The Word Game (17 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

MYAH

Monday afternoon

With her jacket zipped up to her chin, Myah leaned back against her car in the driveway and stared up into the dark night sky. The stars were covered with clouds, and she had a feeling her life for the next days, weeks, months, even years, would never be the same—the future clouded thanks to mistakes she’d made.

She pulled out a cigarette from her pocket, put it between her lips, and let the weight of it hang while she searched for the lighter.

Before going home, Myah had stopped at the store down the street for milk and picked up a pack of cigarettes, something she hadn’t done in years.

But right now, she could use a smoke.

She glanced up at her darkened bedroom window, where her daughter slept in her bed. She’d fallen asleep crying, with Myah holding her, and it broke her heart all over again to listen to her daughter sob in her sleep.

Debra, the Child Protective Services worker, told Keera that today was the beginning of a journey for her, one that involved healing and finding strength she never knew she had. But for Myah, it was the beginning of a nightmare.

The moment her daughter admitted that Eddie sexually abused her, everything changed.

Her hands shook as she held the lighter to her face. The red flare of the cigarette as it burned mesmerized her, and when she inhaled, everything stopped, just for a moment.

She would never forgive herself for bringing that bastard into her daughter’s life.

The phone in her pocket buzzed, and she was tempted to ignore it, but she pulled it out and saw Tricia’s number pop up. Again.

She should answer. Her friend had been calling all day.

“Hi.” Myah dropped the cigarette and ground it under her foot.

“Are you okay?” Tricia asked.

Myah sniffed and wiped her face.

“You’re not. Do you need me to come over? I can come right now.” The urgency in Tricia’s voice had Myah panicking.

“No.” She couldn’t handle having one more person in front of her, looking at her with a mixture of pity and condemnation.

“But thank you,” she added, realizing she came off a bit harsh. “I just . . .”

“You need space,” Tricia finished for her.

“I do.” Funny how well her friend understood.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Myah sighed and yawned at the same time.

“Or maybe you need to go to bed,” Tricia said. “You’re probably exhausted, and I can only imagine—”

“I’m beyond exhausted, Tricia. I’m numb.”

“No doubt. But I think that’s okay, you know?”

“I hate him, Tricia. I need him to suffer, to be destroyed like he’s destroyed my daughter.” The words forced themselves out of her raw throat.

“He will.”

“The stuff he did to her, made her do to him . . .” She couldn’t continue. She couldn’t.

“I’ll kill him for you.”

Myah smiled weakly. “I love you. That was the best thing you could have said.”

After a moment of silence, Tricia asked, “Where’s Keera now?”

Myah glanced up toward her windows again. “In my bed, finally asleep.” She hoped she could sleep through the night. She’d given her daughter a sleepy-time tea along with some aspirin to help with the headache she could see in her daughter’s eyes.

“Tomorrow . . . it’s not going to be easy,” Myah admitted.

“How so?”

She thought back to today. “There was no time to breathe today, not once since we stepped into Rachel’s office. But tomorrow, it’ll all sink in, and we’ll have to figure out how to move forward.”

“These next few days, weeks, hell even months, are going to rough, Myah. So just take it day by day and look for the good if you can. One day soon, you’ll feel like you can breathe again. But you know you’re not alone, right?”

Myah nodded. “Debra said the same thing, that we’re not alone.”

“How was Debra?”

“Nice. Level headed. Keera seems to like her. She warmed up to her quickly. Thanks to Katy and Lyla, by the time we arrived, the police were on standby. It was hard. Hard to not be able to step in and help Keera, but she needed to say what happened to her in her own words. And she finally did. I wasn’t sure . . . but she even admitted to asking Katy and Lyla not to say anything. She was worried they would get in trouble.”

“Trouble?”

“Eddie threatened Keera that she would get in trouble if she ever said anything. How could I have married him, Tricia? Why was I so blind . . . ?” She shook her head before glancing at her watch. “Eddie should be in police custody by now.” The moment she said those words, she felt the tightness in her chest lessen.

