Chapter 3 - The Question Lily Asked
"No."
Mark crossed the room so fast he nearly knocked over a chair.
"No, Lily. Never."
She stepped back.
"Why not?"
"Because you're my daughter."
"But you just said blood decides that."
Mark stopped.
There it was.
His own rule, thrown back at him by the child he had built his life around.
"I was angry," he said.
Sarah stared at him. "At who? Austin? For existing?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
Mark rubbed both hands over his face.
"I don't know."
Lily's voice sharpened.
"Do you love me because you forgot I wasn't yours?"
"You are mine."
"Then Austin can be yours too."
Mark looked toward the stairs.
His mouth opened, then closed.
That hesitation hurt Lily more than an answer.
"Wow."
She picked up the new jacket from the floor and threw it onto the couch.
"I don't want it."
"Lily—"
"I said I don't want it!"
She ran upstairs.
A door slammed.
Mark stood in the middle of the room, breathing hard.
Sarah folded her arms.
"You need to fix this."
"I know."
"No. You don't. You think buying Austin new clothes tomorrow will fix it."
"I didn't say that."
"You don't have to. I know you."
That landed.
Margaret slowly sat down again.
"Sarah is right."
Mark looked at his mother with anger, but there was no strength behind it now.
"You kept this secret for twelve years."
"It was not my secret to tell."
"You just told it."
"Because you were hurting a child with a lie you already knew was a lie."
Mark paced to the window.
"Lily didn't need to hear this tonight."
"Neither did Austin."
Silence.
Sarah suddenly looked toward the stairs.
"I'm going to check on him."
She climbed two steps, then paused.
A cold draft moved through the hallway.
"Mark?"
He turned.
Sarah stared at the front door.
It was not fully closed.
The deadbolt hung open.
She ran upstairs.
"Austin?"
No answer.
She threw open his bedroom door.
The room was empty.
His backpack was gone.
So were his sneakers.
On the bed sat the old gray sweatshirt.
Folded neatly on top of it was the Father's Day card he had made Mark two months earlier.
BEST DAD EVER had been crossed out in black marker.
Underneath, Austin had written four words.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND.
Sarah screamed Mark's name.
By the time he reached the room, she was already crying.
Mark looked at the card.
Then at the open window.
Then at his phone.
May you like
Austin had turned his location off.
And outside, thunder rolled over the neighborhood.
