Chapter 2 - THE BOY WHO MOVED AWAY
Claire walked toward the security light.
Her surprise disappeared before she reached Daniel.
A controlled expression replaced it.
“Noah ran away from his room again.”
Daniel looked at the doghouse.
“He ran into this?”
“He refuses to follow rules.”
“Why is he afraid of me?”
Claire glanced at Noah.
“He knows you will be disappointed.”
Daniel crouched beside the entrance again.
“Noah, come inside with me.”
The boy did not move.
Daniel extended one open hand.
Noah pressed against the wooden wall.
His reaction broke something inside Daniel.
He lowered his hand.
“Okay. I won’t touch you.”
Claire crossed her arms.
“You cannot reward this behavior.”
Daniel turned toward her.
“What behavior?”
“He has become manipulative.”
“He is sleeping in a doghouse.”
“He chose to stay there.”
Noah’s voice came from the darkness.
“No.”
Claire’s eyes hardened.
Daniel noticed.
“What happened?”
Noah swallowed.
“The door.”
Daniel looked at the doghouse door.
It was a low wooden panel attached to two metal hinges.
A latch had been installed on the outside.
Daniel had never seen it before.
The latch was open now.
He touched the new screws.
“Who installed this?”
Claire sighed.
“It keeps animals from getting inside.”
“There are no animals inside.”
She looked toward Noah.
Daniel’s voice became colder.
“Was this door locked?”
“No.”
Noah spoke again.
“Yes.”
Claire stepped closer.
“He is lying because he knows you always believe him.”
Daniel looked at his son.
Noah’s eyes remained fixed on Claire’s shoes.
He did not look at her face.
He watched her feet as if he needed to know whether she was moving toward him.
Daniel removed his suit jacket.
He placed it near the entrance.
“I’m going to sit here.”
The stone path was cold.
Daniel sat anyway.
“You can come out when you’re ready.”
Claire lowered her voice.
“This is exactly why he does not respect me.”
Daniel did not look at her.
“We will discuss respect after my son is warm.”
For several minutes, no one moved.
Then Noah reached for the jacket.
He pulled it inside.
A minute later, he crawled toward the entrance.
Daniel remained still.
Noah emerged slowly.
He was smaller than Daniel remembered.
When Daniel tried to stand, Noah flinched.
“I’m only standing.”
The boy nodded.
Daniel allowed him to walk toward the house without being touched.
Noah stopped at the patio.
He looked at Claire.
Then at Daniel.
“Do I have to go back there tomorrow?”
Daniel stared at him.
“How many nights have you slept outside?”
Claire answered first.
“One.”
Noah’s lips trembled.
Daniel waited.
“Eight,” the boy whispered.
May you like
The exterior security light blinked once above the doghouse.
Its hidden camera was still recording.
