Chloe quickly lowered her dress again as if she were afraid the walls might be watching them. “I fell down the stairs, or at least that is what Daddy said I should tell people if they ask,” Chloe confessed.
Martha felt a wave of dizziness wash over her as her mind raced through various dark possibilities. “Does it hurt a lot right now?” Martha asked while trying to keep her hands from shaking.
Chloe nodded her head sadly and whispered that it hurt every time she tried to take a deep breath or move her arms. “Mom said that swimming would make it look worse to other people, so that is why I have to sit still and stay in my dress,” she added.
Outside the small bathroom window, Martha could still hear the carefree laughter of the relatives playing in the pool. There were children shouting and water splashing in what sounded like a perfectly normal summer afternoon.
Inside the small room, however, the atmosphere was heavy with a secret that no six-year-old should ever have to carry. Martha carefully wrapped her arms around Chloe while being mindful not to put any pressure on the bruised ribs.