Chapter 3 - Christmas Justice
Two police officers stepped inside.
The room fell completely silent.
Officer Melissa Grant looked around.
"We received a report of an assault involving a child."
My father immediately stood.
"This is a family misunderstanding."
The officer calmly replied,
"Sir, please remain seated."
She turned toward Lily.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?"
Lily nodded nervously.
I knelt beside her.
"You don't have to be afraid."
Officer Grant noticed the bruise on Lily's elbow and the swelling on her knee.
"What happened?"
Lily looked at me.
I nodded gently.
"He pulled my chair away..."
Her tiny voice cracked.
"...because he said I wasn't his real granddaughter."
The officer wrote everything down.
Several relatives quietly confirmed what they had witnessed.
Grandma Evelyn spoke first.
"I saw him yank the chair."
Then Emma.
"So did I."
Even my younger brother finally looked up.
"I saw it too."
Richard's confidence disappeared.
Officer Grant sighed.
"Sir, based on multiple witness statements, we'll need you to come with us."
Dad exploded.
"You can't arrest me over a chair!"
"No," she answered calmly.
"But we can investigate an assault on a minor."
As the officers escorted him toward the door, Lily whispered,
"Did I do something wrong?"
I knelt in front of her.
I held both of her little hands.
"You did absolutely nothing wrong."
She burst into tears.
May you like
Not because she was afraid anymore.
Because someone had finally stood up for her.
