Back then she could barely form words.
She only knew to repeat the same thing over and over.
"I want Daddy. I want Daddy."
Those small, stumbling words were what bought Barnaby a way out.
And Barnaby, in her weakest and most helpless moment, pushed away the hand she reached out for help.
"Forget it."
Looking at my red-rimmed eyes, Barnaby let out a soft sigh.
"These years haven't been easy on you either."
"Go home and tell Faye that bad grades are fine, but there can be no flaws in her character."
"I don't expect her to inherit what I've built. I just can't have her turning me into a laughingstock in the profession."
"I'm a respected attorney. I can't have a daughter who lies through her teeth and breaks the law."
No evidence gathered. No investigation.
On nothing more than a few words from Maxine.
He, a professional attorney, convicted his own daughter outright.
Before I could even grieve, a string of messages hit my phone.
"Miss Henson, you need to come back right away."
"Someone posted an explicit video online. Faye saw it and it set her off completely."
"It's bad right now. None of us can calm her down!"
The video was blurred, but anyone who knew her could tell at a glance who it was.
And below it, the comments ran vulgar and vile.
"Whoa, I think that's the class beauty from next door. Seemed like such a proper girl. Never guessed she got around like this."
"If I were her I'd just off myself, save my parents the shame!"
"Full video, five bucks a copy. Contact info's twenty. First come, first served."
Every word, every frame.
Each one slammed into me like a bomb.
I forwarded the video to Barnaby.
My fingers shook as I typed.
"Sue whoever posted it. We can't let them spread lies about Faye!"
This time, Barnaby replied fast.
But it was only two words.
"No time."
Right. I'd forgotten.
Barnaby, right now, was busy clearing the real perpetrator.
How could he have time to care whether his daughter and I lived or died.
Tears fell onto the screen and blurred everything.
I reached out again to a few friends in the field, hoping they might help my daughter get justice.
Not long after the messages went out, Barnaby called, his tone sharp with irritation.
"Cora, why are you out there spreading rumors that Maxine put someone up to hurting Faye?"
"Do you have any idea how much damage an accusation like that does to a young girl?"
"Get over here and apologize to her. Publicly admit every mistake you've made. I won't let you destroy Maxine's future!"
The blind, one-sided blame pushed my voice higher before I could stop it.
"And Faye's future and reputation, those don't matter?"
"The one who hurt her is Maxine's distant cousin. You won't believe a word your own daughter says, but you'll help clear the man who assaulted her. Barnaby, are you even human!"
That caught Barnaby short for a moment.
Then he threw out one last cold line.
"You're beyond reason!"
Inside the room, our daughter was trembling, terrified by the sound of us fighting.
It was a long while before she slowly lifted her head.
"Mommy, does Daddy really hate me?"
I wanted to explain, but I couldn't find the words.
The bloody truth was laid out right in front of me.
I could no longer do what I'd done all those years ago, dredging up one excuse after another for Barnaby.
The light in my daughter's eyes dimmed, bit by bit.
For a long time after that, her mental state was in a bad way.
Some nights she was like a startled bird, awake till dawn.
Other times she would grip my hand and say she would live on, for my sake.
