‘Mae,’ Callie said too sharply, ‘you don’t have to do this. You don’t have to play the good daughter just because someone decides they need you at the exact moment you’re trying to leave.’
Mae’s brows knit. ‘My dad isn’t “someone,” Callie.’
‘I know, but people say things. They exaggerate. They use illness as—’
‘As what?’ Mae’s voice cracked.
Callie couldn’t stop. The words were tumbling out now, horrid and stupid. ‘Just, justthink, okay? Maybe he’s trying to keep you here. Maybe he knows you’re pulling away—’
‘Callie,’ Mae said, anger flaring through the tears, ‘how can you even say that? Youcan’tbethisself-absorbed.’
Callie shut her eyes because deep down she knew. She knew Mae’s dad wasn’t like her mum.
But fear made everything look like a trap.
‘I just…’ Callie tried to backtrack, stumbling. ‘Mae, please. If you stay now, you’ll stay forever. That’s what happens. You think you’ll go later, but later never comes.’
‘I can’t leave him,’ Mae said helplessly. ‘He’s my dad.’
‘And what am I?’ Callie snapped. ‘Someone you make promises to and break?’
Mae reeled like she’d been slapped. ‘That’s not fair.’
‘None of this is fair!’ Callie shouted, voice cracking. ‘I need you. I need you to come with me, or I’m doing this alone—’
‘Then do it alone!’ Mae said, tears spilling now. ‘I can’t choose you over him, you vain, selfish fucking baby!’
The world dropped out from under Callie’s feet. For a second, she just stared at Mae, and she could see that Mae needed her. And she wanted to drop the bag, apologise. Stay. Comfort her.
But Callie had spent her whole life putting herself second. Today was the day she’d drawn a line. And Mae was falling on the other side of it.
‘Fine,’ Callie said stiffly. ‘Stay. Stay here forever.’
‘Callie, don’t—’
‘No, it’s clear. I’m leaving. You’re not.’ Her voice trembled. ‘End of story.’
Mae stood too, reaching for her. ‘Please don’t go like this.’
‘How else am I supposed to go?’ Callie demanded. ‘You’ve already decided.’
Mae’s face crumpled. ‘I love you.’
The words should have landed like a lifeline. Instead, they tore something open. Because what use was love if it kept you trapped? Was that all it was with Mae? Another trap?
Callie stepped back. Then another step. Then another.
‘Not enough,’ she whispered, even though the second she said it, she knew it was the cruellest lie she’d ever told.
Callie turned, ignoring the sound of tears. She walked to the train station with her bag digging into her shoulder and her chest splintering.
She stayed gone. She didn’t attend her mother’s registry wedding to Brian a few months later, nor did she show up for the birth of Hannah. She wasn’t there for the funeral three years later, either. How could she come back? After what she’d said?
She’d called Mae’s dad a liar and manipulator. A man who’d only ever been nice to her and had been dying and wanted his daughter to be there. And Callie had pissed on all that. On them. And then left Mae at the worst moment of her life.
There were some things you simply couldn’t come back from.
So Callie ran forward, to jobs and parties and flings—none of which went anywhere. And then one day she was at some rich guy's party. A producer was there and liked the look of her and asked if she wanted to be a reality show contestant. She said fine. Then she went on another one and another one, and that turned into reality TV success—its own kind of failure.
