Chapter 1: The Ticket That Disappeared
“Dad, I don't care about the vacation anymore.””
I said those words while standing beside my father in the marble foyer of our Georgia mansion, watching him discover that someone had stolen the refund for my canceled plane ticket.
I was sixteen years old.
And I had just learned that the people who were supposed to love me could turn the memory of my dead mother into something they were willing to steal from me.
My father, David Bennett, stared at his laptop.
“Vanessa,” he said quietly, “explain why the refund for Maya's ticket was deposited into an account I've never seen before.””
My stepmother adjusted the diamond bracelet on her wrist.
“David, I already told you. The airline made a mistake.””
“Airlines don't randomly send refunds to unfamiliar accounts.””
“Then perhaps you should call them instead of interrogating everyone.””
My seventeen-year-old stepbrother, Jordan, laughed from the staircase.
“It's just a plane ticket. Why is everyone acting like someone committed murder?””
His younger brother, Caleb, elbowed him.
“Can you not?””
Jordan shrugged.
“I'm just saying. Maya doesn't even want to go anymore.””
I looked down at the yellow suitcase beside my feet.
It was still packed.
Inside was a new swimsuit I'd purchased with money from babysitting, two books, sunscreen, and my mother's faded yellow beach towel.
The towel had a little white sun embroidered in one corner.
Mom had bought it in Miami when I was seven.
She used to wrap me in it after swimming, rub my wet hair with both hands, and tell me that the ocean was the world's biggest bathtub.
I hadn't been back since she died four years ago.
My father had suggested the trip eleven months after I first mentioned wanting to visit.
He'd found an old photograph in his office. Mom was standing barefoot on the beach, holding me against her hip.
I was missing my two front teeth.
She was laughing.
That night, Dad had sat on the edge of my bed.
“Would you like to go back there someday?”” he'd asked.
I remembered nodding.
“Maybe we could make some new memories,” he'd said.
For the first time in years, I'd seen him smile without looking as though something inside him hurt.
So when he booked the trip for our family, I'd believed him.
I'd believed I still mattered.
Now Vanessa was standing in front of us, wearing a cream-colored designer dress and behaving as though my absence from the vacation was a minor scheduling adjustment.
“David, the children are leaving tomorrow morning,” she said.
“We have reservations, luggage, and a driver scheduled. We cannot keep rearranging everything because Maya has changed her mind.””
Dad slowly closed the laptop.
“Changed her mind?””
“Yes.””
“When did she tell you that?””
Vanessa glanced at me.
“Last night.””
I raised my head.
“I didn't.””
Her expression hardened.
“Maya, don't start.””
“I never said I didn't want to go.””
Jordan laughed again.
“Oh, here we go.””
Dad turned toward him.
“Jordan, go upstairs.””
“Seriously?””
“Now.””
Jordan rolled his eyes but climbed the remaining stairs.
Caleb hesitated.
“Dad, can I stay?””
Dad nodded.
Then he faced Vanessa.
“Why did you tell the airline to cancel Maya's ticket?””
“I didn't cancel anything.””
“The reservation history says otherwise.””
“Perhaps someone clicked the wrong option.””
“And somehow the refund ended up in an account ending in 7714?””
Vanessa's bracelet stopped moving.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
Dad saw it, too.
“Do you recognize that account number?””
“No.””
“Are you sure?””
“David, this is ridiculous.””
He reopened the laptop.
“I haven't even started asking questions.””
The foyer became silent.
The grandfather clock ticked beside the staircase.
I could hear the refrigerator humming in the kitchen.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“Fine. Investigate. But don't expect me to stand here while you treat your wife like a criminal.””
Dad looked at her.
“Then give me a reason not to.””
Her mouth tightened.
I wished I could disappear.
I didn't want another argument.
I didn't want Dad choosing between his wife and his daughter.
Most of all, I didn't want to become the reason he was unhappy again.
“Dad,” I whispered, “please. I don't care about Miami anymore.””
He immediately turned toward me.
“Maya, look at me.””
I did.
“You don't have to pretend something doesn't hurt just because someone else wants you to stop talking about it.””
My eyes burned.
“It's only a vacation.””
“No,” he said.
“It isn't.””
He placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Your mother loved that beach. You have every right to want to remember her.””
Vanessa exhaled sharply.
“David, enough. You're making her emotional.””
He looked at his wife.
“She is allowed to be emotional.””
For once, Vanessa had no answer.
Dad picked up his phone.
“I'm calling the airline.””
“Tonight?”” Vanessa asked.
“Yes.””
“And the bank?””
“Yes.””
She stepped closer.
“David, there is absolutely no need to involve the bank over a few hundred dollars.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“How do you know how much the refund was?””
Vanessa froze.
I watched her face.
A tiny crack appeared in the perfect expression she'd worn all afternoon.
Then she smiled.
“I was involved in planning the trip. Obviously, I know the approximate price of the tickets.””
Dad didn't respond.
He dialed the airline.
While he waited, Vanessa walked toward the kitchen.
Her phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen, then quickly turned it facedown.
Caleb noticed.
“Mom?””
“What?””
“Your phone.””
“I can see that, Caleb.””
He lowered his eyes.
Dad finished the call and wrote something on a notepad.
“The airline confirmed the ticket was canceled yesterday at 8:43 p.m. The refund was issued to a different payment account.””
Vanessa picked up her handbag.
“I'm going upstairs.””
“Not yet,” Dad said.
She stopped.
“What?””
“I want to know who accessed my travel account.””
“Perhaps Jordan was using your laptop.””
Dad looked toward the staircase.
“Jordan?””
No answer.
“Jordan, come downstairs.””
Footsteps sounded above us.
Jordan appeared, holding his phone.
“What now?””
“Did you access my travel account yesterday?””
“No.””
“Did you cancel Maya's ticket?””
Jordan laughed.
“Why would I do that?””
“That's what I'm asking.””
Jordan looked at Vanessa.
It was quick.
Almost invisible.
But his mother saw it.
“Don't look at me,” she snapped.
The words came out too quickly.
Jordan blinked.
“I wasn't.””
Caleb looked between them.
Dad slowly stood.
“Everyone is going to tell me exactly what happened.””
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
“I refuse to participate in this circus.””
She turned toward the stairs.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
If your father checks the account under Jordan's name, everything will come out.
My fingers went cold.
Another message arrived.
Tell him to stop investigating. You have no idea what your stepmother is capable of.
I looked up.
Vanessa was watching me.
Not Dad.
Not Jordan.
Me.
Her eyes dropped to my phone.
Then she smiled.
A small, deliberate smile.
As if she knew exactly what I'd just received.
I slipped the phone into my pocket.
That night, I locked my bedroom door.
At 11:47 p.m., someone tried the handle.
Once.
Twice.
Then a familiar voice whispered through the wood.
“Maya? Open the door. We need to talk.””
May you like
It was Jordan.
And he sounded terrified.
