I pulled her behind me.
“You are not touching her.”
His face hardened.
“You’re undermining me.”
“I’m protecting our daughter.”
“From discipline?”
“From you.”
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Then the laundry-room door opened.
My mother-in-law, Judith, walked inside.
She had apparently entered through the back door without knocking.
She looked at Sophie crying behind me.
Then at Daniel.
Then at the cleaning supplies.
I expected shock.
Instead, Judith walked toward the cabinet, picked up another bottle, and dropped it onto the floor.
“That’s right,” she said coldly.
“Teach the little brat a lesson she’ll never forget.”
Everything inside me went still.
Daniel glanced at his mother.
Judith crossed her arms.
“Children need fear sometimes.”
I looked at her.
“You think this is normal?”
“I raised three children.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“It answers everything.”
Behind me, Sophie whispered:
“Mommy, can we leave?”
