Page 3 of The Star

Until about two weeks ago, he didn’t come home one night. When I asked him about it, he said that he had gotten drinks with some guys from work, then got too drunk and crashed on one of their couches.

Why couldn’t you just Uber home?Is what I asked him, curiosity and bitterness burning in my veins like they were poisoning me.

I’m not against my father moving on, but it’s only been two months… Shouldn’t he still be mourning his wife?

“Jeremey drove my car to his house. He wasn’t as drunk, and I didn’t want to leave it at the bar overnight,”is what he answered, defensiveness lacing his tone.

I haven’t really spoken to him since. He’s spent more than one night out – not coming home – but I haven’t questioned him again. I don’t want any more answers than the lies he’s already told me.

He’ll tell me when he’s ready, I guess. But I can’t help the resentment I’m feeling toward him for moving on sosoon.

My father finishes up his phone call, ending it with an “I love you too,” making my eyebrows shoot to my hairline.

Once he’s hit the end button on his phone and slipped it into the pocket of his fancy suit pants, I stand up. “Who was that?”

He steps toward me, grinning, with his arms spread out in front of him like he’s going to embrace me. “Hi to you too, Logan.”

Then, he pulls me into his arms, hugging me tight like he used to when I was a little girl. I can’t help feeling a little annoyed, so I pull back to look at him. “Tell me what?”

He holds me at arms-length, his dark eyes squinting a little in humor. “How was your day?”

I shake my head, blinking hard in frustration. “Oh my God, what do you need to tell me?”

He chuckles, dropping his arms to his sides before he rounds the table and takes a seat. “Sit down.”

I sigh, then plant my ass in the chair I vacated a minute ago. “Okay.”

I lay my hands on the table and wait for him to speak.

“So,” my father begins, the tone of his voice soft and cautious, “you know I’ve been working in Luxington – at Newman and Michaels.”

He stops talking, so I nod to let him know I’m listening and that he needs to keep going.

“Well, it’s really nice over there, Logan. Nice restaurants, a big mall, really good schools.”

I snort. “Are you their official mascot?”

He rolls his eyes a little, the motion feeling childish but warm. “Well, we’re going to move over there.”

My head rears back, my eyes going wide. “Excuse me?!”

There’s no way he’s serious. We aren’t the type of family that would fit in across the tracks. Not only because we’re poor, but they’redifferentover there, uptight & pretentious.

He presses his lips together in thought, but then continues. “I met someone.”

I laugh humorlessly. “I’m being uprooted out of my life so you can be closer to a piece of pussy?”

“Logan. Watch it.” He gives me thatfatherlylook, like it’ll do anything. “I proposed to her, and we’re moving into her home.”

I stand up, shock and rage pulsing through my veins. Pushing my chair out behind me so hard that it falls over with a loud crash, I yell at the top of my lungs.“Excuse me!?”

He stands up too, trying to keep control of the situation, but it’s too late. I’m seeing fucking red. I’m ready to burn the house down with him inside.

“Youproposedto someone!?” My voice cracks as I start to yell again. “Are you fucking insane?!”

He slams a hand down on the table. “Enough!”

“Enough?!You’ve lost your damn mind! Mom died two months ago!”

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