Ryan scoffed.
Travis ignored him. “At first I told her adults don’t always get along. Then she said Ryan kept asking her questions about me.”
I looked at my husband. “What questions?”
Travis answered.
“Whether I ever took her somewhere else. Whether I bought her things. Whether I let her do things you wouldn’t allow. Whether I told her to keep secrets.”
My stomach tightened.
Ryan said, “Those are normal questions.”
“The questions weren’t the problem,” Travis replied. “At least, not the first time you asked them, but then you kept pushing after she answered you.”
I looked at Ryan. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.
Travis continued. “She told me you kept bringing it up. Eventually you told her, ‘You don’t have to protect Travis. You can tell me if he hurt you.’”
My chest tightened. “Ryan… what the heck?”
He turned toward me.
“I was making sure!”
Travis’s voice hardened. “She said, ‘Daddy keeps asking like I’m saying it wrong.’”
I covered my mouth. Suddenly, Emma’s behavior made sense.
Travis continued.
“I talked to him a few days ago. Told him if he had a problem with me, he should talk to me. Stop putting Emma in the middle.”
Ryan laughed bitterly. “You told me how to parent my daughter.”
“I told you to stop making her think she’s lying because she won’t give you the answer you want.” Travis glanced between us. “He said he’d handle it.”
And Ryan’s solution had been to remove Travis.
Ryan pointed at him. “This proves exactly what I’ve been saying. Why is my seven-year-old discussing me with you?”
Travis stared at him. “Because you kept asking her about me.”
Ryan fell silent.
But the real question remained.
What was he actually afraid of?
I turned to Travis. “You should have told me.”
He nodded immediately.
“You’re right. I thought he’d fix it,” Travis said. “I was wrong.”
Ryan began pacing.
“You don’t understand.”
“What don’t I understand?” I asked.
He turned toward me.
“He’s always there.” Ryan’s words came faster. “Your car broke down when you were a teenager? Travis fixed it. Your dad died? Travis helped your mom. Something breaks? Travis can fix it. You need help with Emma? Travis is available.”
