Chapter 4: The Debt Behind the Empty Backpack
"Please don't tell Daniel.""
Tasha's words hung in the living room.
Walter stared at her.
Daniel was still on speakerphone. His breathing had become slow and deliberate, the kind of breathing a person uses when trying very hard not to lose control.
"Don't tell me what?"" Daniel asked.
Tasha closed her eyes.
Walter placed the phone back on the coffee table.
"Your wife just asked me not to tell you something about a three-thousand-dollar debt.""
Silence.
Then Daniel spoke.
"Three thousand dollars?""
Tasha rubbed her forehead.
"Daniel, I can explain.""
"Then explain.""
"It wasn't what you think.""
"Then tell me what it was.""
Tasha glanced toward Jordan and Ava.
"Not in front of the children.""
Walter looked at Isaiah.
The little boy was standing beside his broken backpack, gripping one of its straps.
"You're right," Walter said.
"The children shouldn't have to listen to this.""
He turned toward Jordan and Ava.
"Why don't you two take Isaiah upstairs for a little while?""
Jordan nodded.
"Come on, Isaiah.""
But Isaiah didn't move.
He looked at his grandfather.
"Am I in trouble?""
Walter immediately crouched.
"No, sweetheart. You haven't done anything wrong.""
"Then why is everybody angry?""
Walter swallowed.
"Because some grown-ups made decisions they need to explain. That's not your fault.""
Isaiah slowly followed his sisters upstairs.
Walter waited until their footsteps disappeared.
Then he turned toward Tasha.
"Now talk.""
Tasha sat on the sofa.
Her fingers twisted together.
"My sister, Denise, had some financial problems. She needed help.""
Daniel interrupted.
"How does that involve my money?""
"She was going to lose her apartment.""
"And?""
"I lent her some money.""
"How much?""
Tasha didn't answer.
Walter repeated the question.
"How much did you borrow?""
"Three thousand.""
Daniel exhaled sharply.
"You borrowed three thousand dollars from someone else?""
"No. I borrowed it for Denise.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Tasha's voice became defensive.
"I was trying to help my family!""
Daniel laughed once, without humor.
"Your family includes Isaiah.""
"I know that!""
"Then why did you spend his school money on everybody except him?""
Tasha stood up.
"Because I was trying to keep everything together!""
Walter shook his head.
"By hiding things?""
Tasha looked toward the staircase.
"I was going to replace the money.""
Daniel asked, "With what?""
"My paycheck.""
"How much do you owe?""
"Three thousand.""
"To whom?""
She hesitated.
"Someone I know.""
Daniel's voice hardened.
"Give me a name.""
Tasha looked down.
Walter stepped closer.
"Tasha, this is no longer about an argument over a backpack. Your son is going to school without basic supplies. We need to understand what's happening.""
She finally whispered a name.
"Marcus.""
Daniel went quiet.
Then he asked, "Marcus who?""
Tasha shook her head.
"Just Marcus.""
Walter frowned.
"Who is Marcus?""
"He's someone who helped me when I needed money.""
"Why did you need three thousand dollars?""
Tasha's eyes filled.
"Because I was behind on payments.""
Daniel interrupted.
"What payments?""
Tasha didn't answer.
Walter noticed her phone vibrating on the coffee table.
A message appeared on the screen.
*Marcus: You have until Friday. I want my money.*
Walter read it.
Then another notification appeared.
*Marcus: Don't make me come to your house again.*
Tasha snatched up the phone.
"Stop looking at my messages!""
Walter stepped back.
"Is this the person you borrowed from?""
She nodded.
"He's been threatening me.""
Daniel's tone changed.
"Has he threatened you physically?""
"No.""
"Has he come to the house?""
Tasha hesitated.
"Once.""
Walter's face tightened.
"When?""
"Last week.""
"Was Isaiah here?""
She didn't answer.
Walter repeated the question.
"Was my grandson here?""
Tasha whispered, "Yes.""
Daniel's voice rose.
"You allowed someone who was threatening you to come to a house where my son was?""
"I didn't know he would show up!""
Walter looked toward the staircase.
His thoughts immediately went to Isaiah's small hands gripping that broken backpack.
