Chapter 2
I just stood there, listening to everything they said.
I knew what death was supposed to mean.
Mommy had told me before. “Death is like becoming a bright star in the sky, but then Mommy could never touch my Betty or hug my Betty ever again.”
So death meant never being able to touch or hug someone anymore.
Daddy believed Mommy was dead, that he’d never be able to hug her again, so when he could barely stand up straight, he wrapped his arms tight around some lady instead.
Daddy was super sad for about a month, but then the worried look on his face slowly went away.
Then one day, this lady moved into our house with her son who was two years younger than me.
“Betty, say hello to your new mom.”
Daddy took my hand and tried to pull me closer to the lady.
I kept my mouth shut tight, stared down at the floor really stubbornly, and shook my head.
“I only have one mommy, and she’s playing a really long game of hide–and–seek.”
The lady looked all awkward and quickly said: “Oh, it’s fine! Just call me Mrs. Hayes.”
Then Daddy took me to see this doctor who said I had something called “post–traumatic stress disorder.”
I put the pills in my mouth when Daddy was watching, but as soon as he left I spit them into the toilet.
“Only grown–ups need medicine.”
I watched the water swirl around and thought to myself, “I’m not sick. You guys are just too dumb. Mommy fooled all of you, and you have no idea how good she is at this.”
After a while, Daddy found out I wasn’t taking my pills.
“Betty Sullivan! Why aren’t you taking your medication!”
His voice was shaking because he was so mad.
“Do you want to keep acting crazy like this forever?”
I just looked at him quietly without backing down at all.
The whole fight ended with Daddy slamming the door and storming out,
Daddy’s patience got used up after trying so many times with no luck, and he started paying way more attention to my little stepbrother.
He’d listen to Kaya talk about school stuff, take Kaya to his office, and give Kaya little jobs to do.
All those times Daddy used to talk about me taking over his company someday got switched over to talking about Kaya instead,
I didn’t like Kaya because he was always running into my room and messing with my stuff.
When I told Daddy about it, he just said: “Kaya’s still little. You’re his big sister, so you need to cut him some slack.”
Kaya broke the very last model that Mommy and I had built together, so I totally lost it and screamed at him to get out of my house.
Daddy’s voice was harsher than I’d ever heard it before.
“Betty! How can you treat Kaya like that! Go to your room! No dinner tonight!”
It was the first time Daddy had ever punished me because of someone else.
22-18
Chapter 2
I got quieter and quieter after that.
I’d spend most of my time alone in my room, rubbing Mommy’s tags between my fingers and staring out the window for hours.
When Daddy looked at my report cards with their so so grades, I could see more and more disappointment in his eyes.
He stopped inviting me to those fancy dinner parties he used to take me to, and he only bought dress clothes for Kaya now.
One night Daddy came home really late, and as soon as he walked through the door I could hear him laughing with Mrs. Hayes, plus Kaya sounding all proud of
himself.
“Dad, everyone says I’ve got your business sense.”
Daddy ruffled Kaya’s hair “Of course you do! You’re my son, aren’t you? The company’s gonna be yours someday. You’re way better at this stuff than Betty.”
Right after he said that, he noticed me sitting silently in the living room, and his face looked kind of embarrassed.
“Betty, why are you still up so late?”
I nodded. “Just getting some water.”
“Dad, I did such a good job today – can I have a reward?”
Kaya’s voice was all excited.
Daddy immediately turned to look at Kaya, and his eyes went all soft and loving, “What do you want? I’ll get you anything.”
Then Kaya pointed right at me, “I want that! That shiny tag around Betty’s neck!”
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
