Chapter 2: The Pictures
The first picture had been taken from the hallway.
Marcus stared at the screen.
Nia sat alone at the kitchen counter, her shoulders curled inward. In front of her was a white plate with a small mound of rice and three pieces of wilted broccoli.
The date stamp glowed beneath the image.
Tuesday.
Marcus remembered that Tuesday.
He had been in Chicago.
He had called home that night and asked everyone what they had for dinner.
Vanessa had laughed and said, “Chicken and rice. Nia barely touched hers.””
Marcus looked at the next picture.
Same kitchen.
Different night.
Nia was eating while Caleb and Ava sat in the dining room behind her, visible through the open doorway. Their table was covered with food.
Marcus’s thumb stopped.
In the corner of the picture, a roast chicken sat on a serving platter.
Nia’s plate contained two spoonfuls of mashed potatoes.
He swiped again.
A sandwich cut in half.
A bowl of plain oatmeal.
Rice and vegetables.
Half a baked potato.
Every picture had one thing in common.
Nia was eating alone.
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“Where did you get these?””
Ava’s little fingers tightened around the edge of her shirt.
“I took them when Mom was in the dining room.””
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Marcus, you’re making a scene over nothing.””
He raised his eyes from the phone.
“Nothing?””
“She’s a child,” Vanessa said.
“She eats what she’s given.””
Nia whispered, “Sometimes.””
Marcus heard it.
So did everyone else.
He turned toward his daughter.
“What does that mean?””
Nia looked down at the floor.
Vanessa answered before she could.
“It means she’s being dramatic.””
Marcus stood very still.
“What does it mean, Nia?””
Nia’s lips trembled.
Ava stepped closer.
“She doesn't get the same food.””
“Enough,” Vanessa snapped.
Ava flinched but didn’t move.
Marcus noticed.
He noticed everything now.
The way Nia kept her hands folded tightly in front of her.
The way Caleb suddenly found the table fascinating.
The way Vanessa’s voice had changed from defensive to sharp.
Marcus lowered the phone.
“Caleb.””
The boy looked up.
“What?””
“Does Nia eat in the kitchen when I’m gone?””
Caleb hesitated.
Vanessa cut in.
“Marcus, this interrogation is ridiculous.””
But Caleb had already answered.
“Yeah.””
Silence.
Marcus looked at his son.
“Why?””
Caleb shrugged.
“Mom says Nia has to.””
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“Caleb.””
The boy lowered his head.
Marcus took one step toward the table.
“What does she have to do?””
“I don't know.””
“You do.””
Caleb glanced at his mother.
That glance told Marcus enough.
“Look at me, Caleb.””
The boy slowly lifted his eyes.
“What happens if Nia eats the food at the table?””
Caleb swallowed.
“She gets in trouble.””
Vanessa slammed her palm against the table.
“That is enough.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“No.””
His voice wasn't loud.
That somehow made it worse.
“No more shutting everyone up.””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“You walk through that door after being gone for days, look at three photographs, and suddenly you think you understand our family?””
“I think I understand that my daughter has been eating scraps while the rest of us eat dinner.””
“She is not eating scraps.””
Marcus held up the phone.
“Then what do you call this?””
Vanessa stared at the screen.
“Leftovers.””
“Cold leftovers.””
“She doesn't like reheated food.””
Nia finally spoke.
“That’s not why.””
Vanessa whipped around.
“Nia.””
Marcus turned immediately.
“Why, then?””
Nia rubbed her thumb against the side of her finger.
“Mom says I have to finish chores first.””
Marcus blinked.
“What chores?””
“She makes me clean the kitchen.””
“Before dinner?””
Nia nodded.
“And if I don't finish?””
“I don't get my plate.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“That isn’t true.””
Nia’s eyes filled.
“It is.””
Vanessa pushed away from the table.
“You've been lying to your father for weeks.””
Marcus’s head snapped toward her.
“Weeks?””
Vanessa looked caught for half a second.
Then she recovered.
“She’s been complaining because I expect responsibility.””
Marcus pointed toward the phone.
“These pictures aren't complaining.””
He swiped.
Another photograph.
Nia sitting on the floor beside the refrigerator.
No plate.
Just a glass of water.
Marcus felt something cold move through his chest.
“What night was this?””
Ava answered softly.
“Last Friday.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Last Friday.””
“That was the night you called,” Ava said.
Marcus remembered.
He had been at the airport lounge, waiting for a delayed flight. He had called because he wanted to hear their voices.
Vanessa had answered.
“We just finished dinner,” she had told him.
Marcus looked at Nia.
“Did you eat last Friday?””
Nia shook her head.
“Not until Mom went upstairs.””
“How long?””
Nia looked at Vanessa.
Marcus followed her gaze.
