Chapter 3 - Lily Had Been Practicing the Same Answer
Daniel postponed the rest of the wedding weekend.
Not the ceremony.
It was his cousin’s wedding, and the bride had nothing to do with what happened.
But Daniel, Lily, and Claire left the resort the following morning.
Vanessa stayed with her sister.
Daniel refused to let her ride home with Lily.
That was the first boundary.
The second came when Lily’s therapist called Monday morning.
Dr. Rachel Morgan had been working with Lily since shortly after Emma disappeared.
Daniel explained what happened at the terrace.
Rachel asked him not to question Lily repeatedly.
“She’s four. Keep it simple. Let her tell us in her own way.”
During the session Lily played with dolls.
One adult doll.
One little girl.
One woman standing farther away.
Rachel later gave Daniel only information necessary for Lily’s safety.
Lily had described a recurring “choice game.”
Vanessa would ask:
“Who takes care of you?”
“Who’s your real mommy now?”
“Who do you want more?”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“How often?”
“Lily isn’t reliable with frequency yet.”
“Did she say why?”
“She indicated Vanessa became upset when she chose Claire.”
Daniel remembered the terrace.
Tell them you want ME.
Not her.
It had not begun beside the overlook.
Vanessa had been rehearsing loyalty.
At home Daniel found more small things.
A preschool worksheet labeled MY FAMILY.
Lily had drawn Daniel.
Vanessa.
Claire.
One figure had been erased so aggressively the paper tore.
Daniel asked only:
“Who was there?”
Lily pointed toward a framed photograph of Emma.
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“Who erased her?”
Lily’s eyes dropped.
He stopped questioning.
That evening Claire arrived to return Lily’s pink sweater.
Daniel met her outside.
“You don’t come into the house until we finish talking.”
Claire nodded.
Fair.
He told her about the “choice game.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
“That’s why I came to the wedding early.”
“What?”
“Lily told me last month Vanessa said I was confusing her about who her mother is.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I told Vanessa to stop.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Claire looked away.
Another warning kept from him.
Daniel’s anger rose.
He stopped himself.
The terrace had taught him something useful.
Reaction was not the same thing as action.
“What else?”
Claire took a breath.
“Vanessa asked me something six weeks ago.”
“What?”
“Whether Emma had ever contacted me again.”
Daniel stared at her.
“What did you say?”
“That it was none of her business.”
“Was that an answer?”
Claire did not respond.
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
“Claire.”
“She had no right to ask.”
“That is still not an answer.”
Claire met his eyes.
“No.”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“No what?”
“No, it wasn’t an answer.”
And just like that, the question changed.
May you like
Not whether Claire knew why Emma disappeared.
Whether Emma had ever stopped being missing at all.