He had spent the entire afternoon wondering why the boy looked so frightened.
Now he understood that the problem might have been much bigger than school supplies.
Daniel spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because you would have judged me.""
"I would have helped you figure it out.""
"You always say that.""
"Because I mean it!""
Tasha wiped her eyes.
"You don't understand what it's like being here alone.""
Daniel's voice softened.
"Maybe I don't understand everything. But I know what it's like to work long hours so my children don't have to go without.""
Tasha looked away.
Walter picked up the shopping receipt.
"Let's go back to the money.""
He placed it on the table.
"Five hundred dollars for the girls. Three hundred dollars for Isaiah's football equipment. And the three thousand-dollar debt. Where did the money go?""
Tasha stared at the receipt.
"I used some of the five hundred to pay household expenses.""
"How much?""
"I don't remember.""
"How much of the three hundred?""
She whispered, "All of it.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"All three hundred?""
"I needed to make a payment.""
"And the school supplies?""
"I was going to buy them.""
"When?""
"After Friday.""
Walter shook his head.
"You keep saying later. But this little boy needed things now.""
Tasha sat down again.
For a moment, she looked genuinely ashamed.
Then she said something that made Walter's expression change.
"I didn't think Isaiah would tell you.""
Daniel went silent.
Walter slowly turned toward her.
"What did you just say?""
Tasha looked up.
"I mean, he's a child. He doesn't understand financial matters.""
"No," Walter replied.
"But he understands that his sisters got new backpacks and he didn't.""
Daniel spoke quietly.
"That's exactly what hurts.""
Just then, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Isaiah appeared at the doorway.
He was holding something.
A small piece of paper.
"Grandpa?""
Walter immediately walked toward him.
"What is it, sweetheart?""
Isaiah handed him the paper.
It was a note from his teacher.
At the top was a reminder about the first day of school.
At the bottom, Mrs. Collins had written:
Isaiah, please ask your parent to contact me. I need to discuss your attendance and the missing school materials.
Walter frowned.
"Why did you bring this down?""
Isaiah looked at his mother.
"Because Mom told me not to show anybody.""
Tasha stood abruptly.
"Isaiah!""
Walter raised his hand.
"Let him finish.""
The boy's voice trembled.
"Mom said if I showed Dad, he might stop sending money.""
Daniel's face appeared on the phone screen.
His eyes were wet.
"Buddy, look at me.""
Isaiah approached the table.
"Yes, Dad?""
"Listen carefully. I will never stop taking care of you because you tell me the truth.""
Isaiah's chin trembled.
"Promise?""
"Promise.""
Walter read the teacher's note again.
Then he looked at Tasha.
"What happened with his attendance?""
Tasha stared at the floor.
Daniel asked, "Has Isaiah been missing school?""
Nobody answered.
"How many days?""
Tasha finally whispered, "Three.""
Walter's stomach dropped.
"Three days?""
"He didn't have the right supplies.""
Daniel's voice became strained.
"So instead of telling me, you kept him home?""
"I was trying to avoid embarrassing him!""
Walter looked at Isaiah.
The boy was standing there with an empty school bag and a school note he had been forbidden to share.
Walter gently took his hand.
"Son, tomorrow we're going to see your teacher.""
Tasha immediately protested.
"You can't just make decisions about my child!""
Walter looked at her.
"Then you should have made the right ones yourself.""
Daniel spoke through the phone.
"Dad, I want you to do something for me.""
"What?""
"Call Mrs. Collins. Ask her whether there's anything else I need to know.""
Walter nodded.
He dialed the number written on the note.
It rang twice.
A woman's voice answered.
"Hello, this is Mrs. Collins.""
"Good afternoon. This is Walter, Isaiah's grandfather.""
"Oh, Mr. Walter. Thank goodness you called.""
Walter glanced at Tasha.
"Is there something wrong with Isaiah?""
The teacher hesitated.
Then she said:
"Mr. Walter, there's something I think you need to know. Isaiah has been coming to school with...""
Her voice dropped.
May you like
And when she finished the sentence, Walter slowly sat down.
Because the broken backpack wasn't the only thing Isaiah had been hiding.
