Chapter 2: The Boy Who Learned to Stay Silent
I waited until Denise walked upstairs before speaking again.
The sound of her heels disappeared along the hallway.
Then a bedroom door slammed.
Jordan and Brianna remained at the dining table.
My mother was collecting the photographs on her phone.
Malik hadn't touched his food.
He was staring at the mashed potatoes as though he had forgotten what dinner was supposed to feel like.
I pulled the chair beside him closer.
"Son, I need you to tell me what's happening.""
He shook his head.
"Nothing, Dad.""
"Malik.""
"I'm okay.""
I looked at him.
"You're not in trouble.""
He nodded, but his fingers continued twisting the sleeve of his hoodie.
"Did you steal something?""
His eyes widened.
"No!""
"Did you hurt somebody?""
"No, Dad.""
"Then what is Denise talking about?""
He looked toward the staircase.
I lowered my voice.
"She isn't going to come down here and yell at you. I promise.""
Malik took a long breath.
"She says I make her life difficult.""
My mother stopped moving.
"What do you mean, sweetheart?""
He looked at her.
"She says I'm disrespectful.""
"How?""
"I don't always do things fast enough. Sometimes I ask questions. Sometimes I forget something.""
He paused.
"Sometimes I just exist.""
The last three words came out so quietly that I almost missed them.
My mother covered her mouth.
I felt something tighten behind my ribs.
"What does she do when you forget something?""
Malik looked down.
"She takes things away.""
"What things?""
"My phone. My computer. Sometimes my clothes.""
"Your clothes?""
He nodded.
"She says I don't need nice things if I can't appreciate them.""
I glanced at the gray hoodie he was wearing.
It was the one Angela had bought him during their last Christmas together.
His mother had chosen it because Malik had told her he wanted something comfortable enough to wear every day.
"Did she take that hoodie away?""
"No. I hid it.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
He hesitated.
"Because she said she was going to throw it away.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Why would she throw away something your mother gave you?""
"She says Mom is dead and I need to stop acting like she's still here.""
The room went silent.
My mother closed her eyes.
I couldn't speak.
Angela had been gone for five years, but Malik still remembered everything about her.
Her laugh.
Her perfume.
The way she sang off-key while cooking breakfast.
The little notes she used to leave inside his lunchbox.
I had never asked him to forget her.
I couldn't imagine anyone expecting him to.
"She said that?"" I finally asked.
Malik nodded.
"She says I'm disrespecting her by keeping Mom's things.""
I looked at his hoodie again.
"Is that why you wear it so often?""
He nodded.
"It's the last thing she bought me.""
My mother moved beside him and gently touched his shoulder.
"Oh, baby.""
He leaned into her hand.
Then he quickly pulled away, as if he had remembered he wasn't supposed to show weakness.
I noticed.
I noticed everything now.
"Malik, how long has this been happening?""
He shrugged.
"Since last year.""
"Last year?""
"Maybe earlier.""
I closed my eyes.
Denise and I had married three years earlier.
For most of that time, I had believed our household was functioning normally.
I worked long hours managing a commercial construction company. Denise handled many things at home.
She scheduled appointments, paid household bills, organized school activities, and prepared meals.
I had thought I was lucky to have a partner who made family life easier.
Apparently, my convenience had come at my son's expense.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Malik's eyes moved toward the stairs again.
"She said you were already stressed.""
"That doesn't matter.""
"She said if I complained, you'd think I was trying to break up your marriage.""
I stared at him.
He continued.
"She said you finally had someone who made you happy again, and I shouldn't ruin that.""
My mother shook her head.
"That woman had no right to put that burden on you.""
Malik wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"I didn't want you to be alone again, Dad.""
I couldn't hold myself together anymore.
I pulled him into my arms.
He went stiff for a second.
Then he wrapped both arms around my waist and buried his face against my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
He shook his head.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you.""
"No, son. Don't you apologize.""
I held him tighter.
"I'm supposed to protect you. That's my job.""
A chair scraped behind us.
Jordan stood.
His face was red.
"Mr. Johnson?""
