MAYA REED.
The room became silent.
Marcus stared at it.
Then at Camille.
“You told her she didn’t have a ticket.”
Camille’s expression collapsed.
Marcus opened the envelope.
Flight itinerary.
Seat assignment.
Hotel welcome voucher.
Activity card Maya had chosen for the sea turtle sanctuary.
Everything.
He placed the envelope on top of the closed suitcase.
Not gently.
“Then why did you hide Maya’s ticket in your purse?”
No one moved.
Maya stared at the envelope as if it were something alive.
Eli whispered:
“Mom?”
Camille looked at her sons.
Then at Maya.
Then Marcus.
“I can explain.”
Marcus hated those words more than he expected.
“Start.”
“Not here.”
“You chose here when you told my daughter she was being excluded in front of the boys.”
“Marcus.”
“You can explain here.”
Camille’s eyes flashed.
“You want honesty?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.”
She looked toward Maya, then stopped herself.
Marcus saw the battle.
Camille lowered her voice.
“I wanted one trip where my sons didn’t feel like everything revolved around Maya.”
The sentence entered the room slowly.
Jordan immediately said:
“What?”
Camille looked at him.
“Jordan.”
“No.”
He removed his headphones.
“You said Maya didn’t want to fly.”
Marcus turned.
Jordan looked frightened but continued.
“You told us she was scared and wanted to stay with Aunt Tasha.”
Camille closed her eyes.
Eli looked at Maya.
“You’re not scared?”
Maya shook her head.
“I wanted to see turtles.”
Eli looked at his mother.
“You lied.”
“Eli—”
“You lied to us too.”
Marcus picked up the envelope.
His hands were trembling.
“Camille, take the boys upstairs.”
“No.”
Marcus looked.
“No?”
“They shouldn’t be dragged into a fight between us.”
“They are already in it.”
He stopped.
That was not helpful.
He rubbed his face.
“Everybody stop.”
The room obeyed because he almost never sounded like that.
Marcus looked at all three children.
“This is not your fault.”
He pointed to Maya first.
“Not yours.”
Jordan.
“Not yours.”
Eli.
“Not yours.”
He looked at Camille.
“We are not discussing blame with children standing here.”
Her shoulders loosened slightly.
Marcus continued.
“But nobody is getting on an airplane tonight.”
Jordan looked horrified.
“Wait.”
Maya immediately said:
“No.”
Marcus turned.
She shook her head.
“They didn’t do anything.”
“I know.”
“They should go.”
Jordan said:
“No, that’s weird.”
Eli looked between everyone.
“I still want to go.”
Jordan elbowed him.
“What?”
Eli became defensive.
“I do.”
That almost made Marcus laugh despite everything.
At least one person was honest.
Marcus said:
“The vacation is postponed.”
“Not canceled forever.”
“We need to figure out what happened first.”