Chapter 3: The Fourth Seat
Darius sat across from me at the kitchen table before sunrise.
He looked exhausted.
Like he'd been awake all night.
“Tell me everything,” I said.
He kept twisting the drawstring of his hoodie around his fingers.
“Mom called the travel agent last week.””
“Why?””
“I don't know.””
“Then how do you know she called?””
“Because I heard her.””
I leaned closer.
“What did she say?””
Darius looked down.
“She asked if the reservation could be changed later.””
“To add Jayden?””
“No.””
My stomach dropped.
“To remove me.””
Darius shook his head.
“She said something about the room.””
“What room?””
“The suite.””
He took out his phone and opened a text thread.
“Mom texted me that night.””
He handed me the phone.
The message from Tasha was short.
Don't mention the second bedroom to Marcus.
I read it twice.
“What's the second bedroom?””
“I don't know.””
“You never stayed at the hotel before?””
“No.””
“Then why would she tell you not to mention it?””
Darius shrugged.
“I thought it was something boring.””
I gave the phone back.
“When did you realize it wasn't?””
“Yesterday.””
“How?””
He hesitated.
“Because I heard her talking to Aunt Renee.””
I sat back.
“What were they talking about?””
Darius looked toward the staircase.
“She said the trip had to happen before you changed your mind.””
My skin prickled.
“Changed my mind about what?””
“I don't know.””
“Darius.””
“I don't know!””
His voice cracked.
Then he lowered it.
“She also said, ‘Once he signs, everything changes.’”
I stared at him.
“Signs what?””
“I don't know.””
I stood.
The house was quiet.
Tasha was upstairs.
Jayden was asleep.
I walked into the laundry room and shut the door.
Then I called the hotel.
The front desk connected me with reservations.
I gave them my name.
They found the booking.
Three travelers.
One suite.
Two bedrooms.
“Can you tell me who made the reservation?”” I asked.
“Yes, sir. It was booked online under Ms. Hale.””
“Was anyone else added?””
There was a pause.
“Yes.””
My heart started pounding.
“Who?””
“I can't release that information.””
“I'm listed as one of the guests.””
“I understand.””
“Then tell me whether the booking was changed.””
Another pause.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Yesterday afternoon.””
“Changed from what?””
“To what?””
“No. From what.””
The woman hesitated.
“It was originally booked for four guests.””
I gripped the counter.
“Four?””
“Yes.””
My mouth went dry.
“Can you tell me the fourth name?””
“I can confirm only that the original reservation listed four.””
“Who canceled?””
“The reservation was modified by the primary guest.””
Tasha.
“When?””
“Yesterday.””
I thanked her and hung up.
Four people.
Originally.
So there had been a fourth ticket.
Or at least a fourth traveler.
I went back into the kitchen.
Darius was waiting.
“You were right,” I said.
He looked relieved for half a second.
Then scared.
“What happened?””
“The hotel was originally booked for four.””
He rubbed his face.
“So Mom removed Jayden.””
“Not exactly.””
“What do you mean?””
I grabbed my laptop and logged into the airline account.
The booking confirmation was in my email.
I searched.
Nothing.
Then I searched trash.
There it was.
One email from nine days earlier.
Your itinerary has been updated.
I opened it.
My eyes stopped on the passenger list.
Marcus Hale.
Natasha Hale.
Darius Hale.
Jayden Hale.
Four names.
Four seats.
Then below it:
Passenger JAYDEN HALE removed from itinerary.
Date: yesterday.
Reason: “Customer request.””
I stared at the screen.
Darius came around behind me.
“That's messed up.””
I nodded.
“Who removed him?””
“You know who.””
Darius's face tightened.
“You're going to yell at her.””
“No.””
“You should.””
“No.””
I closed the laptop.
“I want to know why.””
At 7:42, Tasha came downstairs.
She walked into the kitchen in a robe, pouring herself coffee like it was a normal morning.
“Morning.””
No one answered.
She looked at Darius.
“Why are you up?””
He glanced at me.
“Couldn't sleep.””
Tasha noticed the laptop.
Then she noticed my face.
“What?””
I turned the screen toward her.
The confirmation was open.
Four names.
Then the cancellation.
Tasha didn't speak.
I pointed at the screen.
“You canceled Jayden's ticket yesterday.””
“Yes.””
“You originally booked four.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She put her coffee down.
“Because I changed my mind.””
“About my son?””
“About the trip.””
“No.””
I stood.
“About excluding him.””
She sighed.
“Marcus, I don't want another argument.””
“You already lied to Serena.””
“I didn't lie.””
“You told her I agreed.””
“I assumed you would.””
“That isn't how consent works.””
Her jaw tightened.
Darius spoke.
“Mom, why did you cancel Jayden?””
She looked at him.
“Go upstairs.””
“Mom—”
“Now.””
He stayed where he was.
Tasha turned toward me.
“This is between us.””
“No,” I said.
“You made it about Jayden.””
“She brought him into it,” Tasha said.
“Every time.””
“Because he's my son.””
“And Darius is mine.””
I nodded.
“Then what am I supposed to be?””
She went silent.
I stepped closer.
“You're asking me to treat Darius like my own. I have. You don't get to demand that kind of love for one child and deny it to another.””
Her expression softened unexpectedly.
“Marcus, that's not fair.””
“What's not fair?””
She looked at the floor.
“I am tired.””
“Tired of what?””
“Of feeling like second place in my own marriage.””
I frowned.
“That's what this is?””
“Yes.””
“You think Jayden being here means Darius gets less?””
She didn't answer.
Darius did.
“No.””
We both turned.
He was crying.
Just one tear, but he didn't wipe it away.
“Darius,” Tasha said quietly.
He shook his head.
“You don't get it.””
He looked at me.
“Marcus has never made me feel like I wasn't his kid.””
Tasha's face crumpled for a second.
Then hardened.
“Go upstairs.””
Darius walked away.
I watched him disappear.
Then I looked at my wife.
“There's something else.””
Her expression changed.
“What?””
“The hotel said there were originally four guests.””
“So?””
“So you removed Jayden, but you still booked a two-bedroom suite.””
She folded her arms.
“That's what the hotel offered.””
“No.””
I pulled up the reservation.
“The suite was cheaper than two separate rooms.””
She stared at me.
“Why did you need two bedrooms?””
She didn't answer.
“Who was supposed to stay in the second room?””
Silence.
Then Tasha's phone buzzed on the counter.
She snatched it up.
I only caught three words on the screen before she turned it over.
Did he sign?
My heart stopped.
I looked at her.
“Who just texted you?””
“Nobody.””
I took one step forward.
“Tasha.””
She backed away.
“You're making something out of nothing.””
The phone buzzed again.
This time, the preview appeared before she could cover it.
We need the deed paperwork by Monday.
I looked at my wife.
May you like
She looked at me.
And suddenly the airplane tickets didn't feel like the biggest betrayal in the room.