Chapter 3: The Voice On The Other End
My father pressed the phone against his ear, and the entire room watched him listen.
Nobody spoke.
Not even Lauren.
That scared me more than anything else.
My sister was never quiet when she was cornered. She always had an explanation ready. A reason. A way to make herself the victim before anyone else could say a word.
But now she stood frozen beside the Christmas tree, staring at my father like she already knew what the caller was about to reveal.
“Hello?”” Dad said.
A pause.
His eyebrows pulled together.
“Yes, this is Robert Bennett.””
Another pause.
Then his face changed.
Not anger.
Not confusion.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
I looked at James.
He noticed it too.
“Who is that?”” Mom whispered.
Dad didn’t answer her.
He just kept listening.
“Yes, I understand.””
His eyes moved toward Lauren.
“She’s here right now.””
Lauren shook her head.
“No.””
The room turned toward her.
Dad covered the phone slightly.
“You need to hear this.””
“No, I don’t.””
Her voice cracked.
For the first time that night, Lauren looked afraid.
Dad uncovered the phone.
“Go ahead.””
A voice came through the speaker.
It was faint, but loud enough for us to hear.
“Mr. Bennett, I’m sorry to bother you on Christmas night. I just thought you should know the truth about what happened at the daycare.””
My stomach tightened.
Daycare.
I looked down at Emma.
“What daycare?””
Nobody answered.
The voice continued.
“Lauren told us she was Emma’s primary caregiver that afternoon. But the security footage shows something different.””
Lauren stepped forward.
“Dad, turn it off.””
My father raised a hand.
“Wait.””
James’s jaw tightened.
“Security footage?””
The person on the phone continued.
“She asked us not to contact Claire because she said you were already under enough stress after giving birth.””
My heart started pounding.
I looked at Lauren.
“What are they talking about?””
Her eyes moved away.
That was enough.
“Lauren.””
She swallowed.
“It wasn’t a big deal.””
The same words.
Again.
Always those words.
It wasn’t a big deal.
The hand.
The comments.
The lies.
Nothing was ever a big deal when Lauren was the one who caused it.
Dad looked at her.
“Tell your sister.””
Lauren shook her head.
“I can explain.””
“No,” James said.
“You can answer.””
The voice on the phone spoke again.
“Mr. Bennett, we have a report from one of our employees. She said Lauren became upset when Emma wouldn’t stop crying.””
My fingers went numb.
I remembered Emma crying when I picked her up that day.
Lauren had told me she was tired.
She had told me babies were difficult.
She had told me I was lucky she helped.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered.
Lauren looked at me.
“Claire…”
“What happened?””
She looked down.
“I was frustrated.””
James stepped closer.
“You were frustrated with a baby?””
“I said I was frustrated!””
Her voice echoed through the dining room.
Emma startled slightly.
I immediately moved away from Lauren.
That tiny movement seemed to hurt her.
But I couldn’t care.
Not anymore.
Dad ended the call.
The silence afterward was unbearable.
Mom finally spoke.
“Lauren, why didn’t you tell us?””
I turned toward her.
That was her question?
Not why did you scare my daughter?
Not why did you lie?
Why didn’t you tell us?
Lauren looked at our mother.
“Because nobody would have understood.””
I stared at her.
“Understood what?””
She wiped her eyes.
“You got everything.””
I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My baby got sick after being born. I spent weeks terrified she wouldn’t make it. James was gone. I was exhausted.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
Lauren’s voice became softer.
“You had everyone worried about you. Everyone checking on you. Everyone asking how you were.””
I looked at her.
“Because I had a newborn.””
She ignored me.
“Then Emma came, and suddenly you were the only person anyone cared about.””
My father slammed his hand on the table.
“Enough.””
Lauren flinched.
“I’m just telling the truth.””
“No,” Dad said.
“You’re explaining jealousy.””
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“And you’re choosing her.””
Nobody answered.
Because maybe, for years, we had all been choosing Lauren.
We had chosen keeping peace.
We had chosen avoiding conflict.
We had chosen pretending nothing was wrong.
And Emma had almost become the price.
I stepped toward the door again.
“We’re leaving.””
Mom stood.
“Claire, please.””
I looked at her.
“Please what?””
She had no answer.
James helped me put on my coat.
As I reached for the door, Lauren suddenly spoke.
“Claire.””
I stopped.
Her voice was different.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Almost desperate.
“There’s something else.””
James turned immediately.
“What else?””
Lauren looked at me.
Then at Emma.
And whispered:
“Emma wasn’t the only reason I was angry.””
My hand tightened around the door handle.
“What does that mean?””
Lauren took a shaky breath.
“I know who Emma’s biological father is.””
The world seemed to stop.
James looked at me.
I looked at him.
And then everyone looked at Lauren.
May you like
Because nobody understood the sentence she had just said.
Not even me.