“Don't look at her. Look at me.””
Nia’s eyes met his.
“Until almost midnight.””
Marcus closed his eyes for one second.
When he opened them, Vanessa was no longer arguing.
She was watching him carefully.
Marcus set the phone on the table.
“What else?””
Vanessa frowned.
“What else what?””
“What else don't I know?””
She laughed once, without humor.
“There you go. Turning dinner into some conspiracy.””
Marcus ignored her.
He turned to Ava.
“You said you took pictures every time I left.””
Ava nodded.
“How many?””
“Thirty-seven.””
Marcus stared at her.
Vanessa moved fast.
She reached for the phone.
Marcus caught her wrist.
“Don't.””
“Give it to me.””
“No.””
“You have no right to search through my daughter's phone.””
“Your daughter?”” Marcus said quietly.
“Which one?””
Vanessa froze.
The question landed harder than he expected.
For the first time that night, she looked afraid.
Not angry.
Afraid.
Marcus let go of her wrist.
He picked up the phone again.
Ava whispered, “There are videos too.””
Vanessa turned toward her.
“Ava!””
The eight-year-old jumped.
Marcus crouched beside her.
“It's okay.””
Ava shook her head.
“She told me not to tell you.””
“Who?””
“Mom.””
Vanessa’s voice became icy.
“Go upstairs.””
Ava didn't move.
“Now.””
Marcus stood.
“No one is going upstairs.””
Vanessa glared at him.
“This is my house.””
“And they're my children.””
She stepped closer.
“You have been away more than you've been home.””
Marcus absorbed the hit.
“You're right.””
Vanessa blinked.
He continued.
“I have.””
For a second, something in her face softened.
Then Marcus asked, “Is that why you thought you could do this?””
The softness disappeared.
“You are not going to blame me for everything wrong in this house.””
“I haven't.””
“You have.””
“No,” Marcus said.
“I'm trying to find out why my daughter was sitting on the floor of our kitchen with no dinner.””
Nia’s shoulders shook.
Vanessa looked at her.
“Tell him the whole truth.””
Nia went pale.
Marcus noticed.
“The whole truth about what?””
Neither Vanessa nor Nia answered.
Caleb pushed his chair back.
“Dad…”
Marcus looked at him.
“What?””
Caleb’s eyes were wet.
“Mom said if you found out, she'd leave.””
Vanessa went completely still.
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
“Leave?””
Caleb nodded.
“She said you'd choose Nia.””
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
She didn't deny it.
The room seemed suddenly too quiet.
Marcus reached for the phone.
“Ava,” he said gently, “show me the videos.””
Ava nodded.
The first video lasted only twelve seconds.
The camera was pointed toward the kitchen.
Vanessa's voice came from off-screen.
“You don't need another serving.””
Nia's voice answered.
“I'm still hungry.””
“You should have thought about that before you wasted food yesterday.””
“I didn't waste it.””
“You're arguing again.””
The video ended.
Marcus's fingers tightened around the phone.
The second video showed the dining room.
Caleb and Ava were eating.
Vanessa was serving them bread.
In the background, Nia stood at the kitchen sink, washing plates.
Then Vanessa's voice cut through the room.
“Not until everyone's finished.””
Nia kept washing.
Marcus looked at the children.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
Caleb started crying.
“Because Mom said you would be mad at us.””
Marcus's expression changed.
“I would never be mad at you for telling me the truth.””
Ava wiped her eyes.
“She said you loved work more than us.””
Marcus looked toward Vanessa.
“Did you tell them that?””
Vanessa said nothing.
“Vanessa.””
She finally spoke.
“I said you weren't here.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
“I wasn't.””
“You missed birthdays.””
“I know.””
“You missed school events.””
“I know.””
“You kept saying the company needed you.””
Marcus felt the guilt he had been carrying for years rise in his throat.
But he wasn't going to let guilt become an excuse for what he was seeing.
“You were right about one thing,” he said.
“I wasn't here enough.””
He pointed at the phone.
“But none of that explains this.””
Vanessa's eyes hardened.
“You want an explanation?””
“Yes.””
“Fine.””
She took a breath.
“You want to know why Nia was eating separately?””
Marcus waited.
Vanessa looked at Nia.
“Because she's not actually your daughter.””
The phone nearly slipped from Marcus's hand.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Nia stared at her mother with pure confusion.
“What?””
Marcus's face drained of color.
Vanessa held his gaze.
“You heard me.””
Ava whispered, “Mom…”
But Vanessa kept going.
“And if you look at the last video, you'll see exactly when you should have figured it out.””
Marcus's hand shook as he opened the camera roll.
There was one final file.
No thumbnail.
May you like
Just a date.
And beneath it, a name Marcus had never seen before.
