Chapter 2: The Name On The Reservation
My father always told me that the truth didn’t need to shout.
He said lies were the ones that got nervous.
That afternoon, I watched Vanessa prove him right.
Marcus stood in the middle of the living room, staring at her.
“Vanessa,” he said again, calmer this time.
“Did you cancel Maya’s ticket?””
Vanessa picked up a pillow from the sofa and placed it back down, even though it was already perfectly straight.
A habit.
Whenever she was uncomfortable, she fixed things that weren’t broken.
“It wasn’t a big deal.””
My father’s eyebrows pulled together.
“A plane ticket for my daughter isn’t a big deal?””
Brielle shifted beside the suitcase.
“Mom was just trying to help.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Help who?””
Nobody answered.
I sat down on the edge of the sofa because my legs felt weak. My backpack was still hanging from my shoulder. I hadn’t even taken it off.
It felt like if I removed it, I would have to accept that I wasn’t leaving.
Marcus came closer.
“Maya, look at me.””
I did.
“I need you to tell me exactly what happened.””
I swallowed.
“She told me I wasn’t going. She said the ticket was canceled.””
Marcus nodded slowly.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Show me the cancellation email.””
Vanessa’s face changed for half a second.
Just half a second.
But Dad saw it.
“So there isn’t one.””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“I deleted it.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn’t want unnecessary arguing.””
“That’s not an answer.””
The room became tense.
The bright living room suddenly felt smaller.
Vanessa walked toward the kitchen counter where her phone was sitting.
“You’re acting like I betrayed someone.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Did you?””
She stopped.
That silence was louder than yelling.
My father reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone.
“I booked that ticket myself.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“So?””
“So I have the reservation.””
She smiled slightly.
“You think checking a ticket is going to prove something?””
Marcus didn’t respond.
He opened the airline app.
I watched his thumb move across the screen.
Loading.
Loading.
Loading.
My heart started beating faster.
Not because I knew what he would find.
Because I didn’t.
Brielle leaned forward.
“Mom…”
Vanessa quickly looked at her.
“Stay quiet.””
The way she said it made Brielle freeze.
Marcus’s face remained focused on the phone.
Then he stopped moving.
His expression changed.
Not anger.
Not confusion.
Something worse.
Disappointment.
“Maya’s ticket wasn’t canceled.””
Nobody spoke.
I felt my chest tighten.
Vanessa’s lips parted.
“What?””
Marcus looked up.
Slowly.
“You heard me.””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“That’s impossible.””
Marcus turned the phone slightly toward himself.
“No.””
His voice became quieter.
“That’s not what happened.””
Brielle stood up.
“What does it say?””
Marcus didn’t answer her.
He kept looking at the screen.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
“Why did you tell Maya her ticket was canceled?””
Vanessa looked away.
“I thought it was.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You didn’t think.””
A long silence followed.
Then Marcus tapped something on the phone.
The screen refreshed.
His eyes narrowed.
And suddenly, the question wasn’t whether Maya was going on the trip.
May you like
The question was…
Who was supposed to take her place?
