Aaron believed him.
Then Jordan added:
“But I knew she treated Nia different.”
Nia became still.
Aaron looked toward the road.
“What do you mean?”
Jordan’s voice became quieter.
“She makes Nia do more stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Cleaning.”
Nia said quickly:
“It’s fine.”
Aaron looked toward her.
“No.”
He forced himself to soften the word.
“You don’t have to protect anyone right now.”
Nia stared toward the windshield.
Jordan continued.
“If me and Layla leave dishes, Mom usually tells Nia to load the dishwasher because she’s already in the kitchen.”
Aaron’s jaw tightened.
“And?”
“If we get snacks after school, sometimes she says Nia already had something.”
Layla whispered:
“She says Nia gets special things from her mom.”
Aaron almost missed the exit.
“What special things?”
Layla looked confused.
“Like money.”
“She says Nia has money waiting for her, so it’s fair if me and Jordan get more now.”
Aaron felt cold.
Nia stared down at her new shoes.
Jordan said:
“I told Mom it was weird.”
“When?”
“Last month.”
“What did she say?”
“That I didn’t understand grown-up money.”
Aaron nodded slowly.
He did not ask more.
Not in the car.
Not with three children already carrying too much.
When they arrived home, Celeste was waiting in the driveway.
She walked toward Aaron before he had closed his door.
“We need to talk.”
“Yes.”
“Privately.”
Aaron looked toward the children.
“Jordan, Layla, take your bags inside.”
Neither moved.
Aaron added:
“Not the shopping bags.”
They had left those at the store.
Good.
“Go to the family room.”
Nia started toward the house.
Aaron called:
“Nia.”
She turned.
“Your room.”
Her face changed.
Fear again.
Aaron immediately corrected himself.
“Not because you’re in trouble.”
“I want you somewhere quiet.”
“I’ll come talk to you.”
She nodded.
The children went inside.
Celeste waited until the door closed.
Then:
“You embarrassed me.”
Aaron stared at her.
“That is your first concern?”
“I have been humiliated in front of my children and a store full of strangers.”
“You slapped Nia’s hand.”
Celeste froze.
“The cashier told you?”
“I saw the security manager’s preliminary incident note while I signed the preservation form.”
“She reached for the box.”
“So?”
“I barely touched her.”
Aaron’s voice became quieter.
“That sentence does not help you.”
Celeste crossed her arms.
“You’re acting like I beat her.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You’re implying—”
“I’m telling you that you used physical correction because she reached for shoes I told her she could have.”
Celeste looked toward the house.
“She has become entitled.”
Aaron laughed once.
No humor.
“Nia?”
“Yes.”
“The child who apologizes when somebody else bumps into her?”
“You don’t see her all day.”
“And apparently I need to start.”
That landed.