“That was fast.” Tricia sounded shocked.

“I mentioned that Eddie has been trying to see Keera behind my back, calling her, sending her text messages.” Myah blinked past the tears that quickly pooled in her eyes. “He sent her a private message today through an app I didn’t know she had. He sends her photos of himself, Tricia . . .”

“I hope he rots in hell.”

“Check Katy’s phone please. Make sure you know what every app is and who her friends are. Look at her photos and messages . . . I wish I had. I would have been able to stop this sooner.” The regret she’d been trying so hard to squash filled her once again.

“It’s over now,” Tricia said quietly.

Myah stared down at the ground. “Which part? Him abusing her? Yes. But so much more is just beginning. The doctor’s appointments, the counseling sessions, the healing process . . . I don’t want my girl to lose her smile, the warm heart that she has, and I’m afraid she will. I’m afraid of what this will have done to her, how it will destroy her, change her life.” Myah pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Rachel mentioned to Aly that there might be more kids he’s done this to, that they would need to look into his clients.”

“Thank God he only taught adult classes, but yes, I pray there’s no one else. I want to say I’m sorry for what your girls will go through, but I can’t.”

“You shouldn’t. The girls know and realize how important this is. And even more so, Alyson and I understand.” Her friend hesitated a moment. “My mom too,” she said.

“Because of Aly’s experience, right?”

“Not just Aly.”

Myah stood there in shock as Tricia told her about the past she’d kept hidden for so long. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but she wasn’t too surprised either.

“My past isn’t who I am today. That’s why I never brought it up.”

“You don’t need to explain,” Myah told her, and it was true. “How did your mother handle everything? I’ve always thought of Ida as a strong German woman, but I never expected . . .” Myah pushed herself away from her car and headed back inside. She slipped off her shoes and curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace.

“You should talk to her.”

Myah nodded. “I will. Ida invited us for Thanksgiving dinner. Did you know? She considers us family and says, in her heart, she has three daughters.”

“That’s my mom. You’re coming right?”

“I’m in charge of . . . pickles?”

Tricia laughed. “It’s about time. Alyson usually brings those, and she brings these awful organic ones that taste like vinegar. No one touches them other than Aly and Lyla. Scott won’t even go near them apparently.”

“So they’re pretty important then. Good to know. Listen.” Myah pulled her legs up to her chest. “I want—no, I need—to say thank you. Thank you for being there for me through all of this, and for being there for me in the upcoming months. Thanks for being my friend and the sister of my heart. Otherwise I’d be all alone, and I would go crazy.”

Tricia laughed softly. “Nah, you’d just go hard-core into your dance. I know you.” She paused. “I’m always here. Always. And Keera will be okay. She’s a good girl, and she has an amazing mother who will always be by her side. Plus,” she said as her tone lightened, “you’re now an official member of the Wilhem family. You’ll never be alone again—whether you want to be or not.”

“Right now, I’ll take all the family I can get.”

“So what’s happening tomorrow?” Tricia hated to bring it up.

“A massive upheaval. There might be more interviews, and there’s a doctor’s appointment. I have a meeting with the lawyer, and then somehow I need to do a dance class after school.”

“Can’t you cancel?”

Myah frowned. “No. I need to show Keera that nothing has changed, nothing fundamental, at least. This is my job, and where I make my money. Now, I’m not sure if Keera will want to be there, and I’ll leave that up to her, but I’ll start losing students if I keep getting someone to cover for me.”

“Somehow, I doubt you’ll lose students, and she can always come to my place, you know that, right.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re not going to lose students though. I wish you would stop worrying about it.”

“You never know. People are very judgmental. If I can’t protect my own daughter, what’s to say I won’t let something bad happen to theirs? When it comes to protecting your child, people will do anything they feel is in their best interests. You know that.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

ALYSO
N

Tuesday afternoon

The moment she stepped into the large room with Lyla after school, she knew something was wrong. There’d been a low murmur one moment and the next—silence.

