Nia flinched.
Aaron immediately noticed.
“Do not discuss her finances in front of strangers.”
Celeste lowered her voice.
“But you’ll humiliate me in front of strangers?”
“This is not about your humiliation.”
“It feels like it.”
Aaron looked toward the piles.
“Did you spend nineteen thousand dollars here from Nia’s trust?”
Celeste’s face changed.
The children looked up.
The cashier stopped pretending not to listen.
“How did you—”
“The bank.”
Aaron’s voice remained controlled.
“Did you?”
Celeste looked toward Nia.
Then away.
“I used money for the children.”
“Nia is the beneficiary.”
“They are all our children.”
“Nia’s mother left that money for Nia.”
“And Danielle would have wanted the family taken care of.”
Aaron’s eyes changed.
Do not use my dead wife to justify this.
The sentence almost came out.
He swallowed it because Nia was watching.
Instead:
“You did not know Danielle.”
Silence.
“You do not get to speak for her.”
Celeste’s face flushed.
She stepped closer.
“I have raised your daughter for two years.”
Aaron looked toward Nia.
Something in his expression made Celeste stop.
“No.”
He said it softly.
“You have lived with my daughter for two years.”
“That is not automatically the same thing.”
Celeste stared.
Nia’s tears finally fell.
Aaron immediately regretted saying it in front of her.
Not because it was wrong.
Because a child should not have to hear adults define whether somebody raised her.
He crouched again.
“Hey.”
Nia wiped her face.
“I’m sorry.”
Aaron’s chest tightened.
“For what?”
“The shoes.”
“What about them?”
“I shouldn’t have picked expensive ones.”
Aaron looked at the price again.
Sixty-four dollars.
“Nia.”
She whispered:
“Celeste said I already cost more because of Mom’s money.”
Everything inside Aaron went silent.
He looked up slowly.
Celeste’s face changed.
“Nia, that isn’t what I said.”
The girl recoiled slightly.
Aaron saw it.
Enough.
He stood.
“We’re leaving.”
Celeste stared.
“What?”
“Nia and I are leaving.”
“What about Jordan and Layla?”
Aaron looked toward the children.
Neither had caused this.
They looked terrified.
“They’re coming too.”
Celeste stepped in front of him.
“You’re not taking my children.”
“I’m not taking them from you.”
“I’m taking everyone home.”
“No.”
Celeste reached for her shopping bags.
“We’re finishing this.”
Aaron stared.
“You still want to buy these?”
“With my own card.”
Jordan whispered:
“Mom, can we just go?”
Celeste turned.
“Stay out of adult business.”
Layla began crying.
Nia immediately moved toward her.
That simple instinct hurt Aaron.
The child who had just been excluded was comforting one of the children whose shopping had been funded from her money.
Aaron took the trust card from the counter.
He slid it into his wallet.
Then picked up Nia’s shoebox.