Sadie sat in the living room, tapping her fingers nervously on the armrest of the chair. She hadn’t expected her dad to show up out of nowhere. It had been months since she last saw him, and their relationship had been strained, to say the least. His sudden visit felt odd, especially since he came with a story about her stepmom being brutally sick.
Her dad’s voice had been filled with concern when he arrived. “Sadie, your stepmother... she’s in a bad way. She’s really sick. We need help, but I’m strapped for cash. You know how things have been for me since... well, since everything.” He had paced the living room while he spoke, his eyes darting around as if he was looking for something.
Sadie felt a tug of sympathy but also a strong sense of suspicion. She knew her dad too well. He had a
