Chapter 2: The Debt That Wasn't Hers
I waited until Vanessa disappeared upstairs before I asked Maya to tell me everything.
We sat together in the living room.
I turned off the television because I didn't want anything distracting her.
She kept her hood on.
Every few seconds, her fingers reached toward the back of her head, touching the uneven ends of her hair.
"Dad?""
"I'm here.""
"Are you angry?""
I pulled my chair closer.
"Not at you. Never at you.""
She stared at the carpet.
"Mom said you would be.""
I felt something tighten in my chest.
"What exactly did she say?""
"She said you were tired of paying for me. She said I was becoming expensive.""
I swallowed.
"Who said that?""
"Vanessa.""
Maya rubbed her palms against her jeans.
"She said Brielle needed a new phone, and I had broken her mirror. Then she said the blouse cost more than my allowance for three months.""
"Did you break the mirror?""
Maya nodded.
"It slipped when I was cleaning the bathroom.""
"Did you ruin Vanessa's blouse?""
"I spilled juice on it. I tried to wash it, but she found out.""
I reached for her hand.
"Those are accidents, Maya. They don't mean you owe anyone your hair.""
She began crying again.
"I told her that.""
I waited.
"She said I was selfish.""
My jaw tightened.
Maya continued.
"She showed me pictures of women who sold their hair. She said it was normal. Then she told me the salon would pay enough to cover everything.""
"Did she tell you how much?""
"She said two hundred and eighty dollars.""
I looked at the receipt.
That was exactly the amount listed.
"Did you receive the money?""
Maya shook her head.
"No. She took it.""
I stared at her.
"All of it?""
"She said I wasn't old enough to manage money.""
I leaned back.
"Then why did she tell me you sold it?""
Maya hesitated.
"Because she said she would give me something.""
"What?""
"A new school bag.""
I looked at her old backpack near the couch. One strap had been repaired with black thread.
"You don't need to pay for a school bag with your hair.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"She said if I behaved, maybe she would let me keep the money next time.""
I closed my eyes for a moment.
I had spent the previous two weeks traveling for work.
During that time, Vanessa had been responsible for Maya.
I thought she was keeping things organized.
I thought my daughter was safe.
I thought the occasional complaints about Maya being difficult were ordinary family disagreements.
I had been wrong.
"Sweetheart, I need you to tell me something. Did anyone touch you at the salon?""
Maya shook her head.
"No. But I didn't want them to cut it.""
"Did you tell them that?""
She nodded.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa told the lady I was being dramatic. She said I had agreed already.""
Maya's voice became quieter.
"The lady looked at me and asked if I was sure.""
I leaned forward.
"What did you say?""
"I looked at Vanessa.""
Her eyes filled again.
"She squeezed my hand under the counter.""
I felt sick.
"What did she tell you?""
"She said, 'Don't embarrass me.''"
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Maya reached into her sweatshirt pocket and pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
"I took this before she could throw it away.""
It was another receipt.
This one had the salon's address, the date, and a phone number written at the bottom.
There was also a printed note:
*SPECIAL PURCHASE — CHILD'S HAIR, UNPROCESSED.*
I frowned.
"Why does it say special purchase?""
Maya shrugged.
"Vanessa said the salon paid more because my hair was long.""
I examined the paper.
At the bottom, beneath the printed details, someone had written a different figure.
$1,450.
I stared at it.
"Is this the same receipt?""
Maya nodded.
"She said the lady made a mistake and that I wasn't supposed to see it.""
I looked toward the staircase.
"Did Vanessa say anything about this money?""
"She told me the hair was worth more than the two hundred and eighty dollars. But she said I had other debts.""
"What debts?""
Maya hesitated.
"She said Brielle had been having problems.""
I frowned.
"What kind of problems?""
"Money problems.""
Before I could ask more, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Vanessa entered the living room.
She was wearing a fresh blouse and had her phone in her hand.
"Are we finished with this interrogation?""
I stood.
"No.""
She looked at the papers in my hand.
"Where did you get those?""
"From my daughter.""
"She shouldn't be digging through my things.""
I almost laughed.
"Your things? That's a receipt for my daughter's hair.""
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"She gave it to me voluntarily.""
"Then why did you tell me she received two hundred and eighty dollars when this says fourteen hundred and fifty?""
Vanessa's face changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
"That isn't what she was paid.""
"Then explain it.""
"The salon made an offer. They changed their mind after seeing the quality.""
"Why?""
"Because the hair wasn't suitable.""
I looked at the paper.
"Then why did they pay anything?""
Vanessa sighed.
"Michael, you weren't here. You have no idea how difficult things have been.""
I stepped closer.
"Explain the money.""
She looked toward Maya.
"Go upstairs.""
"No," I said.
Vanessa blinked.
"What?""
"Maya stays.""
Her lips tightened.
"This is an adult conversation.""
"She's the person you sold something from. She gets to hear the explanation.""
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"You are making a terrible mistake.""
I held up the receipt.
"Where did the fourteen hundred and fifty dollars go?""
She stared at me.
Then she said something I never expected.
"It went toward Brielle's tuition.""
I looked at her.
"Your daughter's tuition?""
"Yes.""
"And you thought it was acceptable to use Maya's hair to pay for it?""
"She had no use for it.""
Maya made a small sound beside me.
I turned toward her.
She was crying silently.
I looked back at Vanessa.
"Get out of this room.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Michael, listen to me.""
"No. You listen. You will not speak to my daughter about money again.
You will not threaten her. And you will not take her anywhere without my permission.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You can't control everything.""
"Apparently, I should have controlled more.""
She turned and marched upstairs.
A few seconds later, I heard a bedroom door slam.
I sat beside Maya.
"You're staying with me tonight.""
She nodded.
Then she asked a question that nearly broke me.
"Dad, if Mom had to pay for Brielle's school, why couldn't she just ask you?""
I didn't have an answer.
Because that was the question I couldn't stop thinking about.
Why hadn't Vanessa asked me?
And what had she been hiding?
That evening, I went upstairs to collect my daughter's medication and school supplies.
As I passed Brielle's bedroom, I heard Vanessa speaking on the phone.
Her voice was low, but the hallway was quiet.
"She found the second receipt.""
I stopped.
A pause.
Then Vanessa said:
"No, she doesn't know about the other payments.""
My hand tightened around the banister.
Another pause.
Then came the sentence that made my blood run cold.
"If Michael checks the bank statements, we're both finished.""
I stepped closer to the door.
And then I heard Brielle's voice.
"Mom, just tell him the truth about the money.""
Vanessa snapped:
"Are you insane? Your father cannot find out what you did.""
I froze.
May you like
What had Brielle done?
And why was my daughter's hair paying for it?
