Her expression changed.
"I could handle it."
"No."
"I did."
"No, Mom."
"I kept him alive."
Ethan's voice softened.
"That isn't the same as keeping him safe."
Margaret stared.
The sentence wounded her.
Good, part of Ethan thought.
Then he hated that part.
Margaret finally handed him the stuffed dog.
"Can I see him?"
"No."
She closed her eyes.
"For how long?"
"I don't know."
"I'm his grandmother."
"I know."
"He loves me."
Ethan believed that too.
Children could love people who frightened them.
That made things harder.
"He misses me."
"Maybe."
Margaret looked toward the door.
"Ask him."
Ethan hesitated.
That was when Noah appeared in the hallway.
He saw Margaret.
Stopped.
Margaret smiled instantly.
"Noah."
The boy did not run.
He moved behind Ethan.
Margaret's smile disappeared.
"Sweetheart."
Noah held Ethan's leg.
Margaret looked devastated.
Ethan looked down.
"Do you want to say hi?"
Noah whispered:
"No."
Margaret flinched.
"Why?"
Ethan turned.
"Don't ask him that."
"I deserve to know."
"No."
Noah whispered:
"Grandma gets mad."
Margaret started crying.
"I don't want to be mad."
Noah stayed behind Ethan.
Margaret crouched.
"I love you."
Noah's fingers tightened in Ethan's jeans.
Ethan said quietly:
"That's enough."
Margaret looked up.
"Ethan."
"You need to go."
She stood.
Her face changed from grief to anger.
"You are turning him against me."
"No."
"You are."
"He's scared."
"Because you're encouraging it."
Ethan almost responded.
Then stopped.
Noah was listening.
He opened the door wider only enough to step outside.
He closed it behind him.
"Leave."
Margaret stared.
"You'll regret this."
"Maybe."
"When your deployment schedule starts again."
Ethan felt something cold.
Margaret saw it.
"Who's going to take him then?"
Ethan said nothing.
"Your sister?"
"Maybe."
"Some stranger?"
"If necessary."
Margaret's face hardened.
"So you'll trust strangers before his own grandmother."
"Right now?"
Ethan looked directly at her.
"Yes."
She slapped him again.
This time Ethan saw it coming.
He could have stopped her.
He didn't.
The sound cracked across the porch.
Margaret froze.
So did Ethan.
Then the door behind him opened.
Noah stood there.
Again.
Margaret looked at the child.
Her face collapsed.
"Noah..."
He screamed.
"Don't hit my daddy!"
Ethan immediately turned.
Noah ran into him.
Margaret covered her mouth.