Not I’m sorry I locked you in.
You got scared.
She looked at Nathan.
He saw the distinction too.
“I’m sorry.”
He corrected himself.
“I should not have locked the door.”
Lily finally looked up.
“Am I bad?”
Nathan’s face collapsed.
“No.”
Claire had to turn away.
Lily asked:
“Then why did I go in the bad room?”
Silence.
There it was.
The bad room.
Claire slowly faced Nathan again.
“What did she call it?”
He looked horrified.
“I never called it that.”
Lily whispered:
“You said bad choices go in there.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I said when you make a bad choice, you take quiet time.”
Claire stared.
“How many times?”
Nathan looked toward her.
“What?”
“How many times has she been locked in there?”
“It isn't—”
“How many?”
Lily answered.
“A lot.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
Claire's hand stopped on the shoelace.
“A lot?”
Lily nodded.
Nathan said quickly:
“It has been maybe four or five times.”
Claire stood.
“Four or five?”
“Over months.”
“You've done this before?”
“It isn't what you're making it.”
“What am I making it?”
“A locked room.”
Claire looked toward the stairs.
“It is a locked room.”
“The door stays unlocked most times.”
Lily immediately said:
“No.”
Nathan looked toward her.
The child flinched.
Claire moved between them.
Lily stared at her father.
“You lock it.”
Nathan swallowed.
“Sometimes.”
Claire said:
“How many?”
“I don't know.”
“You just said four or five.”
“I mean locked specifically.”
“Then how many times did you put her in there?”
Nathan rubbed his forehead.
“Claire.”
“How many?”
“Maybe ten.”
The room became silent.
Claire could hear the refrigerator motor.
The ticking wall clock.
A truck passing outside.
Ten.
She looked at Lily.
Five years old.
Ten times.
Perhaps more.
“Since when?”
Nathan took a breath.
“March.”
It was June.
Claire laughed once.
Nothing about it was funny.
“Three months.”
Nathan nodded.
“Why don't I know?”
He looked toward her.