Chapter 5 - The Logic of Broken Toys
Evelyn’s hands began to shake.
The wine glass vibrated, tapping rapidly against her diamond ring.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
"Nathan, please, you don't understand, she was—"
"My five-year-old niece visited last weekend," Nathan interrupted.
His voice sliced through her frantic babbling, low and sharp.
Evelyn snapped her mouth shut.
"She was playing with her dolls on the rug."
He stared directly into Evelyn’s panic-stricken eyes.
"I accidentally stepped on one of the plastic chairs. It cracked."
Nathan tilted his head.
"You know what she told me?"
The kitchen was dead silent, save for the dripping mop bucket.
"She said, 'Uncle Nathan, it’s okay to break things by accident. But if you break things on purpose, it means your heart is missing.'"
Evelyn’s chest stopped rising.
"She’s five, Evelyn."
Nathan let his arm drop to his side.
"A five-year-old knows you don't throw things down just to watch them shatter."
He looked at the puddle of red wine on the white tile.
"You're not a partner. You're just a toddler who learned how to use a credit card."
Evelyn’s mouth fell open.
The words struck her physically, stripping away the purple dress, the nude heels, and the arrogant posture.
Her knees buckled.
May you like
She sank down onto the dry side of the floor, the empty wine glass rolling harmlessly out of her hand.
---
