Chapter 3

By evening, before Dad’s arrangements could yield results, an uninvited guest showed up at our door.

Dad answered it himself.

Cole stood on the porch, holding a fruit basket, wearing a carefully crafted expression of earnest apology mixed with victimhood.

"Aunt Helen. Uncle Michael." His voice was soft, almost meek. "I just... I wanted to check on Sophie. I feel awful about yesterday. I scared her."

As he spoke, his eyes kept darting past Dad, trying to peer into the house to find me.

Dad stood squarely in the doorway, a human wall. He had no intention of letting him in.

"She’s asleep. You’re not coming in. Take the basket and go."

It was a blunt, uncompromising dismissal.

Cole’s fake smile faltered. He looked past Dad at Mom, forcing a slight tremor into his voice. "Aunt Helen, do you not believe me either? You raised me. I really just accidentally—"

Standing behind Dad, Mom’s lips parted. She was wavering again.

Right on cue, from my crib in the living room, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

Waaaaah!

I cried until my lungs burned, kicking my arms and legs frantically, acting as if the devil himself was at the door.

That cry was like a bucket of ice water over Mom’s head. She snapped awake.

She looked at the boy standing outside the door—whose mask was slipping—and the warmth in her eyes died completely.

"Cole," Mom said, her voice dead flat. "Sophie is sick. You need to leave. Now."

Cole froze.

The pitiful, wronged-boy act melted off his face, replaced by something dark and heavy. A fleeting look of pure malice flashed across his eyes.

Without another word, he dropped the fruit basket by the door, turned, and walked away.

Dad shut the door and locked the deadbolt.

Mom rushed to the crib and scooped me up. My cries softened into whimpers as I buried my face in her chest.

"When he left... that look in his eyes..." Mom’s voice trembled as she held me tight. "Michael, I don't think I've ever seen Cole look like that."

Dad walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He didn't say anything.

But I knew. From this moment on, everything had changed.

Chapter 3

By evening, before Dad’s arrangements could yield results, an uninvited guest showed up at our door.

Dad answered it himself.

Cole stood on the porch, holding a fruit basket, wearing a carefully crafted expression of earnest apology mixed with victimhood.

"Aunt Helen. Uncle Michael." His voice was soft, almost meek. "I just... I wanted to check on Sophie. I feel awful about yesterday. I scared her."

As he spoke, his eyes kept darting past Dad, trying to peer into the house to find me.

Dad stood squarely in the doorway, a human wall. He had no intention of letting him in.

"She’s asleep. You’re not coming in. Take the basket and go."

It was a blunt, uncompromising dismissal.

Cole’s fake smile faltered. He looked past Dad at Mom, forcing a slight tremor into his voice. "Aunt Helen, do you not believe me either? You raised me. I really just accidentally—"

Standing behind Dad, Mom’s lips parted. She was wavering again.

Right on cue, from my crib in the living room, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

Waaaaah!

I cried until my lungs burned, kicking my arms and legs frantically, acting as if the devil himself was at the door.

That cry was like a bucket of ice water over Mom’s head. She snapped awake.

She looked at the boy standing outside the door—whose mask was slipping—and the warmth in her eyes died completely.

"Cole," Mom said, her voice dead flat. "Sophie is sick. You need to leave. Now."

Cole froze.

The pitiful, wronged-boy act melted off his face, replaced by something dark and heavy. A fleeting look of pure malice flashed across his eyes.

Without another word, he dropped the fruit basket by the door, turned, and walked away.

Dad shut the door and locked the deadbolt.

Mom rushed to the crib and scooped me up. My cries softened into whimpers as I buried my face in her chest.

"When he left... that look in his eyes..." Mom’s voice trembled as she held me tight. "Michael, I don't think I've ever seen Cole look like that."

Dad walked over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He didn't say anything.

But I knew. From this moment on, everything had changed.