Chapter 1: The Test on the Island
The pregnancy test hit the kitchen island hard enough to make the silverware jump.
“You’re pregnant,” Vanessa said, pointing at me like she had just caught me committing a crime.
“Your daughter is pregnant. I found this in her room!””
For three seconds, nobody moved.
The bright afternoon sun poured through the kitchen windows, turning the white counters almost painfully bright. A plastic pharmacy bag sat beside the test. Vanessa stood on the other side of the island in her burgundy blouse, her sleek bob perfectly in place, her expression carefully arranged into wounded outrage.
My father, Marcus, stared at the test.
Then he stared at me.
My stomach dropped.
“That isn't mine,” I said.
My voice sounded small in the huge kitchen.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Nia, don't insult everyone's intelligence.””
“I’m not.””
“I found it under your bed.””
“No, you didn’t.””
My father finally spoke.
“Nia.””
I looked at him.
“Dad, I swear to you. I’ve never seen that thing before.””
Vanessa gave a short, bitter laugh.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I expect you to stop lying.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“What did you just say?””
“You heard me.””
“Nia,” Marcus warned.
I swallowed hard. My hands were shaking, but I refused to hide them.
I had learned something about Vanessa during the three years she had been married to my father: if she could make you look emotional, she could make herself look innocent.
She wanted me angry.
She wanted Dad to see the anger instead of the truth.
So I forced myself to breathe.
“I’m not pregnant,” I said quietly.
“And that test didn't come from my room.””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“I went into your room because I was looking for the laundry basket.””
“You never go into my room.””
“I’m your stepmother.””
“That doesn't mean you get to search through my stuff.””
“You’re twenty years old, Nia. You don't get to act like a child when you're caught.””
“Caught doing what?””
Vanessa pointed toward the test.
“That.””
My father rubbed a hand over his beard.
“Vanessa, slow down.””
“Slow down?”” she snapped.
“Marcus, I found a positive pregnancy test in her bedroom.””
“And she says it isn't hers.””
“Of course she does!””
I felt heat rush into my face.
“Because it isn't!””
A chair scraped against the floor.
I looked over.
Isaiah had been sitting at the breakfast table the whole time.
My fourteen-year-old brother usually hated family drama. He would disappear upstairs with his headphones before anyone could ask him to take sides.
But now he wasn't wearing headphones.
He was staring at Vanessa's pharmacy bag.
Isaiah pushed his chair back.
“Wait.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“What?””
He stood.
“Can I see that bag?””
“No.””
Her answer came too quickly.
Isaiah blinked.
“Why?””
“Because it's my bag.””
He glanced at Dad.
“I just want to look.””
Marcus frowned.
“Vanessa, let him.””
She tightened her grip on the bag.
“There’s nothing in there.””
Isaiah walked around the island.
“Then why are you hiding it?””
Vanessa's expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
So did Dad.
She finally placed the bag on the counter.
“Fine.””
Isaiah reached inside.
He pulled out a crumpled receipt.
Then an empty pregnancy-test box.
My heart stopped.
Vanessa moved instantly.
“Isaiah, give me that.””
He stepped back.
“What?””
“Give it to me.””
“You said there was nothing in the bag.””
“I said there was nothing important in it.””
Isaiah looked at the box.
Then at me.
Then at Dad.
“Then why is the box in your shopping bag?””
The kitchen went silent again.
Vanessa's face lost its color.
My father slowly turned toward her.
“What box is that?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Isaiah unfolded the receipt.
Paper crackled beneath his fingers.
“I think you should look at this, Dad.””
Vanessa reached for it.
“Marcus, don't.””
Dad caught her wrist—not violently, but firmly enough to stop her.
“Let him give it to me.””
She stared at him.
For the first time since she had entered my life, Vanessa looked afraid.
Isaiah handed my father the receipt.
Dad read it once.
Then again.
His eyes lifted.
“You bought this yesterday?””
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
I looked at the box.
Then at Vanessa.
Then at the positive test sitting between us.
A cold realization began crawling up my spine.
This wasn't an accusation anymore.
Something was wrong.
Something Vanessa had done was about to come out.
And judging by the way she was staring at that receipt, she already knew exactly what it was.
Marcus held the paper tighter.
“Vanessa,” he said, “why did you buy a pregnancy test?””
She looked at me.
Then at Isaiah.
Then back at my father.
“I bought it for her.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
Vanessa's voice cracked.
“I bought it for Nia.””
“You just said you found it in my room.””
“I was going to give it to you.””
“You said you found it under my bed!””
“Nia—”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You're lying.””
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
“Watch your mouth.””
“Stop telling me what to do!””
“Nia!”” Marcus shouted.
I froze.
The room went quiet.
My father closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them, he wasn't looking at me anymore.
He was looking at Vanessa.
“Why would you buy a pregnancy test for Nia?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
“Because…”
She stopped.
A faint vibration came from the counter.
Nobody noticed at first.
Then it happened again.
Bzzzt.
Bzzzt.
Vanessa's phone was lying beside the fruit bowl.
The screen lit up.
She glanced at it.
And whatever she saw made her entire body stiffen.
Isaiah noticed.
He leaned toward the phone.
“Who's Derek?””
Vanessa lunged for it.
But Dad was faster.
He looked down at the screen.
The caller name was still glowing.
*DEREK.*
Dad's face changed.
“Who is Derek?””
Vanessa reached for the phone.
“Please, don't answer.””
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
May you like
And I knew, before anyone touched that phone, that the pregnancy test wasn't even the worst thing in the kitchen.
It was just the first lie that had cracked.