Chapter 5 - What Ryan Meant by “Discipline”
Ryan finally agreed to speak with Megan in Rachel Kim’s office.
He looked exhausted.
Megan felt nothing when she saw him.
That frightened her.
Rachel sat beside Megan while Ryan’s attorney joined by video.
“Did you tell your mother she could hit Caleb?” Megan asked.
Ryan rubbed his palms against his jeans.
“I told her she could be stricter.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
“No. I never said, ‘Hit him.’”
“Did you know she had?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Megan’s stomach tightened.
“How many times?”
“I know about one before yesterday.”
“The bruise?”
Ryan looked away.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He had a meltdown.”
“He was hurt.”
“She swatted him.”
“Where?”
Ryan hesitated.
“His leg.”
Megan stood halfway before Rachel touched her forearm.
“Sit.”
Megan forced herself back into the chair.
“You told me playground.”
“I panicked.”
“No. You lied.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
“I talked to Mom afterward.”
“And Caleb?”
“I told him it wouldn’t happen again.”
Megan thought of Caleb saying he wasn’t supposed to discuss last time.
“Why did he think he had to keep it secret?”
Ryan stared at the table.
“I told him not to upset you.”
For several seconds Megan could not speak.
Finally she asked, “What exactly did you tell your mother before that happened?”
Ryan’s answer came quietly.
“I told her Caleb needed consequences.”
“What kind?”
“I said I was tired of him crying over everything.”
Rachel stopped taking notes for a moment.
Ryan continued.
“My mom said she knew how to fix it.”
Megan looked at him.
“And you let her.”
“I thought she meant rules.”
But Megan remembered Carol.
The words she used.
Weak.
Stupid.
Scream louder.
Nothing about that felt improvised.
Before leaving, Rachel requested that Ryan preserve his messages with Carol.
Ryan stiffened.
May you like
Megan noticed.
It was the first sign that his spoken version was not the whole version.
