My Dad Asked, “Is Your Allowance Sufficient?” I Replied, “What Allowance?”

Holding the Secret

Dad barely looked up from his papers, weariness drawn across his face. Every crease seemed to tell a story of office stress he couldn’t escape.

Part of me wanted to confide in him about the stepmom situation, but it felt unfair to burden him further.

I held back, masking my anxiety with a smile whenever he glanced my way. In the back of my mind, I knew time was running out.