Chapter 6 — Margaret Stares at the Glowing Smartphone Screen — Then She Tries to Defend Her Hasty Judgment
Margaret stares at the glowing smartphone screen.
Her fingers twitch at her sides.
She tries to defend her hasty judgment.
“Well, anyone would have assumed the worst,” Margaret stammers, her voice losing its previous volume.
“The vase belonged to my great-grandmother.”
“It meant so much to the family.”
Hannah shakes her head.
“That doesn’t give you the right to scream at a seven-year-old child,” Hannah points out, her voice hard.
“You didn’t even ask her what happened.”
“You just pointed your finger and accused her of lying.”
Margaret shifts her weight from one foot to the other.
“I reacted out of shock,” Margaret mutters, staring down at the floorboards.
“The crash was so loud.”
“And Chloe was standing right next to the table.”
Hannah taps the screen once more.
She replays the clip to show Sammy walking away guilt-free after the crash.
The video clearly displays the golden retriever strolling past the rug.
His tail wags lazily back and forth in the background.
He shows zero signs of fear or guilt.
Margaret watches the animal in the video.
She then looks up at the hallway archway.
Sammy wanders into the living room from the kitchen right as his digital counterpart walks off screen.