4
The moment Patrick’s grandparents saw me, their faces fell.
‘atrick dutifully greeted them. “Grandpa, Grandma.”
Michael went to the kitchen with his father-in-law to cook, leaving me in the living room with his mother-ir aw. “Your mommy misses you, you know,” she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “She came t ne in a dream last night. Said she wanted to see you.”
Patrick didn’t even come to see his grandpa and grandma for the holidays. I wonder if someone was keepi ng you locked up at home, not letting you visit.”
Her eyes kept flicking toward me as she spoke. I shifted uncomfortably.
Patrick scooted closer to me on the sofa. “Daddy wasn’t with us for Christmas. It wasn’t right for Mommy tc oring me by herself.”
The grandmother’s expression soured. “Some shameless women will do anything for money, even lose their dignity. And they corrupt a perfectly good child in the process!”
Anger simmered in my gut, but she was an elder, so I held my tongue.
After lunch, I took Patrick to the bathroom. He whispered to me, “Mommy, I don’t like Grandpa and Grand- ma.”
I knelt to straighten his jacket. “Why not, sweetie?”
Even if his grandmother hated me, Patrick was their grandson. It made no sense for them to hate him, too.
“They don’t like me,” he said, his voice barely audible. “Grandpa hits me really, really hard. And Grandma is s scary when she yells.”
Before I could ask for more details, Michael’s voice called from the other room.
“Honey, we’re out of rice. Come with me to the store to get a bag for them.”
The color drained from Patrick’s face. He grabbed my shirt, his knuckles white. “Mommy, don’t go.”
patted his hand and led him back to the living room. Sure enough, Michael was by the door, putting on hi
shoes.
He pulled me aside. “His grandparents want to have a word with him alone. Just come downstairs with m
or a minute.”
refused.
