Lila's Scar

Lila's scar began behind her left ear and disappeared under her collar.

Nora saw it when Lila bent over Daniel's medication list, hair slipping forward. The scar was pale and roped, a private road through skin.

"Who did that?" Nora asked.

Lila's hand flew to her neck.

"Sorry," Nora said. "I shouldn't have."

"No. You should. Women like Judith survive because people call scars rude."

They sat at Tessa's kitchen table while Daniel slept in the next room. Tessa had gone to argue with the pharmacy about a delayed refill. Sophie colored beside Nora, pretending not to listen and absorbing everything anyway.

Lila lowered her hair.

"After the staged payout, I wanted to go to police. Miles said wait until money hit the second account. Kells said wait for documentary proof. Everyone said wait. Judith sent a driver to take me to a safe house."

"Greyhaven Island?"

Lila nodded. "There were four of us. All witnesses. All women. We were told we were protected."

"By Judith?"

"By the foundation. Which meant by Judith."

Nora looked at Sophie and almost told her to leave. But Sophie had stopped coloring. Her small jaw had set in a way that was painfully Miles.

Lila continued, softer. "A man came into my room at night and told me protection was expensive. I fought. He cut me before I got to the window."

Sophie put her crayon down.

"Did Grandma know?" she asked.

Lila looked at Nora, asking permission.

Nora gave none. She could not keep making clean rooms for Judith.

"Yes," Lila said.

Sophie nodded once, too old for eight.

Nora's phone buzzed with a school email.

Subject: emergency contact review.

Judith had petitioned to be added back to Sophie's approved list through family concern documentation.

Nora folded the email closed and looked at Sophie. The fight had reached school lists, pickup doors, and emergency contacts, the small systems mothers used because love could not be everywhere.