I turned.
"Yes?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Can I talk to you?""
Denise's son had always been quiet around me. He was polite, usually spending most of his time playing video games or watching sports.
I nodded.
"Of course.""
He glanced at his sister.
Brianna immediately stood too.
"Mom told us not to talk about it.""
I looked between them.
"Talk about what?""
Jordan rubbed his forehead.
"Things that happen when you're at work.""
My heart started beating faster.
"What things?""
He swallowed.
"Mom says Malik is the reason she can't save money.""
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?""
"She says you spend too much on him.""
I stared at him.
Jordan continued.
"She says because he's not her biological son, you shouldn't expect her to pay for everything he wants.""
"Everything he wants?""
Brianna spoke up.
"She told Malik he couldn't go on the school trip because he wasn't contributing enough to the house.""
I turned toward Malik.
"Is that true?""
He nodded.
"It was a science trip.""
"How much did it cost?""
"One hundred and eighty dollars.""
I blinked.
"Why didn't you ask me?""
"Denise said she'd already told you.""
I shook my head.
"She never told me.""
Jordan looked down.
"She said you wouldn't care because you were always spending money on him.""
I felt anger rising, but I forced myself to stay calm.
"Jordan, I appreciate you telling me. But I need to know something else. Have you ever seen your mother threaten Malik?""
The boy hesitated.
Then he nodded.
"She told him she'd send him to live with another relative if he kept making problems.""
My mother gasped.
I looked at Malik.
"Did she say that?""
He nodded slowly.
"She said I could go live with Aunt Renee.""
Aunt Renee was Angela's older sister.
She lived two states away.
Malik had visited her every summer since he was little.
I couldn't understand why Denise would use someone he loved as a threat.
"Did you want to go live with her?""
He looked frightened.
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because I thought you'd be sad.""
I put my hand on the back of his neck.
"Son, you don't have to stay somewhere you're unhappy just to make me happy.""
He nodded.
But I could tell he didn't fully believe me.
I turned to Jordan.
"Thank you for telling me the truth.""
He looked at the floor.
"Mom will be mad.""
"I won't let anyone punish you for being honest.""
Brianna wiped her cheeks.
"There's something else.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She hesitated, then reached into the pocket of her sweatshirt.
She pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
"I found this in Mom's purse yesterday.""
Denise had written something on it.
I unfolded the paper.
It appeared to be a handwritten list.
At the top were three words:
*MALIK — CONSEQUENCES.*
Below them were several entries.
- No phone until further notice. - No school activities. - No dinner before chores.
- No visits with Grandma Evelyn. - Remove Angela's belongings from bedroom. - Discuss alternative living arrangements.
I read the list twice.
My mother leaned over my shoulder.
Her face went pale.
"Alternative living arrangements?"" she whispered.
I looked at Brianna.
"Did you know what this meant?""
She nodded.
"Mom said she was trying to get Malik sent away.""
My blood ran cold.
"Sent away where?""
Brianna shook her head.
"I don't know.""
I looked toward the staircase.
Denise had disappeared upstairs.
The woman I had married had apparently been making plans involving my son's future without ever discussing them with me.
I folded the paper and put it in my pocket.
"Where did you find this?""
"In her purse. I was looking for her car keys.""
I nodded.
"Thank you.""
Then I turned toward Malik.
"Have you ever heard her talking about sending you somewhere?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly reached into his hoodie pocket.
He pulled out a small envelope.
It was creased at the corners.
My name was written across the front in his handwriting.
"Dad," he whispered, "I was going to give you this last week.""
I took it.
"What's inside?""
He stared at the staircase.
"A letter.""
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
His voice cracked.
"Because Denise found out I was writing it.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a single sheet of notebook paper.
The first line made my knees feel weak.
*Dear Dad, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can live here much longer.*
I looked at my son.
"What happened after she found the letter?""
He began crying.
"She told me if I gave it to you, she'd make sure you never saw me again.""
I gripped the paper.
And then I noticed something written at the bottom.
May you like
A date.
A date that was only four days away.
