Jack quietly opened the door to the nursery. Maddie was on her bed, iPad in hand. “Maddie, honey, can you talk to Daddy for a second?” “I’m watching my show, Daddy,” she replied, not looking up.
Jack sat on the edge of the bed. “Sweetie, where did you hear those names? Pete and Vince? Did they really come here?” “I’m not supposed to tell. It’s a secret!” Maddie said, suddenly looking nervous. Jack glanced at Christine, who was standing in the doorway. “Maddie, we’re your parents. You can tell us anything. We won’t be mad.”
The little girl bit her lip, looking between them. “Promise you won’t tell?” “We promise.”
“Grandma said I had to say it. She made me practice the names until I got them right. She said if I didn’t tell you, she’d be very, very angry with me.” Christine let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. The relief was overwhelming, followed immediately by a cold, hard fury. “So Grandma told you to say those things?” Jack asked, his voice hollow.
“Yeah. She was talking to her friend Mrs. Miller about it first. Then she told me it was a game we were playing to help Daddy see the truth. But I don’t like this game, Daddy. It makes Mommy look sad.” Jack stood up, his face set in a mask of grim realization. He turned to Christine and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I am so sorry. I should have known. I should have known she was capable of this.”
