Part 5
Maya stared at the recorder like it was a live explosive.
"What is that?"
"Tanner gave it to me," I said, my heart aching as I spoke my grandson's name. "He’s been carrying it in his backpack for months, Maya. He has six recordings on here."
She went completely pale. The ambient noise of the school outside seemed to fade into a dead, suffocating silence.
I pressed the play button.
The small speaker hissed with static for a second, and then Evan’s voice cut through the room.
“You think you’re smart, Maya? You think anybody out there cares about your little complaints? You’re nothing without me. You have nothing. If you ever look at me like that again, I will make sure you regret the day you were born.”
Then came the sound of a heavy slap, followed by a sharp, choked gasp from Maya on the tape.
Maya cover her ears with both hands, squeezing her eyes shut as her own recorded cries filled the small room.
"Stop it," she sobbed. "Please, Dad, turn it off. Turn it off."
I pressed stop.
May you like
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Maya's ragged breathing.
"He didn't just hurt you, Maya," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous, icy register. "I saw Lily’s arm today. He’s putting his hands on our children."
