The first Saturday Leo came over, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The boy stood in the entryway with his backpack clutched to his chest like a shield. He looked like he was waiting for permission to breathe.
We decided to bake cookies, and afterward, I started reading Harry Potter to him. He was a sweet kid.
Mark sat at the kitchen table the whole time, watching us. I could feel his eyes boring into the back of my skull. Occasionally, Leo would nervously glance over at him.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
This past Saturday, practice ended early due to rain. Mark brought Leo home, but he was in a foul mood. He complained about a piercing headache and said he needed to run to the pharmacy.
The second the front door clicked shut behind Mark, Leo changed.
The rigid posture vanished, replaced by an intense, nervous energy. He sat at the kitchen table, gripping a blue crayon so hard his knuckles turned white.
“You don’t lie,” Leo said quietly.
He was in a foul mood.
It was such an odd, heavy thing for an eight-year-old to say.
I stopped what I was doing and stood across from him. “I try not to, Leo.”
He glanced toward the front door, making sure Mark was truly gone. Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“But Mark lies. I wasn’t supposed to steal this,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I took it from Daddy’s casket. Before they closed it.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
“I wasn’t supposed to steal this.”
“Mark put it there. He slid the note under Daddy’s hand. But I saw. I waited until he walked away.” He pushed the paper toward me.
“It’s bad. You should read it.”
My hands were shaking so much that I almost couldn’t get the paper open.
The first line made my blood run cold.
“David, I need you to take this secret to the grave with you…”
My legs gave out, and I sat down in the closest chair.
“David, I need you to take this secret to the grave with you…”
I never wanted you to know, because it would only hurt you, but I love Sarah. I always have.
I never acted on it. I swear that. I would never do that to you. But pretending I didn’t feel it nearly broke me. Watching you build the life I imagined, raising the son I would have given anything to protect…
I’m not going to try to replace you, but I will step in, now that you’re gone, to make sure they’re never alone.
Forgive me for loving what was never mine.
I never wanted you to know, because it would only hurt you.
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