When Genevieve’s ex-husband gifts her son a rocking horse, her instincts scream that something is wrong. Her unease increases when the horse starts making strange noises, leading to a heartbreaking discovery. Determined to protect her family at all costs, Genevieve immediately calls her lawyer.
When Anthony showed up at my door with a giant rocking horse, I knew he was up to something. My ex-husband never did anything for no reason, especially when it involved Ethan.
He stood there, smiling like he’d just brought Ethan the moon, while I felt my blood pressure rise.
“Hi, Genevieve. I thought Ethan might like this,” Anthony said, his tone exasperatingly cheerful. He always knew how to mask his intentions with false charm.
I forced a smile, though it probably looked more like a grimace. “That’s… very thoughtful of you, Anthony.”
I would never have imagined that that toy would change my life.
I stepped aside to let him pass and watched as he carried the huge toy into the living room.
“Ethan is in his room,” I told him.
Anthony didn’t need to be told twice. He bounded up the stairs and shouted, “Hey, buddy! Come see what daddy brought you.”
I leaned against the door frame, rubbing my temples. This wasn’t the first time Anthony had tried to win Ethan’s affections with extravagant gifts. It was always the same.
My son’s eyes would light up, delighted with the toy. Then Anthony would give him some bad news and I would have to pick up the emotional pieces when he left.
“Mom! Look what Dad got me!” Ethan’s voice echoed down the stairs, full of excitement.
Moments later, he came running into the living room, followed closely by Anthony. Ethan’s face was full of joy, his hands gripping the horse’s reins. I forced a smile, but I was expecting the “bad news” part of the visit.
“That’s amazing, Dad! Can I ride it now?”
“Of course, champ,” Anthony said, ruffling Ethan’s hair. “But be careful, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, “just a little while. It’s almost dinner time. Dad’s taking you out for pizza, remember?”
“That reminds me…” Anthony smiled charmingly as he turned to me. “I won’t be able to go out with Ethan tonight.”
“What?” Ethan stopped rocking to stare at Anthony.
I let out a sigh. Here we go again.
“Sorry, buddy, but Dad has to work,” Anthony replied, crouching down next to Ethan. “I’ll make it up to you next weekend, I promise.”
Ethan hung his head and sniffled.
“And until then, you can play with your horse, okay?” Anthony continued. “If you play on it every day, I’ll buy you a real cowboy hat to wear while you ride Patches here, okay?”
Anthony patted the horse’s neck. Ethan shook his head and climbed onto the horse.
“I’ll ride it every day so you can visit me, Dad,” Ethan said.
My heart sank a little, but Anthony just ruffled Ethan’s hair and headed for the door. I reached out and grabbed his elbow as he passed me.
“You can’t keep doing this, Tony,” I said quietly. “Expensive gifts are no substitute for time spent with your son.”
Tony yanked my arm free.
“Don’t lecture me, Genevieve. In fact, you should try being sweet with me. Or have you forgotten that my lawyers are contesting the custody agreement?”
I rolled my eyes. “Of course not.”
He gave me a smile that looked more like a snarl and hurried out. As I watched him go, I couldn’t help but wonder if we would ever get to a point where we could co-parent in peace.
“Hey, Ethan, we can still go get pizza if you want,” I called to my son as I closed the door.
“Thanks, Mom,” Ethan replied.
As Ethan climbed down from his horse, a knot of unease tightened in my stomach. There was something off about this, something more than Anthony’s usual nonsense, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
For the next few days, Ethan was inseparable from that rocking horse. Every free moment was spent riding it, and his laughter filled the house. It was almost enough to drown out my growing sense of dread. Almost.
Then the noise started.
At first it was just a faint clicking sound, like plastic gears fighting each other. I dismissed it as nothing more than an old toy mechanism. But the sound grew louder, more persistent, until it was impossible to ignore.
One night, as the wind howled outside, I heard the clicking again, louder than ever. Ethan had been asleep for hours, and the noise was coming from his room.
I grabbed a flashlight and crept down the hall.
As I pushed open Ethan’s door, I saw the rocking horse rocking slightly in the airflow from the open window. The clicking sound sent a chill through me. I approached cautiously, determined to get rid of the annoying sound.
I knelt down to examine the base. As I tilted it, the clicking sound grew louder. My fingers brushed against something hard and uneven. I leaned back, shining the flashlight under the horse.
