Chapter 3: What Nia Had Been Trying to Say
Nia opened her eyes at 2:17 in the morning.
Marcus was sitting beside her bed.
He had refused to leave.
Machines hummed softly around them. An IV ran into Nia’s arm. Her skin looked pale beneath the hospital lighting.
When her eyelids fluttered, Marcus leaned forward.
“Nia?””
She blinked slowly.
“Daddy?””
His throat tightened.
“I’m here.””
Her eyes moved around the room.
“Hospital?””
“Yes.””
She tried to sit up.
Marcus touched her hand.
“Easy.””
Nia looked frightened.
“What happened?””
“You passed out.””
She frowned as though trying to remember.
Then she did.
The television.
Jordan.
Vanessa.
The argument.
Her face changed.
“I didn’t break it.””
Marcus looked down.
Those were the first words she wanted him to know.
Not that she hurt.
Not that she was scared.
Not what happened to her body.
She needed him to know she had told the truth.
“I know.””
Nia stared at him.
“I know you didn’t break it.””
Her eyes filled instantly.
“Jordan admitted it.””
She turned her face away.
Marcus felt something inside him tear.
“Nia.””
“I told you.””
“I know.””
“You didn’t believe me.””
“I know.””
He wanted to explain.
He had been tired.
Everyone was yelling.
Vanessa sounded convincing.
Jordan had looked him straight in the face.
Every excuse sounded disgusting now.
So he gave her none.
“I was wrong.””
Nia remained silent.
Marcus squeezed her hand gently.
“I should’ve listened.””
A tear slid toward her ear.
“Would you have believed me if I didn’t fall down?””
Marcus had no answer.
The truth was too ugly.
Maybe not.
He leaned forward.
“I’m sorry.””
Nia looked at him again.
Marcus had apologized to his daughter before.
For forgetting ice cream.
For being late to school events.
For accidentally throwing away an art project.
Never like this.
“I failed you tonight.””
Her chin trembled.
He continued.
“And I need you to tell me if I’ve been failing you before tonight too.””
Nia froze.
Marcus noticed immediately.
“Nia?””
She looked toward the door.
“What?””
“Has something been happening at home?””
“No.””
Too quick.
Just like Vanessa.
Marcus felt sick.
“Nia, look at me.””
She didn’t.
“Has Vanessa hurt you?””
Her fingers tightened around the blanket.
“No.””
“Has Jordan?””
“No.””
“Has anybody scared you?””
Nia’s breathing changed.
Marcus stopped.
He remembered what the doctor said.
Questions privately.
Not family members.
Maybe even he was part of the problem.
“I’m going to get the nurse.””
Nia suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Don’t leave.””
“I’m right outside.””
“No.””
Her grip tightened.
“Please.””
Marcus sat back down.
“Okay.””
He waited.
Nearly a minute passed.
Then Nia whispered, “She says nobody will believe me.””
Marcus felt the blood leave his face.
“Who?””
Nia stared at their joined hands.
“Vanessa.””
He had never heard his daughter call his wife by her first name before.
“What does she say nobody will believe?””
Nia’s voice became smaller.
“She says Daddy believes adults.””
Marcus closed his eyes briefly.
“What has she done?””
“She doesn’t hit me.””
The answer should have brought relief.
It didn’t.
Nia continued.
“She grabs me.””
“Like tonight?””
She nodded.
“And sometimes she squeezes.””
“Your arms?””
Another nod.
Marcus remembered the bruises.
“She tells me I’m disrespectful when I tell you things.””
“What things?””
Nia swallowed.
“Stuff Jordan does.””
Marcus stared at her.
“What stuff?””
“He breaks things. Takes money. Sneaks out. Then she tells him not to worry because she’ll fix it.””
“How?””
Nia finally looked at him.
“Me.””
The word struck harder than shouting could have.
Marcus sat perfectly still.
“She blames you?””
Nia nodded.
“How long?””
A shrug.
“Since they moved in.””
Two years.
Marcus nearly stopped breathing.
Two years.
“How did I not know?””
Nia’s expression was painfully simple.
“I told you.””
Marcus looked away.
Memories began rearranging themselves.
A broken vase.
Vanessa had said Nia knocked it over.
Twenty dollars missing from Marcus’s wallet.
Vanessa had found it in Nia’s room.
A scratched car door.
Jordan said Nia rode her bike too close.
A school tablet cracked.
Another argument.
Another punishment.
Another accusation.
Marcus had believed so many pieces because no single piece seemed impossible.
But together…
Together they formed something horrifying.
“Those pills,” Marcus said quietly.
“Do you know how they got in your backpack?””
Nia looked confused.
“What pills?””
“The ones I found.””
She shook her head.
“I don’t have pills.””
“Did anyone give you anything tonight?””
“No.””
“Food? Medicine? Anything?””
Nia thought.
“Vanessa gave me juice.””
Marcus went still.
“When?””
“Before Jordan broke the TV.””
“What kind of juice?””
“Apple.””
“Did it taste normal?””
Nia frowned.
“It tasted bitter.””
Marcus stood.
The movement frightened her.
“Daddy?””
“I’m not leaving.””
He pressed the call button.
A nurse came quickly.
Marcus asked for Dr. Patel.
Within minutes, the doctor returned.
Marcus told him what Nia had said.
The doctor’s expression tightened slightly.
“We have preliminary toxicology.””
Marcus stared at him.
“What was it?””
“A sedating medication.””
Nia looked from one adult to the other.
“What does that mean?””
Dr. Patel kept his voice gentle.
“It means something may have made you unusually sleepy or dizzy.””
Marcus asked, “Could two pills do this?””
“Depending on the medication and dose, possibly.””
“Was it dangerous?””
“It could have been.””
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“But we still need to determine exactly what she was exposed to.””
“Could it have been in juice?””
“Yes.””
Marcus turned away.
His hands shook.
Nia whispered, “Daddy?””
He forced himself to face her calmly.
“I’m right here.””
The nurse entered with another person.
A woman wearing a hospital badge.
“My name is Angela Morris. I’m a social worker.””
Marcus knew what that meant.
Before anyone spoke, his phone rang.
Jordan.
Marcus stepped into the hallway.
“What?””
Jordan sounded panicked.
“Dad…”
“What happened?””
“Mom left.””
Marcus straightened.
“What?””
“She packed a bag.””
“When?””
“Like ten minutes ago.””
“Where did she go?””
“I don’t know.””
Marcus’s voice became hard.
“Did she take anything from Nia’s room?””
Jordan began crying.
Actually crying.
“I tried to stop her.””
“Take what?””
“She found something under Nia’s mattress.””
Marcus gripped the phone.
“What?””
“A phone.””
Marcus looked through the hospital-room window.
Nia was lying in bed, speaking to the social worker.
“What phone?””
“I don’t know. Some old phone.””
Marcus remembered Renee saying Nia had called her.
A secret phone?
“Where is Vanessa now?””
“I told you, she left.””
“Jordan, listen carefully. Do not touch anything else in that room.””
Jordan sniffed.
“Dad…”
May you like
“What?””
“Mom said she had to get rid of something before you found it.””
