My voice was barely above a whisper. But the people close enough heard it.
Tyler’s lips went white.
“I did.”
He sniffed.
“Grandma said you’d fake being sick. She said if I got it on video, she’d give me fifty bucks.”
Diane jerked like I’d backhanded her.
“What are you talking about? Hush!”
She reached for his mouth. I shoved myself up off the chair, rammed my shoulder through Mark, and got between her and Tyler.
“Get your hands off him.”
Diane’s hand stopped in the air.
She looked at me. Then at the faces around her.
“He’s scared, he’s making things up, he doesn’t even know what he’s saying.”
Mark finally spoke.
“Tyler. Come here. Come to Dad.”
Tyler shrank back behind me. Didn’t move.
Mark’s face went pale.
“Nora. Don’t do this in front of the kid.”
