Sara
My heart would not stop racing as I watched Mom drag her suitcase out the front door. She turned back one last time, smiling like everything was normal.
"Take care of each other while I'm gone, okay? I'll be back in three weeks." She hugged me quickly, then gave him a kiss on the cheek before climbing into the taxi.
The door shut and the car drove off. Just like that, it was only me and him in the house.
I stood there in the hallway feeling my palms get sweaty. Stepdaddy. That is what I had called him for years, but lately the word felt heavy on my tongue.
He was standing right behind me now, tall and quiet. I could smell his cologne.
"You okay, princess?" he asked, his voice low and deep like always.
"Yeah," I lied, turning around fast.
"Just gonna miss her, I guess."
He g
