Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph

Author:Vincent Ralph
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

Apologies

Dad’s trying to convince Mom that Molly needs an agent. “We should strike while the iron’s hot.”

“There is no iron,” Mom says. “I told you—one interview. That’s it.”

Dad looks like a scolded puppy and I want to scream at him for being so desperate.

He got what he wanted. The photos my sister took went viral, at least on a specific part of the internet. He got her a big interview. But our father always wants more.

After the Future Force pilot, all he could talk about was a full pickup. When that happened, right away it was all about season two.

Dad can’t stand still. If you do, you might be forgotten, and that’s his worst nightmare.

“I’ve set up a meeting,” Dad says, and, when he sees Mom’s face, “Please don’t be angry, Abby.”

“What do you mean, you’ve set up a meeting?”

“I’ve spoken to an agent. A good one. She’d be delighted to talk to Molly and discuss next steps. Publicity … how to monetize her pictures … the usual.”

Sometimes I know exactly what Mom’s thinking, and this is one of those times. She’s thinking, Why? Why? Why?

Why can’t he ever be satisfied?

Why doesn’t he listen?

Why did I …

She stops herself, swallowing the words I’m scared she’ll say out loud one day. Even thinking the whole sentence might be enough to ruin everything. Why did I marry him?

My parents met in high school. They were each other’s first kiss. Together since fifteen with the photos to prove it.

When we used to look through old pictures, we would laugh at Dad’s haircuts and Molly would stare with the widest eyes at Mom as a teenager. And our parents would change in those moments, get younger somehow, as if the greatest memories are time machines.

Could this be me and Elisha one day? And how different will we be? Because our parents aren’t those kids anymore. Eventually, when the boxes are back in the attic, they look older again.

“Molly doesn’t need an agent,” I say.

My parents look surprised. They are used to arguing unchallenged. But there’s too much going on for me to stay silent.

Turning to Dad, I say, “Mom’s right. You need to stop now. Molly’s too young for this. We need to stop before she starts to hate taking pictures, just like…”

My heart is pounding because I loathe speaking up. But he doesn’t seem angry. His face softens, and then he looks away and nods at the ground.

“All right,” he says. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

He goes to Mom and hugs her and they don’t stop for a long time. She looks at me over his shoulder and smiles and, for the first time in a long time, I see what they used to be.

Did I do this? Is it that easy to make my parents happier, just by stamping out Dad’s oversized ambitions? And have I really succeeded—or will my father change his mind?

Molly is in her room, drawing, and I sit next to her.

“Do you know what an agent is, Mol?” I ask. She shakes her head.

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