Chapter 2
My father didn't play another recording immediately.
Instead, he walked toward the microphone beside the graduation cake.
The microphone was supposed to be for his speech.
I'd watched him practice it the night before.
He'd laughed when I asked what he was going to say.
"That's classified information, young lady."
Now he stood beneath the graduation banner, holding his phone.
Vanessa hurried after him.
"Marcus, don't do this."
He turned.
"Do what?"
She lowered her voice.
"Humiliate me."
I almost laughed.
My gown was still dripping.
A red stain ran from my collar to my waist.
And she was worried about humiliation.
Dad looked toward me.
"Everybody, I'd like to say something."
The guests became quiet.
My aunt Renee stepped beside me and wrapped a clean towel around my shoulders.
Tasha handed me tissues.
I tried to stop crying.
I couldn't.
Dad looked across the backyard.
"This celebration was supposed to honor my daughter."
His voice cracked slightly.
"She graduated with honors."
A few guests applauded.
"She earned a scholarship."
More applause.
"And she did it while facing difficulties most of you never knew about."
My stomach tightened.
Vanessa moved closer.
"Marcus."
He raised one hand.
"I'm speaking."
She stopped.
Dad looked at me.
"Maya, I owe you an apology."
I shook my head.
"Dad—"
"No, sweetheart. Please let me finish."
I lowered my eyes.
He continued.
"For years, you told me things were happening at home."
I stopped breathing.
He knew.
He actually knew.
"I wanted to believe everybody could work through their differences."
His voice became unsteady.
"But I confused keeping peace with ignoring harm."
My eyes filled again.
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"This is ridiculous."
Dad turned toward her.
"What's ridiculous is attacking an eighteen-year-old girl at her graduation party."
She pointed at me.
"She provoked me!"
Dad unlocked his phone.
Then connected it to the large outdoor television we'd rented to display graduation photographs.
The screen changed.
I saw a recording from the kitchen.
It was dated three weeks earlier.
Vanessa stood near the refrigerator.
I was beside the counter holding a college acceptance letter.
My heart started pounding.
I remembered that day.
She'd taken the letter from my hands.
She'd said the university had made a mistake.
Then she'd told me I wasn't smart enough to survive a semester away from home.
On the television, Vanessa's recorded voice filled the backyard.
"Your father is paying for everything. Stop acting like you've earned something."
I covered my mouth.
The recording continued.
I heard my own voice.
"I received a scholarship."
Vanessa laughed.
"Then maybe they'll figure out how ordinary you are once you get there."
Several guests gasped.
I looked at Dad.
He was watching the screen with a face full of pain.
When the video ended, he turned it off.
Vanessa looked furious.
"You've been spying on me?"
Dad shook his head.
"I reviewed the footage after Maya told me something had happened to her acceptance letter."
My stomach tightened.
I'd told him.
Two weeks earlier.
I thought he'd forgotten.
He hadn't.
He'd been investigating.
Dad continued.
"I wanted to understand whether I'd been missing something."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"So now you're turning private family arguments into entertainment?"
He looked at her.
"No. I'm showing why I won't pretend this is one isolated incident."
A woman near the buffet spoke.
Her name was Mrs. Patterson.
My high school English teacher.
"Marcus, Maya deserves to celebrate today."
Dad nodded.
"She does."
He looked toward me.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to stand here for this."
I shook my head.
"I want to stay."
He studied my face.
Then nodded.
Vanessa suddenly stepped toward the patio door.
"I'm leaving."
Dad didn't stop her.
"That's your choice."
She froze.
"What?"
He looked directly at her.
"But you aren't coming back to this party."
Her mouth fell open.
"This is my house!"
Dad took a breath.
"We'll address the living arrangements properly. But you will not continue threatening my daughter in front of our guests."
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"You think you can throw your wife away because of one little argument?"
I watched Dad's hands tighten.
He didn't shout.
"One little argument?"
He looked toward me.
Then back at Vanessa.
"You grabbed her by the neck of her stole."
Vanessa looked around.
Nobody spoke.
Dad continued.
"You threw a drink into her face."
She swallowed.
"And then you blamed her."
He paused.
"I'm finished accepting that."
For a moment, Vanessa looked frightened.
Then she turned toward me.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?"
I stepped backward.
Dad immediately moved between us.
"Don't."
Her eyes filled with angry tears.
"You've poisoned him against me!"
I stared at her.
I wanted to tell her that I had never wanted my father to lose his marriage.
I had wanted him to love me enough to see what was happening.
That was all.
But I didn't have to explain myself anymore.
Dad looked at the event coordinator.
"Please call the security staff."
Vanessa stared at him.
"You wouldn't."
He said nothing.
The coordinator made the call.
Vanessa walked toward the house, followed at a distance by staff.
Before she entered, she turned.
Her voice shook with rage.
"You'll regret this, Marcus."
Dad watched her disappear.
Then he looked at me.
For the first time that afternoon, I saw him struggle to remain standing.
He slowly stepped toward me.
"Can I hug you, sweetheart?"
I nodded.
Then ran into his arms.
I cried against his navy polo.
He held me tightly.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
I shook my head.
"I'm sorry, too."
He pulled back.
"For what?"
"For ruining everything."
His face crumpled.
"Oh, Maya."
He held my cheeks gently.
"You didn't ruin anything."
I looked down at my stained gown.
"But the party—"
"We can replace decorations."
His voice broke.
"We can clean a dress."
He kissed my forehead.
"But I can never replace the years you spent feeling alone."
I began crying harder.
Then Aunt Renee approached.
She looked furious.
"Marcus, there's something you need to know."
Dad turned.
"What?"
Renee glanced toward the house.
Then at me.
"I found Maya's scholarship paperwork in Vanessa's office."
My heart stopped.
I stared at my aunt.
"What scholarship paperwork?"
Her expression changed.
"Maya, didn't you know?"
I shook my head.
Renee swallowed.
"There's a letter saying you declined the university's housing scholarship."
I felt the ground move beneath me.
May you like
Because I had never declined anything.
And suddenly, Vanessa's attack at my graduation wasn't the only thing she needed to explain.