A quick look around the room told her that Myah hadn’t yet arrived.

Lyla headed over to the other girls in the class, where they all sat on a mat and stretched, and Alyson took her usual seat, in the front, to watch her.

“Is it true?”

Alyson forced a smile on her face, not surprised that it was Melinda who had approached her.

“Is what true?”

Confusion flitted across Melinda’s face. “Well, you know. About Myah and Eddie.”

Alyson’s fake smile slowly melted away, and she arched her eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

“I heard that Eddie was arrested last night on charges of child sexual abuse. Is that true?” Melinda leaned in and mock-whispered.

“Where did you hear that?”

Myah and Alyson had already discussed a plan of attack if something like this happened.

“My sister is on the administrative team at the police station. Is it true? I need to know. My sister has him teaching her daughter private dance lessons.” Melinda swallowed visibly.

“You should recommend Myah to her. Especially after hearing something like that. I know I wouldn’t want someone with that reputation to give my daughter private lessons.”

All Myah had asked Alyson to do was neither confirm nor deny, but to build up Myah if needed. It had been Alyson’s decision to not only build up Myah but to tear down slimeball Eddie Mendez as a dance instructor. She would take a lesson from her mother’s book and use her words and reputation to her advantage.

“Do you think Myah has any openings?” Another woman who sat behind them leaned forward and tapped Alyson on the shoulder.

Aly turned. “I don’t know, but if I were you, I’d ask sooner rather than later. If what Melinda says is true”—and here was the other part of her plan, put the wording back on the gossiper and let her believe she had a role to play in protecting their daughters—“then word will get around.”

Her eyes widened in shock.

“I’ll tell my sister right away.” Melinda pulled out her phone. Alyson looked around. She wasn’t the only woman who had her phone out and was typing furiously on the screen.

Myah might not like her actions, but Alyson was pleased.

No child deserved to be hurt the way he’d hurt Keera.

The moment Myah walked into the room without her daughter by her side, she was surrounded by the women in the room wanting to ensure they could get their daughters in for private lessons, and it thrilled her heart to see it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

IDA

T
hanksgiving

Ida always enjoyed the American tradition of setting aside a day to give thanks. She had a lot to be thankful for and never forgot that.

Gordon on the other hand could care less about the significance of the day other than food and football.

“Would you help me, you old fool,” she called out to him as she struggled to get the leaf for the dining room table out from beneath their stairwell.

“I’m coming. I’m coming,” he called as his feet shuffled down the hallway.

Together they pulled it out of the cubbyhole and worked together to get the table extended the way Ida wanted it.

“Why did you have to invite so many people anyways?” he grumbled.

“They are our family. That’s enough out of you.” She swatted him on the arm and then pushed him back toward the rec room, where she could hear the sounds of a football game playing on the television.

She expected the girls to arrive within the hour, and she wanted the tablecloth at least to be out and ironed. She was in the laundry room ironing when she heard the cascade of running footsteps slap against the floor and the voices of her grandchildren calling out for her. That feeling of thankfulness filled her heart as she smoothed out the last remaining wrinkles and met her daughters in the kitchen.

It had been a few weeks since she’d seen her two daughters together. Alyson had taken Tricia’s news of their past pretty hard, and instead of focusing on rebuilding their relationship, she’d focused on helping Myah and Keera, offering to watch Keera after Myah’s work schedule got busier.

Last week she’d asked to meet with both Ida and Tricia for a chat. Apparently, Alyson had started to see a counselor.

“Just in time to help set the table.” Ida carried in the tablecloth and carefully laid it over the table, flattening out the creases and making sure the cloth lay even on each side.

The girls pulled out the china from the cabinet in the other room, china that Ida had started collecting when she was a newly married woman.

“Smells delicious, Oma.” Lyla helped to set the silverware, a huge smile on her face as she sniffed the air.

“We’ve got turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and casseroles. I expect you to eat your fill, do you hear?” Ida attempted a stern face but quickly lost it as Lyla launched herself into her arms.

