Chapter 2: What Happ## Chapter 2: What Happened When Daddy Was Gone
Theened When Daddy Was Gone
The microwave beeped, breaking microwave beeped, breaking the silence.
Darius removed the rice and spooned it the silence.
Darius removed the rice and spooned it into a clean bowl. He added chicken and vegetables, then set the meal in front of Imani with into a clean bowl. He added chicken and vegetables, then set the meal in front of Imani with a glass of water.
“Eat, baby.””
Imani stared at the food.
“It's a glass of water.
“Eat, baby.””
Imani stared at the food.
“It's okay,” he said gently.
“Nobody is taking this away from you.””
Her eyes filled again okay,” he said gently.
“Nobody is taking this away from you.””
Her eyes filled again.
Darius pulled his chair closer.
“Imani?””
She picked up her fork,.
Darius pulled his chair closer.
“Imani?””
She picked up her fork, but her hand shook so badly that the utensil struck the side of the bowl.
Felicia sighed.
“Oh but her hand shook so badly that the utensil struck the side of the bowl.
Felicia sighed.
“Oh, for heaven's sake. Now we're crying over dinner?””
Darius shot, for heaven's sake. Now we're crying over dinner?””
Darius shot to his feet.
“That's enough!””
The force of his voice made Felicia recoil. Her to his feet.
“That's enough!””
The force of his voice made Felicia recoil. Her hip struck the counter, and the glass beside her rattled.
“Don't you dare mock hip struck the counter, and the glass beside her rattled.
“Don't you dare mock her for crying,” he continued.
“Not after what you just did.””
Felicia's cheeks her for crying,” he continued.
“Not after what you just did.””
Felicia's cheeks flushed.
“You have no idea how exhausting this girl can be. I flushed.
“You have no idea how exhausting this girl can be. I deal with her every single day while you go off to work and play hero deal with her every single day while you go off to work and play hero when you come home.””
“I never asked you to humiliate her.””
“Humiliate her? I took when you come home.””
“I never asked you to humiliate her.””
“Humiliate her? I took away a plate of food!””
“You threw her dinner in the garbage right in front of me!””
“Because she away a plate of food!””
“You threw her dinner in the garbage right in front of me!””
“Because she was disrespectful!””
“Then explain what she did!””
Felicia stared at him, her breathing was disrespectful!””
“Then explain what she did!””
Felicia stared at him, her breathing quickening.
For years, she had understood exactly how to handle Darius. He was a good man quickening.
For years, she had understood exactly how to handle Darius. He was a good man, a hardworking father who believed that marriage meant trust, a hardworking father who believed that marriage meant trust and that a household needed cooperation. When disagreements arose, Felicia spoke confidently and that a household needed cooperation. When disagreements arose, Felicia spoke confidently, offered a reasonable-sounding explanation, and waited for him to smooth, offered a reasonable-sounding explanation, and waited for him to smooth things over.
He hated conflict that seemed unnecessary. She things over.
He hated conflict that seemed unnecessary. She had learned to use that against him.
But tonight, the usual approach wasn't working.
“Ask your had learned to use that against him.
But tonight, the usual approach wasn't working.
“Ask your daughter,” she said sharply.
“She's old enough to speak for herself.””
Darius turned toward Imani.
“Baby, did you do anything that made Felicia angry?””
Imani swallowed.
“I asked if I daughter,” she said sharply.
“She's old enough to speak for herself.””
Darius turned toward Imani.
“Baby, did you do anything that made Felicia angry?””
Imani swallowed.
“I asked if I could have another piece of chicken.””
Felicia threw up her hands.
“There! You could have another piece of chicken.””
Felicia threw up her hands.
“There! You see?””
Darius looked at his wife.
“And?””
“And see?””
Darius looked at his wife.
“And?””
“And I told her no!””
“Why?””
“Because she had already eaten enough!””
D I told her no!””
“Why?””
“Because she had already eaten enough!””
Darius glanced at the bowl in front of his daughter, then at the trash can.
“She was hungry, Felarius glanced at the bowl in front of his daughter, then at the trash can.
“She was hungry, Felicia.””
“She's always hungry when she wants something!””
Imani lowered her head.
Darius noticed the movementicia.””
“She's always hungry when she wants something!””
Imani lowered her head.
Darius noticed the movement and crouched beside her chair again.
“Look at me, sweetheart.””
She did, reluctantly and crouched beside her chair again.
“Look at me, sweetheart.””
She did, reluctantly.
“Is that really what happened?””
Imani nodded.
“Did you ask for another piece of chicken?””
“Yes, Daddy.””
.
“Is that really what happened?””
Imani nodded.
“Did you ask for another piece of chicken?””
“Yes, Daddy.””
“And then she threw away your food?””
A tear rolled“And then she threw away your food?””
