continued around us, but it felt like we were standing in the center of a storm.
Richard lowered his voice.
“May, sweetheart, have you ever been to my house before?””
“No.””
“Have you ever seen Vanessa before tonight?””
May shook her head.
“No.””
That should have ended it.
But it didn’t.
Because Richard looked more disturbed after that answer.
Vanessa noticed.
“Richard.””
He looked at her.
“What?””
“Are you seriously entertaining this?””
His jaw tightened.
“I’m trying to understand.””
She laughed.
“Understand what? A child’s imagination?””
May suddenly tugged my sleeve.
“Mommy.””
I looked down.
“What?””
She whispered, but everyone nearby could still hear.
“I didn’t tell you the worst part.””
My heart sank.
Daniel looked at me.
“What worst part?””
May looked toward Vanessa.
Then she said:
“The little girl showed me where Vanessa keeps the thing she uses.””
The entire backyard went silent again.
May you like
Richard’s face changed completely.
And Vanessa took one step backward.
