I

e. I was sitting in a cab on my way to my parents' home in New Yo

o my cheek. "I wouldn'

end," Louise sang. "Not a lot of men do that; I can'

lot of things in common. He claimed he was under a lot of pressure from his dad in o

of my parents' townhouse. I paid the driver and jumped out, lifting my backpack over my head

"I told you, Mark and I are like

alled you a fat bitch when you wouldn't pay f

boyfriend now, and the rest of

g up, the door swung open. Mom stood at the

oing here, Fion

d kissed her cheek. "Gr

uick whisper. "You know your father

l game while drinking from a can of beer; empty cans lit

at the door?" Lionel barke

e while rubbing my palms

ck glare. "You. We live in a civilized

rew it across the room. It land

en. "I'm fine, Daddy, thanks for checking up on my

't tell me you'r

'm here to grab my recip

t another dead-end minimum wage job,

eyes stung with tears. I should have known he wo

to his game, while I stomp

d the door open. My old room was as I remembered; nothing

me about a friend of his who was looking for new staff at his home. "I

half-heartedly.

I can't find my journal; it's not in here. Did y

on't look at me; you should have used some

nal just in case I wanted to publish a cookbook. I needed in

m. I found a giant box, labeled 'Fee's Stuff.' I pulled out some dolls and ma

inding old recipes I'd written

ecembe

r Christmas dinner; he punched the Christmas tree and stormed o

sigh. Her family had been

ed out from the journa

I murmured an

iled inside of me as I jogged out of the basement and into the

this?" I demanded

th look

t your mind?"

better tell me the fucking tr

laide stood and reached for the paper. Her

the paper. "What

ezed the paper in his hand with a blank stare

them rema

!" I b

took a step forwar

"Are you saying I'm adopted? You adopted me, didn't you? Is

g I gave you. You ungrateful little... Why don't you ask your wh

g to explode from my chest. Tears streamed down my

e?" I aske

talk about it."

shouted, and Adelaide jumped in