When my father’s new wife kicked me out of my room and into the shed, I thought I’d hit rock bottom. But Mom’s surprise visit and shocking revelation about the house turned everything upside down, leaving me to wonder if I’d ever feel at home with Dad again.
I arrived at Dad’s house with a knot in my stomach. Something felt off.
Kim, my stepmom, opened the door with a fake smile.
“Michelle, honey, come in,” she said, her voice sickeningly sweet.
I stepped inside, dragging my suitcase. Sam and Leo, my college-age step brothers, lounged on the couch, barely acknowledging me. They were both glued to their shiny new laptops – the same ones Dad said he couldn’t afford to buy for me.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
“Working late,” Kim replied.
She fidgeted with her necklace.
“Listen, Michelle, we need to talk about sleeping arrangements.”
My heart sank. “What about them?”
Kim glanced at her sons.
“Well, with Sam and Leo home for the holidays, we’re a bit short on space.”
“Short on space?” I echoed. “But I have my room.”
“Had,” Sam muttered under his breath, not looking up from his laptop.
I whirled to face him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kim cleared her throat.
“Michelle, dear, we had to give your room to the boys. They need a proper place to sleep and study.”
“And where am I supposed to sleep?” I demanded, my voice rising.
Kim avoided my eyes. “We’ve set up a nice space for you in the shed.”
“The shed?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“It’s only temporary,” Kim said quickly.
“Just until the boys go back to university.”
I looked around, hoping to see some sign that this was all a cruel joke. But Sam and Leo just smirked, and Kim stood there, lips pressed into a thin line.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked again, my voice cracking.
“I want to talk to him.”
“He’ll be home late,” Kim repeated. “Why don’t you get settled in?
I’m sure you’re tired from the trip.”
Defeated, I trudged out to the shed, lugging my suitcase behind me.
The inside was musty and cramped, with a rickety cot squeezed between boxes of junk. A single bare bulb hung from the ceiling, casting harsh shadows.
I sat on the cot, trying not to cry.
How had it come to this?
Dad used to dote on me, but ever since he married Kim, everything changed.
He’d promised to buy me a laptop for school, then said he couldn’t afford it. But he bought new ones for Sam and Leo without hesitation.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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