“Is there pie too?” her granddaughter whispered excitedly.

“Is there pie, she asks.” Ida tsked before she gave Lyla a wink.

Alyson opened up a bag full of dishes she’d brought, and Ida swallowed a groan. “What’s that you’ve got in there?” she asked instead.

“I know you said not to bring anything but juice, but I wanted to try some new vegetable casseroles. Is there room in the oven to keep them warm?” Without waiting for an answer, she pulled open the oven door and slid her dishes onto the bottom rack.

Ida smothered her laughter with a cough.

“Are you getting a cold, Mom?” Alyson asked.

“No, no, just a tickle in my throat.”

“Myah is just behind us.” Tricia handed cups to Katy.

Ida busied herself in the kitchen with the last-minute preparations while her family around her pitched in to help. In no time, the table was set, and they just waited on Myah.

“She was just behind us.” Tricia checked her phone and then set it down. “Has she contacted you, Aly?”

Alyson checked her own phone and shook her head just as the doorbell rang.

While the girls went to answer the door, Gordon came into the kitchen with Mark and Scott. “Is it time to eat yet?” He leaned over and kissed Ida on the check. “Smells good.”

“Sorry I’m late.” Myah walked in with a bag in hand and set it down on the counter. “Pickles, as promised. Along with some whipping cream for pies.” She held on to Keera’s hand, who hid behind her mother.

Ida watched Keera, concerned about what she was seeing. Everything was still so new. It had only been a few weeks since her life blew apart. From what she understood, Keera hadn’t returned to dancing, and she was still quite withdrawn at school.

“Oma?” Lyla tugged at her hand.

“Ja, meine Mausi?”
She probably should stop calling her a little mouse. The past few weeks, she’d come out of her shell.

“Do we really get to sit at the big table this year?”

“You sure do.” It might be crowded, but she wanted the whole family at the table.

Myah came and gave her a hug. “Thank you for inviting us.” She kissed Ida on both cheeks and then squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry we were late. Keera is having a hard day,” she whispered.

“You’re family now. I expect you here every holiday meal, capeesh?” She looked at Keera out of the corner of her eye and noticed she was holding hands with Lyla.

Myah nodded. “Thank you.”

“All right.” Ida clapped her hands together. “Sit. Doesn’t matter where. But children, you give the adults the big seats,
ja
?” She looked specifically at her grandsons.

In the hustle of the men and children sitting down while the girls helped Ida set the food out on the table, no one seemed to notice that Lyla and Keera were missing—no one other than Ida.

She heard their voices in the hallway and went to listen in. She pretended she was looking for something in the fridge.

“Are you okay?” Lyla asked Keera. “Why were you so late?”

“I didn’t want to come.” Keera’s voice broke, and Ida had a feeling she was struggling not to cry. Tears came easily to the little one lately.

“Why not?”

“Just didn’t. Things are different now.”

Ida’s heart sank.

“You don’t miss your stepdad, do you?”

“Are you kidding me?” There was anger in Keera’s voice. “You don’t get it. No one does.”

Ida needed to stop the conversation. This was something for adults to deal with, not little Lyla. But she stopped when she heard her granddaughter speak.

“I might not, but you’re not alone. You’re family now. Oma even said it. And today will be special. Trust me.”

“Special? How?” Ida heard the spark of interest in Keera’s voice and was proud of her little granddaughter.

“Oma always has a special surprise for us. I heard her talk to Opa a few days ago that this would be an extra special day.” Her excited whisper did exactly what Ida thought Lyla meant it to do.

It gained Keera’s attention.

“Really?”

Ida closed the fridge door and headed back to the table. “If you girls want any of these mashed potatoes, you’d better hurry up,” she called out.

It made her heart happy to see a smile on Keera’s face as the girls skipped together, hand in hand, toward the table.

That little girl’s life wasn’t going to be easy, and her heart would be broken over and over again, but she would be okay. The people at this table, those who loved her, would make sure of it.