Page 4 of The Cupcake Standard

As we ate, we talked about football—nothing current of course, only the glory days. And he told me stories of poker games past where his daughter had helped him, his little shadow. It was difficult hearing stories about me, his favorite mascot. But knowing he remembered, that he treasured those stories, made it bearable.

I was grateful I’d had that time with him—the poker and whiskey and football, all the things we’d shared when I was growing up. At least those memories were still intact for him. For now.

The hardest part was when he spoke about Mother. His eyes would go tender, a loving light shining through as my heart gained another layer of ice. “Oh my Mabel, she sure is something. This one time…”

As soon as I could, I steered him to another subject. Before I knew it, the hour was up.

I wanted to hug him goodbye, to call him Daddy, but it would only agitate him. So I settled for a handshake. “Thanks for lunch, Steve. I hope we can do it again soon.” My voice cracked on the last word, and I cleared my throat.

He nodded. “That’d be nice. I don’t get many visitors here. It’s been ages since I’ve seen my daughter. I miss her.”

His words stabbed at my heart with an edge sharper than a steak knife, and I blinked at the tears pricking my eyes. “I’m sure she misses you, too.” The tightness in my throat intensified.

His head bobbed a few times before he settled back against his pillow, his eyes fixed on the TV as if I weren’t even there anymore.

I watched him from the doorway for a moment, feeling as if I’d been turned to cellophane, invisible in every way. Then I spun on my heel and made a quick getaway, not wanting Patty to grill me about my damp cheeks.

Chapter Two

After my business marketing class, I headed to the dingy apartment I shared with my best friend, Gina. Also here on a partial scholarship, she’d had a difficult childhood, bouncing from one foster home to the next. On-campus housing was just too expensive for us scholarship girls, so we’d leapt at the chance to rent an apartment together. The location wasn’t bad.

But that was all it had going for it.

I sighed as I stared at the dilapidated building with the patchy shingles. How is it even legal to rent this place out? Not that I could afford anything decent unless I accepted more help from my mother or applied for a bigger loan. Or worked another job and lightened my class load. None of the options appealed to me.

As I climbed the rickety stairs, careful to dodge the third one that someone had fallen through just last week, I sighed again. I knew Daddy had set me up with some money from my grandparents when they’d passed away. And I knew his own pension would more than provide for him, even in his current state. If only Mother would divorce him and leave us to our own devices, but she had an image to maintain, after all—that of the wholesome mother and housewife. I rolled my eyes so hard, I nearly stumbled.

My third-floor apartment wasn’t far from the stairway. The musty air always smelled faintly of mold and feet, despite the many air fresheners we used. I had my key out, pausing when I heard voices through our paper-thin walls.

Gina’s boyfriend, Josh, was over, and they were arguing. Again.

Josh’s voice bounced through the hallway, distorting only a little. “I don’t understand why you have to stay. She’s a grown woman, Gina.”

Gina stomped around, a dangerous thing to do on our ancient floor.

Who knows where a good stomp will put you?

“Avery isn’t just my best friend. She’s family.” She stomped again. “I’m not leaving her at the mercy of that witch she has for a mother. I’m all she’s got.”

“But she comes from money, Gina. Can’t she just get her own place?”

A wooden chair screeched across the floor. “You don’t know anything!”

Great, now I had a kick in my stomach to go with my stab wound from earlier. I trudged back to the stairs and started blasting Lady Gaga to announce my presence. I turned the key, flinging open the door. With an overly bright smile, I said, “Hey.”

Gina leaned against the counter, her arms crossed, glaring daggers at Josh who sat on one of our two dining room chairs.

“Everything okay?” I tossed my bag down on a wobbly end table before perching on the hideous, not second, not third, but fourth-hand couch we’d found for free.

Josh sighed, giving in first. “Yep, everything’s fine. You two want to order dinner? My treat?” It was his version of an olive branch, saying sorry for pushing her. Including me always helped soften her up.

And it worked. She melted like butter, walking over to wrap her arms around him from behind and kiss his cheek. “I’m starving. How about Luigi’s? I’ve been dying for some ravioli.”

“I’ll take the Chicken Alfredo, with a side salad.” I could already hear my jeans yelling at me, just from the thought of all that pasta, but no way would I pass up free food.

Gina smiled at me, like she knew what I was thinking. Five foot seven and gorgeous, her frame stayed slender no matter what she ate. Her skin had that all-year tan without setting foot outside, combining with her dark hair and big dark eyes to give her an exotic edge. She was my opposite in every way.

Right down to the fact that she let herself fall in love.

---