Chapter 3

"This is not the place," Mark hissed, grabbing Sarah's arm. "Come to the house. We'll talk there."

The "house" was a neat, base-assigned duplex. Brenda's home. Mark's new home.

Sarah' s stomach churned, but she let him lead her and a stunned David away from the prying eyes.

Inside, Brenda played the gracious hostess, offering them water, her eyes full of triumphant pity. Kevin lounged on the sofa, watching cartoons, a king in his castle.

"Now," Mark said, once Brenda had discreetly withdrawn to the kitchen, "what is this nonsense about the scholarship?"

"It's David's scholarship, Mark. Awarded to him. For his grades, his effort." Sarah kept her voice steady.

Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, Sarah, things are complicated."

"Complicated? Or criminal?"

"Kevin needs this scholarship," Mark said, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "His father, my squad mate, died serving this country. Brenda... she' s a Gold Star widow. She' s fragile. Kevin' s had a rough time."

Sarah stared at him, incredulous. "And David hasn't? His father abandoned him for another woman and her son. His father is trying to steal his future."

"Don't be dramatic," Mark snapped. "It' s not stealing. It's... reallocating resources. Kevin will make better use of it. He' s more suited for a military career, anyway."

He leaned forward. "Everyone on base, they see me and Brenda as a couple. It's been like this for a while. My CO, the guys in my unit... they all support Brenda. My reputation, my career... it' s tied to this now. You and David, you need to go back to your old life. Off-base. Keep quiet."

"So we should just disappear? Let you destroy David' s life for your convenience?"

"It's for the best," Mark insisted. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

David, who had been silent, his face a mask of pain, suddenly spoke. "The model airplane... where is it?"

Sarah remembered. A detailed B-17 bomber, a gift from her father, David' s grandfather. David had spent months, years, painstakingly assembling and painting it. It was his most cherished possession. He'd brought it, hoping to show Mark his latest work on it.

It had been in a box in the car. Mark must have brought their things in.

Kevin sauntered in from the living room, a malicious grin on his face. In his hands were the shattered remnants of the B-17.

"Looking for this, crybaby?" he sneered, dropping the pieces on the floor. "It was just a piece of junk. Got in the way."

Some of the pieces were blackened, singed.

"I tried to get it out of the trash incinerator in the garage," Kevin added casually. "Guess I wasn't fast enough."

David let out a choked cry and lunged for the pieces, trying to salvage what he could. He yelped as his fingers brushed against a still-hot metal fragment.

Sarah rushed to him, examining his hand. A small, angry red burn was already forming.

"Are you okay, honey?"

Mark looked annoyed. "Sarah, why did you bring that junk here? It just upset Kevin. He' s a delicate boy."

No concern for David. No anger at Kevin' s deliberate cruelty.

David looked up at Mark, his eyes filled with a chilling adultness. "I don't have a father anymore."

Mark' s face contorted with rage. He raised his hand as if to strike David.

Sarah threw herself in front of her son. "Don't you dare touch him!"

Just then, Brenda let out a shriek from the kitchen doorway.

She stumbled into the room, clutching her arm, hot coffee splashing from an overturned mug onto the floor near her.

"Oh, my goodness!" she cried, tears welling in her eyes. "Sarah, you... you pushed me! My arm!"

She held up her forearm, where a red patch was already visible. It looked like she' d deliberately poured the coffee on herself.

Mark whirled on Sarah, his face purple. "You see! You see what you do? You come here, cause trouble, attack my son, and now you assault Brenda?"

He pointed a shaking finger at Sarah. "That's it! Kevin gets the scholarship! Consider it compensation for your maliciousness!"

David stared, his small burn forgotten, his face a study in dawning horror and disgust.

Sarah felt a cold calm settle over her. The memories of her first life, the despair, the helplessness, they were there, but now they were overlaid with a steely resolve.

This was how it happened. The lies, the manipulation, the casual cruelty.

Not this time.