Mark immediately bent down to comfort his frightened small crying daughter.
He scooped Lily up tightly into his protective loving arms.
Mark: Shh it is okay sweetie you are totally safe with me.
Sarah stood entirely frozen beside the ruined wet mess on the floor.
Her hands shook violently as she wiped them on her silk apron.
Sarah: Mark please listen to me for just one second.
Mark: Do not come anywhere near us right now Sarah.
He carefully carried Lily upstairs into her bright second floor bedroom.
He set her down gently on top of her soft pink bed cover.
Mark: Tell daddy exactly what you saw in the kitchen today.
Lily wiped away a wet stray tear from her soft round cheek.
Lily: I saw Mommy pour white powder from a bottle into your tea cup.
Mark: Where did she get that small bottle from sweetie?
Lily: She took it out from behind the blue vase in the hallway pantry.
Mark felt his heart pounding fiercely inside his tight heavy chest.
He knew he needed to look in that specific pantry cabinet immediately.
Mark: Stay in this room and lock the wooden door behind me honey.
He closed the bedroom door securely and walked back down the dark hallway.
Sarah was down in the kitchen frantically scrubbing the floor tiles with a towel.
She was wiping away every single trace of the dark spilled liquid tea.
Mark walked straight toward the deep wooden storage pantry in the wide hallway.
He reached his long arm behind the large ceramic floral vase inside.
His fingers brushed against a small round glass medicine bottle hidden deep back.
He pulled the tiny glass bottle out into the clear bright light.
The white printed label clearly read dangerous pest control chemical liquid.
A sudden wave of intense sick nausea rushed over Mark's whole body.
He walked firmly back into the kitchen holding up the tiny clear bottle.
Mark: What is this doing hidden behind the vase Sarah?
Sarah gasped sharply and backed up against the cold marble counter.
Sarah: That was just old insect spray we bought last summer season!
Mark: This bottle is nearly empty and fresh clear liquid is on the lid!
Sarah: You are losing your mind and acting completely insane Mark!
Mark: I am calling the local police right this very second!
Sarah rushed forward and grabbed Mark's heavy sweater sleeve tightly.
Sarah: No Mark please do not involve the law in our private family business!
Mark shook her weak hands off his broad arm with immense force.
Mark: Get away from me before I lose my temper completely Sarah!
He reached into his leather pocket and grabbed his heavy black cell phone.
Sarah dropped to her hands and knees weeping loudly on the kitchen floor.
Sarah: I only did it because we are going completely broke Mark!
Mark paused with his thumb resting right over the glowing dial button.
Mark: What are you talking about broke?
Sarah: The life insurance policy on your life pays out two million dollars!
Mark felt like the heavy ground beneath his feet had completely split open.