A tear rolled down Imani's cheek.
“Yes.””
Darius stood slowly.
Felicia laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“This is unbelievable. You're taking the down Imani's cheek.
“Yes.””
Darius stood slowly.
Felicia laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“This is unbelievable. You're taking the word of an eleven-year-old over your wife?””
“I'm listening to both of you.””
“No, you're not. word of an eleven-year-old over your wife?””
“I'm listening to both of you.””
“No, you're not. You've already decided I'm wrong.””
“Because your explanation keeps You've already decided I'm wrong.””
“Because your explanation keeps changing.””
Her mouth fell open.
“You think I'm lying?””
“I think something is happening changing.””
Her mouth fell open.
“You think I'm lying?””
“I think something is happening in this house that you haven't told me about.””
Felicia's eyes narrowed.
“What exactly in this house that you haven't told me about.””
Felicia's eyes narrowed.
“What exactly is that supposed to mean?””
Darius turned back to Imani.
“Baby, you can tell me anything. is that supposed to mean?””
Darius turned back to Imani.
“Baby, you can tell me anything. Whatever it is, I'm listening.””
For several seconds, Imani said nothing.
Then she whispered, “Sometimes, when you're at Whatever it is, I'm listening.””
For several seconds, Imani said nothing.
Then she whispered, “Sometimes, when you're at work, she locks the refrigerator.””
The kitchen went completely still.
Darius blinked.
“What?””
Imani's fingers tightened work, she locks the refrigerator.””
The kitchen went completely still.
Darius blinked.
“What?””
Imani's fingers tightened around the fork.
“She puts a little lock on it. Sometimes she takes the key upstairs. She says I can't eat unless she around the fork.
“She puts a little lock on it. Sometimes she takes the key upstairs. She says I can't eat unless she says I can.””
Darius slowly turned toward his wife.
“Is that true?””
Felicia's expression changed.
“ says I can.””
Darius slowly turned toward his wife.
“Is that true?””
Felicia's expression changed.
“Darius, she's exaggerating.””
“Is there a lock on the refrigerator?””
“It's aDarius, she's exaggerating.””
“Is there a lock on the refrigerator?””
“It's a childproof device. She keeps getting into things.””
“She's eleven years old. What things?””
“Sn childproof device. She keeps getting into things.””
“She's eleven years old. What things?””
“Snacks! Desserts! Things she doesn't need to be eating all day.””
Darius lookedacks! Desserts! Things she doesn't need to be eating all day.””
Darius looked at Imani.
“How often does this happen?””
The girl stared at the food in her bowl.
“ at Imani.
“How often does this happen?””
The girl stared at the food in her bowl.
“Most days.””
“Most days?”” His voice cracked on the words.
“Imani, howMost days.””
“Most days?”” His voice cracked on the words.
“Imani, how long has this been going on?””
She hesitated.
“Since you started working late.””
Darius long has this been going on?””
She hesitated.
“Since you started working late.””
Darius felt a chill travel down his spine.
He had been overseeing a major construction project outside Atlanta for nearly four months. The felt a chill travel down his spine.
He had been overseeing a major construction project outside Atlanta for nearly four months. The long hours had meant late dinners, weekend inspections, and occasional overnight stays near the site long hours had meant late dinners, weekend inspections, and occasional overnight stays near the site.
He had thought Felicia was keeping everything together at home.
He had thanked her for it.
.
He had thought Felicia was keeping everything together at home.
He had thanked her for it.
He had bought her flowers, taken her to dinner, and told friendsHe had bought her flowers, taken her to dinner, and told friends how lucky he was to have a wife who cared for his daughter.
All the while, how lucky he was to have a wife who cared for his daughter.
All the while, his child had apparently been going hungry in the same house.
He looked at Felicia.
“Tell his child had apparently been going hungry in the same house.
He looked at Felicia.
“Tell me she's lying.””
Felicia folded her arms.
“I'm telling you she has a habit of me she's lying.””
Felicia folded her arms.
“I'm telling you she has a habit of making herself the victim.””
Darius stepped toward her.
“Then answer the question. making herself the victim.””
Darius stepped toward her.
“Then answer the question. Do you lock the refrigerator?””
“I lock it when I have to!””
The admission escaped before she could stop it.
Darius stared at her.
“You Do you lock the refrigerator?””
“I lock it when I have to!””
The admission escaped before she could stop it.
Darius stared at her.
“You actually do it?””
“Not all the time!””
“That actually do it?””
“Not all the time!””
“That wasn't my question!””
Felicia's voice rose.
“Because you refuse to understand wasn't my question!””
Felicia's voice rose.
“Because you refuse to understand! She eats whenever she wants, makes messes, ignores my instructions, and then acts like I'm! She eats whenever she wants, makes messes, ignores my instructions, and then acts like I'm some evil woman because I try to set boundaries!””
