Instead of watching the pool games with her usual excitement, Chloe stared fixedly down at the wooden planks beneath her feet. Martha walked over slowly and crouched beside her granddaughter so that she wouldn’t seem like an intimidating adult figure.
“Sweetheart, don’t you want to change into your new swimsuit and jump in with the others?” Martha asked softly as she brushed a stray strand of hair away from the girl’s forehead.
Chloe shook her head rhythmically without ever lifting her eyes to meet Martha’s gaze. “My tummy hurts,” the little girl whispered in a voice that was barely audible over the humming sound of the pool’s filter system.
Martha’s expression immediately softened with maternal concern as she reached out to pat the girl’s knee. “Since when has it been hurting you, honey?” she inquired gently.
Before Chloe could provide an answer, another voice cut sharply through the humid afternoon air. Jeffrey stepped forward quickly from the patio area with a firm and defensive tone.
“Mom, just leave her alone and let her sit there,” Jeffrey stated as he looked down at them both. Martha blinked in genuine surprise and looked up at her son while trying to understand the sudden sharpness in his demeanor.
“Jeffrey, I was only checking on her because she looks a bit peaked,” Martha explained. He waved his hand dismissively and insisted that the girl was perfectly fine and just being moody.
Monica sat nearby in a wicker patio chair while scrolling through her phone, barely glancing up at the interaction. “Really, Martha, it is absolutely nothing to worry about,” Monica added calmly without ever looking away from the bright screen.
The words were simple enough, but something about the way they were delivered felt strangely cold to Martha’s ears. Martha forced a polite smile and murmured an apology before standing up to head back toward the kitchen.
Still, as she walked away, she could not stop her mind from racing about the way Chloe had been clutching her midsection. She had raised three active children and she knew the distinct difference between a child who was bored and a child who was hiding physical pain.
A few minutes later, Martha excused herself from the group on the patio. “I am going to step inside for a second to check on the potato salad,” she said casually so no one would grow suspicious.