That’s when I noticed a small hidden compartment in the horse’s belly. The toy didn’t have batteries, so what was it for?
I ripped the edge of the compartment door off with my nails and swung it open.
Something fell out of the compartment and landed in my hand. I was surprised, but then immediately shocked when I realized that the mysterious object was a small voice recorder.
I stood there gaping at her, trying to figure out how she could have gotten there, when it hit me like a freight train. Anthony.
He was trying to gather evidence against me, to challenge our custody agreement. The fury that washed over me was overwhelming. How dare he use our son like this?
I walked out of Ethan’s room, leaving the horse behind but with the voice recorder in my hand.
My mind was racing as I paced the room, feeling tears of frustration welling up in my eyes. I tried to remember everything I had said around the horse. Could they twist any of my words to make me look incapable?
My thoughts were a jumble of anger, hurt and betrayal. I couldn’t believe Anthony would stoop to that level.
Sure, our divorce had been messy, but dragging Ethan into this? That was a low, even for him. My fingers were shaking as I stared at the recorder, craving to smash it against the wall.
But I had to be smart. I needed advice, someone to reassure me that I wasn’t going to lose my son over this.
With shaking hands, I dialed my lawyer’s number. She picked up on the second ring.
“Genevieve? What’s wrong?” Susan’s calm, steady voice was a lifesaver.
“Susan, you’re not going to believe what Anthony did,” I said, my voice breaking. “He put a voice recorder on Ethan’s horse. He’s trying to gather evidence against me.”
Susan sighed and I heard her shuffling through papers in the background. “Take a deep breath, Genevieve. Any evidence gathered this way is inadmissible in court. He can’t use it against you.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Absolutely,” Susan replied confidently. “Stay calm. This will only backfire if it gets out. How did you find out?”
I explained everything to him, from the strange noises to the late-night discovery.
Susan listened patiently, and when I finished, she said, “Okay. Here’s what you’re going to do. Use this to your advantage. Make sure whatever’s on that tape recorder is worthless. Turn the tables.”
His words lit me up.
She wasn’t going to let Anthony get away with this. “Thanks, Susan. I’ll take care of it.”
Determined, I picked up the recorder and spoke directly to him. “Did you hear my lawyer, Anthony? What you’re trying to do won’t work.”
I spent the next few hours setting up the trap. I placed the recorder next to the television and let it play hours of children’s cartoons and TV commercials.
The mundane, repetitive noise would leave you with nothing but frustration.
Once satisfied, I carefully placed the recorder back into the rocking horse, making sure everything was intact. The satisfaction of having outwitted Anthony was almost tangible.
The weekend arrived, and with it Anthony’s visit. I greeted him with forced politeness, my stomach churning with anticipation. I discreetly watched as he interacted with Ethan, his eyes straying more than once to the rocking horse.
“Ethan, why don’t you show Dad how to ride a horse?” I suggested, my voice saccharine sweet.
Ethan complied and jumped onto the horse with glee. Anthony’s eyes followed him, a calculating look crossing his face.
I waited, heart pounding, as Anthony subtly retrieved the device. I could barely contain my satisfaction, imagining his frustration at listening to the useless recordings.
Days passed and Anthony never mentioned the incident. His silence said it all. It was as if he knew he had been defeated and did not want to admit it. I interpreted his silence as an acknowledgement of defeat, a silent truce.
The sense of triumph and relief I felt was immense. I had protected my son and outwitted my ex-husband. This small but significant victory reinforced my resolve to remain vigilant.
Anthony wouldn’t bring out the best in me. Not now, not ever.
In the quiet moments after Ethan had gone to bed, I smiled. The house was quiet, the rocking horse sitting innocently in the corner.
I had been tested and I had prevailed. And I knew I would do it again, no matter what it took, to keep my son safe and happy.
Here’s another story: Diana is both happy and nervous as she prepares to marry Tom. But her five-year-old son’s objection stuns everyone and brings the ceremony to a standstill. As the guests murmur in shock, Ethan reveals a secret that makes everyone turn pale. What does Ethan know about Tom that could change everything? Click here to find out!
This work is inspired by real people and events, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not guarantee the accuracy of events or the depiction of characters, and are not responsible for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and the opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