“Food some evil woman because I try to set boundaries!””
“Food isn't a privilege you get to use against a child!””
“Don't lecture me about isn't a privilege you get to use against a child!””
“Don't lecture me about parenting!””
“Then don't make me wonder whether my daughter is getting enough parenting!””
“Then don't make me wonder whether my daughter is getting enough to eat!””
Felicia slammed her palm against the counter.
“I AM THE ONE WHO HAS TO LIVE to eat!””
Felicia slammed her palm against the counter.
“I AM THE ONE WHO HAS TO LIVE WITH HER!””
The words echoed through the kitchen.
Imani dropped her fork.
Darius immediately turned WITH HER!””
The words echoed through the kitchen.
Imani dropped her fork.
Darius immediately turned toward his daughter. She had pressed herself against the back of the chair, both hands covering her mouth.
“Hey, hey.”” He kn toward his daughter. She had pressed herself against the back of the chair, both hands covering her mouth.
“Hey, hey.”” He knelt beside her.
“You're okay.””
She shook her head.
“I'm sorry,”elt beside her.
“You're okay.””
She shook her head.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
Darius frowned.
“For what?””
“For making you fight.””
His anger faltered.
“Oh she whispered.
Darius frowned.
“For what?””
“For making you fight.””
His anger faltered.
“Oh, baby.””
He reached for her, but she stiffened at first. When, baby.””
He reached for her, but she stiffened at first. When he gently opened his arms, she leaned into him with a suddenness that made his heart he gently opened his arms, she leaned into him with a suddenness that made his heart ache. She buried her face against his shoulder, gripping the back of his shirt ache. She buried her face against his shoulder, gripping the back of his shirt.
“I'm sorry,” she repeated.
“I didn't want you to be.
“I'm sorry,” she repeated.
“I didn't want you to be mad.””
Darius wrapped both arms around her.
“You did nothing wrong.””
“But she said—”
“I don't care what she said. mad.””
Darius wrapped both arms around her.
“You did nothing wrong.””
“But she said—”
“I don't care what she said. You did nothing wrong by telling me.””
Behind them, Felicia made a disgusted noise.
“ You did nothing wrong by telling me.””
Behind them, Felicia made a disgusted noise.
“Wonderful. Now I'm the monster, and you're the hero.””
Darius didn'tWonderful. Now I'm the monster, and you're the hero.””
Darius didn't look at her.
“Go upstairs.””
“Excuse me?””
“Go upstairs, Felicia. look at her.
“Go upstairs.””
“Excuse me?””
“Go upstairs, Felicia. I need to talk to my daughter.””
“This is my house too!””
“And this I need to talk to my daughter.””
“This is my house too!””
“And this is my daughter!””
Felicia's face reddened.
“You're choosing her over me?””
Darius is my daughter!””
Felicia's face reddened.
“You're choosing her over me?””
Darius rose with Imani still holding his hand.
“This isn't a competition. She's a child. rose with Imani still holding his hand.
“This isn't a competition. She's a child. You're the adult.
And I'm not going to stand here pretending what you've admitted You're the adult. And I'm not going to stand here pretending what you've admitted is acceptable.””
Felicia's eyes darted toward the refrigerator.
Then toward the hallway.
For the is acceptable.””
Felicia's eyes darted toward the refrigerator.
Then toward the hallway.
For the first time, she seemed less interested in defending her actions than in figuring out what Imani might say next first time, she seemed less interested in defending her actions than in figuring out what Imani might say next.
Darius noticed.
“There's something else, isn't there?”” he asked.
Felicia's jaw tightened.
“No.””
.
Darius noticed.
“There's something else, isn't there?”” he asked.
Felicia's jaw tightened.
“No.””
He looked at his daughter.
Imani was trembling again.
“Baby, whatHe looked at his daughter.
Imani was trembling again.
“Baby, what else happens when I'm gone?””
Felicia stepped forward.
“Darius, don't encourage else happens when I'm gone?””
Felicia stepped forward.
“Darius, don't encourage this.””
He raised one hand to stop her.
“Let her speak this.””
He raised one hand to stop her.
“Let her speak.””
Imani wiped her cheeks with her sleeve.
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to.””
Imani wiped her cheeks with her sleeve.
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to retreat into silence. Then she glanced at the front door, as retreat into silence. Then she glanced at the front door, as though checking whether she could still escape if she needed to.
“She says I'm going to though checking whether she could still escape if she needed to.
“She says I'm going to be sent away,” Imani whispered.
Darius felt his stomach drop.
“Who be sent away,” Imani whispered.
Darius felt his stomach drop.
“Who says that?””
Imani looked directly at him.
“Felicia.””
His wife went pale says that?””
Imani looked directly at him.
May you like
“Felicia.””
His wife went pale.
