Jake never liked him.
When I called from Dubai, Jake would lower his voice whenever Marcus came into the room. Sometimes he would stop talking entirely. Once, when I asked what was wrong, he said, “Nothing, Dad,” so quickly it felt rehearsed. Another time he told me Marcus hated noise. Another time he said Marcus didn’t let him eat on the couch because “kids make messes and messes cost money.”
I told myself a lot of things men tell themselves when they are too far away to verify the truth.
That Jake was adjusting.
That Brenda would never let anybody hurt him.
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