Chapter 3: The Woman Who Kept the Secret
Keisha did not speak immediately.
She stood at the kitchen counter, one hand gripping the edge so tightly that her wedding ring pressed into the wood.
Damon watched her.
“What do you know?””
She glanced toward the stairs.
“Avery is asleep.””
“Keisha.””
“I know.””
“Then tell me.””
She drew a long breath.
“Three years ago, before you and I got married, Monique came to my apartment.””
Damon frowned.
“Why?””
“She said she wanted to talk.””
“About what?””
“About you. About the divorce. About how you were going to ruin her life.””
He leaned back against the counter.
“That sounds like Monique.””
“She was crying when I opened the door. Not angry crying. She looked exhausted.””
Keisha paused.
“She brought Avery with her.””
Damon's expression changed.
“You never told me this.””
“Because she asked me not to.””
“Why would you agree to that?””
“Because Avery was standing behind her, holding a stuffed rabbit and wearing a coat that was too thin for the weather. She looked terrified. I wanted to get them inside before we argued.””
Keisha walked to the table and sat down.
“Monique said she needed help. She told me that she couldn't control Avery anymore. She said Avery had started having nightmares, wetting the bed, and screaming whenever someone raised their voice.””
Damon's throat tightened.
“What did you say?””
“I asked whether she'd taken her to a pediatrician.””
“And?””
“She said the doctor thought Avery was adjusting to the divorce.””
Keisha looked at him.
“Then she told me something I didn't understand at the time. She said, 'If Damon remembers what happened that night, he'll take her away from me.''”
Damon felt the room tilt.
“What night?””
“I asked her that. She refused to explain.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because she started crying harder. She said she had made mistakes, but that she loved Avery. She said you would never forgive her if you knew.””
“And you believed her?””
“No. I believed that something was wrong, and I wanted to understand what Avery needed.””
Keisha rubbed her forehead.
“I offered to help her find a therapist. She refused. I offered to drive Avery to appointments. Monique said I had no right to interfere.””
Damon stared at her.
“Did Avery say anything?””
“Not then.””
“What happened after Monique left?””
Keisha's eyes shone.
“Avery came back to my apartment two weeks later. Monique said she had an errand and needed someone to watch her for an hour. The hour became four.””
“Where was Monique?””
“I don't know. She didn't answer her phone.””
Damon's voice rose.
“And you didn't call me?””
“I tried. You were in Chicago for a business conference. Your phone went straight to voicemail.””
He remembered the conference.
He had been trying to secure a contract that might save his company. He had spent two nights in a hotel, sleeping badly and answering emails until dawn.
Keisha continued.
“Avery fell asleep on my couch. When I carried her to the guest room, she woke up screaming.””
Damon closed his eyes.
“What did she say?””
“She kept saying, 'Please don't shut the door.''”
He swallowed.
“I sat with her until she calmed down. I left the door open and turned on the hallway light.””
Keisha wiped her cheek.
“After that, she started asking to come over. She wanted to bake cookies. She wanted to watch cartoons. She wanted to sleep in the guest room when Monique was working late.””
Damon stared at the floor.
“And you let her.””
“Of course I did.””
“You should have told me how bad it was.””
“Yes,” Keisha said.
“I should have.””
He looked up, surprised by her agreement.
She did not defend herself.
“I was afraid that if I pushed Monique too hard, she'd stop letting me see Avery. I thought I could help quietly until I understood what was happening.””
“And now?””
“Now I think being quiet was the wrong choice.””
The kitchen clock ticked.
Damon looked at the anonymous message again.
Ask your wife what she did after you passed out.
His stomach clenched.
“Keisha, did Monique ever say anything about giving me medication?””
Keisha went still.
“Why would you ask that?””
“Because I was taking sleeping pills. Because I don't remember the hospital. Because somebody knows what happened.””
She slowly shook her head.
“Not directly.””
“Think.””
Keisha stared at the table.
“There was one conversation. A few months after we met.””
“What conversation?””
“She asked whether I knew you were taking medication for insomnia. I said I did. She asked whether you still drank alcohol.””
Damon felt a chill move down his back.
“What did you tell her?””
“That you weren't supposed to.””
He gripped the counter.
“What else?””
Keisha's voice dropped.
“She said you had always been careless with pills. She told me that one day, your carelessness would destroy the family.””
Damon stared at her.
“Did she say anything else?””
“No.””
He paced toward the window and back.
“Why would she ask you that?””
“I don't know.””
“Did you tell anyone?””
“No.””
He looked at her sharply.
“Keisha, if you remember anything else—anything at all—you have to tell me.””
“I will.””
He wanted to believe her, but the night had already shown him how much damage could hide inside an omission.
He returned to his laptop and began searching his old email archives again.
This time, he searched for the words sleeping pills, prescription, and Monique.
