Chapter 5 - TYLER STARTS A NOTEBOOKTyler became observant.
Children often were.
Adults simply underestimated what they noticed.
Tuesday, 4:12 p.m.
Mom left Grandma by the window while she talked on the phone for 38 minutes.
Wednesday, 3:47 p.m.
Grandma asked for water by looking at cup. Mom said, “You just had some.”
Thursday, 5:05 p.m.
Mom told Grandma, “You’re a burden.”
Friday, 4:28 p.m.
Mom got mad because Grandma dropped spoon.
Tyler wrote quietly.
He learned to include times because his teacher had recently taught the class how detectives kept notes in mystery stories.
He did not think of himself as a detective.
He thought of himself as Grandma’s backup voice.
Some days Monica behaved normally.
That confused him.
She fixed Beatrice’s hair.
Helped her with physical therapy exercises.
Played old Motown records because Beatrice liked them.
When Gavin was home, Monica could be patient.
Sometimes even affectionate.
That made Tyler question himself.
Then Gavin would leave.
A spoon would fall.
A cup would spill.
Beatrice would move too slowly.
And Monica’s face changed.
One afternoon Beatrice struggled to reach the television remote.
Monica saw.
Did nothing.
Beatrice made a weak sound.
Monica continued scrolling on her phone.
Tyler entered.
“Grandma wants the remote.”
“She can wait.”
“She’s asking.”
“She’s making noise.”
Tyler handed Beatrice the remote.
Monica glared.
“You need to stop jumping every time she moves.”
“She can’t get it herself.”
“That doesn’t mean the entire house has to revolve around her.”
Tyler wrote it down.
Saturday, 11:20 a.m.
Mom said house revolves around Grandma.
He hid the notebook under loose art supplies in his closet.
He never imagined his mother would search his room.
Not yet.
Meanwhile, Beatrice began depending on the hand squeezes.
Do you want water?
Yes.
Are you cold?
No.
Does your shoulder hurt?
Yes.
Do you want me to stay?
Yes.
That last answer came every time.
Tyler stayed whenever he could.
One evening he sat on the floor beside her wheelchair doing homework.
Beatrice watched him solve fractions.
“You hate math, don’t you?”
One squeeze.
Tyler laughed.
“You used to help Dad with math?”
One squeeze.
“Was he bad at it?”
A pause.
Then one squeeze.
Tyler laughed louder.
Gavin entered.
“What’s funny?”
Tyler froze.
“Nothing.”
Beatrice’s eyes brightened.
Gavin looked between them.
“What are you two up to?”
Tyler almost told him.
Almost.
Then remembered the hallway.
Ask Grandma.
See? She can’t tell you anything.
Not yet.
He needed more.
“Grandma thinks you were bad at math.”
Gavin blinked.
Then smiled.
“She told you that?”
Tyler looked at Beatrice.
“Kind of.”
Gavin leaned down.
“She’s lying.”
Beatrice squeezed Tyler’s hand once.
Tyler burst out laughing.
Gavin smiled too.
May you like
Across the room, Monica watched.
Her expression did not.
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