Chapter 9 - THE PHONE IN MY ROBEMy phone became important for a reason no one expected.
I had accidentally recorded fourteen minutes of audio.
Not because I anticipated assault.
Because I was sending a voice message to my friend Megan.
Earlier that afternoon Megan had texted:
How’s MIL invasion day?
I pressed record.
Started talking.
Then Lily cried.
I put the phone into my robe pocket without stopping the message.
The recording continued.
Most of it was fabric noise.
My voice soothing Lily.
Patricia talking.
Clear enough in parts.
At minute nine:
Patricia:
“You’re really doing Claire?”
Me:
“Yes.”
“You knew Michael’s mother was Eleanor.”
Me:
“I know.”
Patricia:
“You could at least give Daniel’s family something.”
Me:
“Lily is Daniel’s family.”
Then noise.
A chair.
Patricia:
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Me:
“I’m not having this conversation.”
More noise.
Then:
“Give her to me.”
My voice:
“No.”
Patricia:
“Why?”
“Because you’re angry.”
“You think I would hurt my granddaughter?”
I said:
“I think you need to leave.”
Then movement.
My voice stronger:
“Let go of my wrist.”
Patricia:
“Stop acting like I’m dangerous.”
Then a sharp sound.
Not enough to identify exactly what created it.
My gasp.
Furniture scraping.
Then the sound that ended sleep for months.
Lily hitting the floor.
Then screaming.
Mine.
Hers.
Patricia’s voice:
“Oh my God.”
I screamed:
“You hit me!”
Patricia:
“You dropped her.”
I screamed:
“You hit me!”
Then the call button.
Then nurses.
May you like
The audio did not show the slap.
But Patricia’s denial that physical contact occurred before the fall became difficult to maintain.
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