Part 2Starting Over at Four

The family group chat would not stop buzzing.

[Twenty grand for a single day? That's the kind of opportunity most people can only dream of. Renee's being nice, even thinking of you guys.]

[Isn't Levi just upset that his sister gets to go out and he doesn't? Little boys get overly protective and throw fits. That's all this is.]

[A child said something silly, and now, the adults are confused too? You're really going to turn down 20,000 dollars?]

Aunt Renee sat on the edge of the couch with her head down. She did not say a word. The longer she stayed silent, the guiltier Mom felt.

I knew her game too well. She had played it exactly the same way in my previous life.

She would sweet-talk first, then play the victim, and by the end, everyone would be convinced that our family was the ungrateful one.

I ran over and grabbed Mom's phone. "She's not going! She's not going!"

Mom held the phone out of my reach. "Levi, stop making a scene."

I stomped my feet in a panic. "She's gonna sell Candy! There's a car! A bad man!"

Dad frowned. "What car?"

Aunt Renee jumped in right away. "Wasn't there a car in that cartoon he was watching? Kids see something and just start repeating it."

I yelled, "That's not it!"

Aunt Renee's eyes grew even redder. "You know what, Mary, just forget it. I thought Candy was pretty and wanted to help you guys earn a little extra money. If Levi doesn't want her to go, then fine. It's not like 20 grand is make-or-break."

She let out a soft sigh. "Better that than him holding it against me down the road."

Mom panicked, just as I knew she would. "No, no, he doesn't know any better. Don't take it personally."

Dad, however, was not so easily swayed. "What's the brand? Where's the shoot? Is there a contract?"

The smile on Aunt Renee's face dimmed. "You don't trust me either?"

"She's three years old," Dad said. "It's normal to ask questions."

"She's my own niece. You think I'd sell her?" Aunt Renee's voice cracked. "Honestly, this really hurts."

The word 'sell' hit me like a jolt. I pointed straight at her. "You said it! You said sell!"

Aunt Renee blinked, then let out a helpless laugh. "Levi, I said I wouldn't sell her."

She crouched in front of me and reached for my head. I bit down. She yanked her hand back fast, but not fast enough. My teeth caught the edge of her finger.

"Ow!"

Mom scooped me up. "Levi Bennett!"

I was crying so hard that I had the hiccups. "Don't touch me! Don't touch Candy!"

Candy started crying too the moment she saw me. "Don't cry, Levi."

Aunt Renee's gaze flickered toward Candy for just a second. Then she pulled out a little dress. It was pink and white, covered in sparkles.

"Look, Candy. I got this just for you. You'd wear it for the photoshoot. Isn't it pretty?"

Candy still had tears on her cheeks, but her eyes were already glued to the dress. "A dress..."

I smacked it to the floor. "She's not wearing that!"

Aunt Renee's expression finally went cold. "Levi, if you keep acting like this, you're really going to hurt my feelings."

Dad stood up. "She's not going today."

I whipped around to look at him. He continued, "Once they send over the contract, the address, and the brand details, Mary and I will go with her ourselves."

I let out a breath of relief. Aunt Renee simply smiled. "Sure. Nothing wrong with being careful."

I thought I had bought us time. What I had forgotten was that in my previous life, Aunt Renee had not taken Candy by convincing everyone. She had done it by finding an opening.

Mom went to the kitchen to turn off the stove, and Dad's phone rang. It was work. He stepped onto the balcony to answer.

Mom had set me down on the couch before she left. "Be good, Levi. I'll talk to you in a minute."

Aunt Renee picked Candy up. "Come on, sweetie. Let's go look at the dress by the front door."