Most of the results were ordinary messages. Insurance reminders. A pharmacy receipt. A note from his doctor.
Then he found an email dated three days before the hospital visit.
It had been sent from Monique's account.
Subject: You need to rest.
The message contained only two sentences.
I spoke to your doctor about your sleep problems. He said you need to be careful.
Don't take more than the prescribed amount, especially if you've been drinking.
Damon stared at the screen.
He remembered discussing his insomnia with Monique. He remembered her telling him that she wanted him healthy.
But he did not remember her contacting his doctor.
He clicked the sender details.
The email had been forwarded from another address before reaching him.
An address he did not recognize.
He copied it into the search bar.
Nothing useful appeared.
Keisha leaned over his shoulder.
“Who is it?””
“I don't know.””
“Could it have been her work email?””
“Maybe.””
He opened the email's full header information and printed it for Richard.
Then he searched the following morning's messages.
At 7:42 a.m., Monique had sent him another email.
We need to talk before you go to work.
At 8:03 a.m., he had replied.
I don't remember everything. Please tell me what happened.
There was no response.
Instead, at 8:19 a.m., Monique had sent a message to an address associated with a lawyer she later hired during the divorce.
The subject line read:
Emergency plan.
Damon opened the message.
The body was short.
He doesn't remember the night clearly. The hospital record is in my possession. If he starts asking questions, I want to make sure he cannot use it against me.
Damon stepped away from the desk.
Keisha covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.””
He read the email again.
Then again.
The hospital record was in Monique's possession.
She had known about it.
She had known he didn't remember.
And she had planned for the possibility that he might start asking questions.
“Print it,” Keisha whispered.
He did.
A moment later, a floorboard creaked upstairs.
Both of them turned.
Avery stood at the top of the staircase in her pajamas, her pink backpack dangling from one hand.
“Daddy?””
Damon hurried to the bottom of the stairs.
“Hey, sweetheart. What's wrong?””
She came down slowly.
“I heard you talking.””
“I'm sorry if we woke you.””
Avery shook her head.
“Is Mom coming here?””
Damon hesitated.
“We don't know yet.””
Her fingers tightened around the backpack strap.
“Will she be angry?””
Keisha crouched beside her.
“Whatever happens, nobody is going to make you handle it alone.””
Avery stared at Keisha.
“Promise?””
“I promise we'll do everything we can to keep you safe.””
The little girl nodded, but she didn't look convinced.
Damon knelt in front of her.
“Can I ask you something?””
Avery studied his face.
“Okay.””
“Do you remember anything else about the night at the yellow-curtained room?””
Her shoulders stiffened.
Keisha immediately touched his arm.
“Damon, don't.””
He stopped.
Avery looked down at the floor.
“I remember the door.””
“What about it?”” he asked gently.
“It made a clicking sound.””
Damon felt his heart pound.
Avery raised her eyes.
“Mom locked it.””
Keisha's face went pale.
“Who was inside with you, sweetheart?””
Avery's lower lip trembled.
“Mom.””
“And then?””
“You came.””
Damon swallowed.
“What did I do?””
Avery shook her head.
“You were talking funny.””
“Funny how?””
“Like you were sleepy.””
Damon felt his stomach twist.
Avery clutched her backpack.
“Mom told you to go downstairs. You said you wanted to sleep.””
He could barely breathe.
“Did I leave?””
Avery nodded.
“But before you left, you said something.””
“What did I say?””
She looked directly into his eyes.
“You told Mom not to give me the medicine anymore.””
The room went silent.
Damon stared at his daughter.
“What medicine?””
Avery shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Did you take it?””
“I don't know, Daddy.””
She began crying.
“Mom said it would help me sleep. But I didn't want to sleep. I wanted you to come back.””
Damon reached out instinctively, then stopped before touching her.
“Can I hold you?””
Avery hesitated.
Then she stepped into his arms.
He held her carefully as she sobbed against his shoulder.
“I am so sorry,” he whispered.
Keisha knelt beside them, tears slipping down her face.
For several minutes, no one spoke.
Then Avery pulled away and wiped her nose on her sleeve.
“Daddy?””
“Yes?””
“Can I show you something?””
She opened her backpack and pulled out a small, worn notebook with a purple cover.
“I kept it because Mom said I wasn't allowed to talk about that night.””
Damon looked at the notebook.
The cover was covered in faded stickers, and the pages were bent at the corners.
Avery opened it to the middle.
There were childish drawings of a yellow room, a locked door, and a little girl sitting beside a bed.
On the next page, in uneven handwriting, were six words.
*Mom said Daddy would never remember.*
Damon stared at the sentence.
Then Avery turned to the final page.
A telephone number had been written there in black ink.
May you like
Underneath it, in Monique's handwriting, was a name Damon recognized.
Dr. Elaine Foster.
