Chapter 2 - The VideoThe room went silent.
Ryan slowly walked toward Lily.
“What did you record?”
Lily swallowed.
“I was FaceTiming Mom. I put my tablet on the railing.”
She held it out.
Ryan pressed play.
The video showed the living room.
My voice.
Diane's voice.
Then her words:
“I've had enough of this!”
The image shook.
Noah screamed.
Diane opened her arms.
And dropped him.
Ryan's face went white.
The video ended.
He stared at his mother.
“You did it.”
Diane immediately began crying again.
“I was frustrated!”
“You dropped a baby.”
“It was an accident!”
“The video shows you letting go.”
Ryan's voice cracked.
“Get out.”
Diane stared at him.
“I'm your mother.”
“And he's my son.”
Ryan pointed toward the door.
“Get out before I call the police.”
Diane grabbed her purse.
Before leaving, she looked at me.
“This is your fault.”
Then she disappeared through the front door.
Ryan collapsed onto the couch.
He covered his face with his hands.
Lily quietly placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Uncle Ryan?”
He looked at her.
“You did the right thing.”
I held Noah tighter.
“We need to take him to the hospital.”
Ryan immediately stood.
“Right now.”
That drive felt endless.
Every red light felt like an enemy.
Noah eventually quieted, but I couldn't stop shaking.
At the hospital, doctors examined him immediately.
A scan was ordered.
We waited.
Minutes felt like hours.
Finally, the doctor returned.
“He's going to be okay.”
My knees nearly gave out.
“No fracture. No head injury. Just a minor bruise.”
I began crying.
Ryan wrapped his arms around me.
Then the doctor became serious.
“How did this happen?”
Ryan looked at me.
“My mother dropped him.”
The doctor nodded.
“Because this involves a child, we're required to report it.”
Ryan took my hand.
“We want to press charges.”
For the first time since that afternoon began, I knew something clearly.
We weren't going to hide.
We weren't going to be intimidated.
May you like
We were going to protect Noah.
And Lily.
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