Chapter 2: The Name On The Screen
My father didn’t say anything for several seconds.
That scared me more than yelling would have.
Marcus was not a man who exploded quickly. He was the kind of person who thought before speaking. The kind of father who sat beside me when I had nightmares. The kind of person who always told me, “The truth doesn’t need to be afraid of questions.””
But now he was staring at his phone like the screen had shown him something impossible.
“Dad?”” I whispered.
He looked at me.
His eyes softened for a moment.
Then he looked back at Vanessa.
“You canceled her ticket?””
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“I already explained.””
“No,” Marcus said.
“You didn’t.””
The sunlight that had filled the room earlier suddenly felt wrong.
Too bright.
Like it was showing every uncomfortable detail nobody wanted to see.
Vanessa walked closer.
“Marcus, this trip was complicated. I handled it.””
“You handled it?””
His voice was still controlled.
That made Vanessa hesitate.
“Yes.””
Marcus looked down at the phone again.
Then he turned the screen slightly away from everyone.
I noticed that.
He didn’t want us to see yet.
“Why didn’t you tell me before changing anything?””
Vanessa gave a small shrug.
“Because I knew you would make it emotional.””
My chest tightened.
Emotional.
That was how she described me crying.
That was how she described my father caring.
Marcus looked at her.
“You mean I would ask questions.””
Vanessa said nothing.
Brielle shifted on the couch.
For the first time, she looked less confident.
More nervous.
I looked at her.
“Brielle… did you know?””
Her eyes immediately moved away.
That answer hurt.
“Did you know I wasn’t going?””
Brielle opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Vanessa stepped in.
“Don’t put her in the middle.””
“I’m not putting anyone in the middle,” I said.
“I’m asking why everyone knew except me.””
My voice broke at the end.
My dad reached for my shoulder.
“Maya.””
Just hearing him say my name helped me breathe.
Then he looked at Vanessa again.
“Explain.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You’re making this bigger than it is.””
“No,” Marcus replied.
“You made it bigger when you touched something that belonged to my daughter.””
The room went quiet.
I had never heard him speak about me that way before.
Not angry.
Protective.
Vanessa’s face changed slightly.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
She was worried.
Marcus unlocked his phone again.
“I’m checking the reservation.””
“You don’t trust me?””
He looked at her.
“I trust what I can verify.””
That sentence landed hard.
His fingers moved across the screen.
A few seconds passed.
Then his eyebrows pulled together.
“Maya’s ticket wasn’t canceled.””
My breathing stopped.
Vanessa froze.
“What?””
Marcus looked up.
“The ticket is still active.””
Nobody moved.
The suitcase remained open.
The clothes inside suddenly looked different.
Like they belonged to someone else.
I stared at Vanessa.
“But she told me…”
My father turned the phone toward himself again.
“She told you something that wasn’t true.””
Vanessa’s face became tighter.
“Marcus, there’s an explanation.””
“Then explain.””
She didn’t.
Not immediately.
That silence was louder than anything.
Brielle stood up.
“Mom…”
Vanessa looked at her.
“Don’t.””
One word.
Sharp.
Brielle sat back down.
My father noticed.
I noticed.
Everyone noticed.
Something was happening.
Something bigger than a canceled ticket.
Marcus tapped the screen again.
His expression changed.
“What is this?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“What?””
He stared at the phone.
Then slowly raised his eyes.
“Why does the reservation history show a modification?””
Vanessa didn’t answer.
“Vanessa?””
She swallowed.
“It was just a change.””
“A change to what?””
No response.
Marcus stepped closer.
I could hear my own heartbeat.
He turned the phone slightly.
His eyes moved across the screen.
Then he whispered:
“Passenger information…”
The room felt frozen.
“What did you do?”” he asked.
Vanessa’s face lost color.
Brielle looked down at the floor.
May you like
And my father kept staring at the phone.
Because the name connected to my ticket was not mine anymore.
