Chapter 5 - TEN FEET AWAY
I watched the video three times.
Daniel was at the table.
He heard Camila.
I could see him glance toward the balcony.
Then Carmen said something off camera.
Daniel turned back to his plate.
That was worse than ignorance.
That was a choice.
I sent the video to myself, to a private cloud folder, and to Ms. Gomez.
Daniel reached for my phone.
“Stop sending things out of context.”
I pulled it away.
“What context makes this okay?”
He lowered his voice.
“My mother said Camila had thrown food.”
“She’s three.”
“She needed to learn.”
“No. You needed to be a father.”
That landed.
He stared at the floor.
Valeria called.
I answered on speaker.
“Mariana, I swear I didn’t know she was out there that long.”
“How long?”
Silence.
“Valeria.”
“Maybe forty minutes.”
My hand went numb.
Daniel whispered, “It wasn’t forty.”
Valeria snapped, “Yes, it was. I have timestamps.”
Then she said something that changed everything.
“And this wasn’t the first time.”
Daniel spun toward the phone.
“Shut up.”
I went still.
Valeria kept talking.
“Mom did it last week too. And the week before that.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought Daniel knew.”
I looked at my husband.
He looked sick.
“Did you?”
He didn’t answer.
I walked back into the exam room and picked up Camila.
“We’re leaving.”
Daniel followed.
“Where?”
“Somewhere your mother can’t reach her.”
“You can’t take my daughter.”
“I’m her mother.”
“I’m her father.”
“Then start acting like it.”
In the parking lot, a black SUV pulled up behind my car.
Carmen stepped out.
She wasn’t alone.
A man in a gray suit walked beside her carrying a leather folder.
Daniel whispered, “Oh, God.”
I looked at him.
“Who is that?”
May you like
He swallowed.
“My mother’s attorney.”
