Page 52 of No More Words

He was pushed by abad man.

Her daddy attacked his grandson.Hernephew.

No.Olivia shakes her head. Josh has to be confusing Dwight for someone else. Her dad would never intentionally harm anyone. It has to have been an accident. Olivia feels as shattered as broken glass.

Josh grips her arm. His blunt nails dig into her skin. She winces. His mouth forms nonsensical words.

“Come on.” She takes the photo from him. “We’re going home.” Charlotte yells behind her to save her photo. “It’s fine, Mom.” She finds the nail on the floor and shoves it back into the wall. She hangs the photo, even straightens it as her world crumbles into dust finer than the drywall flakes on the floor.

Josh finally blurts what he’s been struggling to say. “Run!” He pivots, his backpack scraping along the wall. Frames crash to the floor, including the family portrait. Glass shatters.

“My pictures!” Charlotte’s cry is shrill. She folds to the floor.

The front door slams and another crash follows.

“Now what?” Charlotte exclaims.

Olivia hurries to the entryway. Josh slammed the door hard enough to shatter the side window. She feels like she’s looking at her heart. It’s in pieces on the floor. Her dad, the man she admired her entire life, isa bad man. Josh wouldn’t have reacted so violently if it wasn’t Dwight. He wouldn’t be as scared as he is.

Through the open pane, she sees him pace the length of the car, arms folded, head down. He drags the back of his hand across his eyes and glares at the house, only to quickly look away. Olivia watches him, stunned, her head shaking in disbelief. Her throat is so thick with unshed tears that the air gets trapped. Her lungs strain.

“Help me, Olivia.” Charlotte tries to salvage the frames.

Olivia looks from the door to her mom, torn between her and the tormented boy outside.

“Olivia.” Charlotte barks her name when she’s too slow to react. “Do something.”

“I’ll come back later.” Josh needs her. Charlotte only needs a broom.

She runs to the car. When she reaches Josh, she grabs his elbow, startling him. He takes a swing at her. The back of his hand connects with her cheekbone.

She rears back, palm cupped over her cheek. “Ow.” She rubs the burn from her face. “What was that for?”

Josh points at the car. “Go.”

“I’m not leaving you.” He’s scared and confused. She won’t walk away from him, especially now that she has a sense of why Charlotte warned her about Dwight. Did she know? Does she know where Lily is? Was her sister running from Dwight when she and Josh separated?

“Go.” He reaches for the passenger door, and she realizes he’s telling her he wants them to leave.

“All right, we’ll go.” He opens the door and drops into the passenger seat.

She starts to close his door and stops. “That man in the picture, you sure you’ve seen him before?” she asks with trepidation, hoping she’s wrong. That he’s wrong, and he’s mistaking Dwight for someone else. Josh nods. “He’s my dad, your grandfather.”

A tear rolls down his face. “I know.”

Olivia feels a sting in her eyes. It hurts to breathe, like she’s cracked a rib. “When did you meet him?”

“Before.” He touches the spot on his hat that covers his scar.

Before his head injury.

Olivia glances away.Oh. God.She takes a breath. “Did he push you?” She needs his confirmation.

He nods, then shakes his head.

“You aren’t sure?” She frowns, and a beat later, he shrugs.

“Didn’t see.”

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