Chapter 2 — Jessica denies knowing anything about the hidden lunchboxes — Then David inspects the date labels written on the containers
Jessica’s hands shook violently as she held the metal container out toward David.
“I didn’t do this,” Jessica whispered, her voice cracking with panic. “I swear to you, David, I didn’t put these in here.”
David looked down at the container in her hands.
He pointed a finger at the strip of blue masking tape stuck to the inside rim of the lid.
A date was written across the tape in bold black marker.
October twelfth.
David furrowed his brow.
Today was November fourth.
“That date was from three weeks ago,” David said, his voice hard.
“You pack Chloe’s lunch every single morning.
How can a lunchbox from three weeks ago be sitting in our fridge, completely untouched?”
“I don’t know!” Jessica insisted, backing away a step until her shoulders hit the pantry door.
“I pack fresh food every day.
I use the plastic bags from the bulk store.
I never use these metal boxes anymore!”
Chloe stood by the island, sniffling as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her uniform.
She looked up at her parents, her expression tight with lingering fear.
“Mommy did use that box,” Chloe said softly.
Jessica spun around, her eyes wide and pleading as she stared at her daughter.
“Chloe, honey, no,” Jessica said. “You know Mommy always uses the pink plastic containers.”
“You used the silver one on my birthday month,” Chloe insisted, her voice trembling but firm.
“You told me it was a special surprise.
But when I opened it at school three weeks ago, there was no sandwich inside.
Just a piece of paper.”
David turned his gaze back to his wife.
The tension in the kitchen grew so thick it felt almost impossible to breathe.
“You knew about the metal boxes,” David stated.
“I didn’t,” Jessica breathed, tears pooling in her eyes. “I honestly, truly didn’t.”
David reached past his wife and pulled the second lunchbox off the middle shelf.
He flipped the metal latches open.
Another strip of masking tape was stuck to the interior.
October thirteenth.
He opened a third box.
October fourteenth.
An entire sequence of dates stretched across the shelves, proving that meals had been packed, hidden, and ignored for nearly a month.
Jessica slumped against the pantry door, sliding down until she was sitting on the kitchen floor with her knees pulled to her chest.
“I can’t remember,” Jessica sobbed, burying her face in her hands. “David, I honestly cannot remember putting a single one of these boxes in the fridge.”
David knelt down beside her, his anger wavering slightly as he looked at her genuine terror.
Before he could speak, Chloe pointed a trembling finger toward the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
“Daddy,” Chloe said, her voice dropping to a terrified whisper. “Look under the bottom tray.”
David stood up, stepped to the open refrigerator, and carefully lifted the heavy glass shelf insert.
Tucked underneath the plastic backing was a second piece of paper, folded twice and stained with old coffee rings.