Chapter 1: The Empty Plate
“Your father isn't here, Zoe. So stop acting like you deserve the same treatment as everyone else.””
Lauren said it casually, as if she were commenting on the weather.
Zoe stood in the doorway of the dining room, still wearing her school uniform, her backpack hanging from one shoulder. Her stomach growled so loudly that she instinctively pressed a hand against it.
At the dining table, her stepmother was cutting into a perfectly cooked steak.
Her stepsister, Madison, was twirling pasta around her fork.
There were roasted vegetables, garlic bread, a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes, and a chocolate cake sitting on the kitchen counter.
Four chairs surrounded the table.
Three were occupied.
The fourth, Zoe's usual seat, was empty.
There wasn't even a plate in front of it.
Zoe glanced at the clock.
7:03 PM.
She had spent the afternoon at school finishing a group project, then stayed late in the library because the computer at home was usually occupied by Madison.
She hadn't eaten anything since lunch.
"Where's my dinner?"" she asked quietly.
Lauren didn't look up.
"You missed dinner.""
"It's only seven.""
Madison laughed, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"Some of us have responsibilities, Zoe. We can't wait around all night for you.""
Zoe looked at her stepsister.
Madison was sixteen, two years older than Zoe, and had perfected the art of making every cruel comment sound like a joke.
"I'm sorry I was late," Zoe said.
"I can heat something up.""
Lauren finally raised her eyes.
"No.""
Zoe blinked.
"No?""
"I said dinner is over. You should have been home when we ate.""
"But I didn't know you were eating early.""
"That's not my problem.""
Madison leaned back in her chair.
"Maybe next time you should learn to manage your time.""
Zoe swallowed.
She could smell the steak. The buttery sauce. The warm bread.
Her stomach hurt.
"Can I at least have some leftovers?"" she asked.
Lauren sighed dramatically.
"Honestly, Zoe. Do you have to make everything difficult?""
"I just want something to eat.""
Madison exchanged a glance with her mother.
Then she smiled.
"Go make yourself something. Just don't use the good food.""
Zoe didn't wait for Lauren to change her mind.
She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and found a container of pasta on the middle shelf.
There was enough for two portions.
She reached for a plate.
Behind her, Madison's chair scraped against the floor.
"Where do you think you're going with that?""
"Getting food.""
"That's my pasta.""
Zoe looked at the container.
"There's plenty.""
Madison stepped closer.
"I said it's mine.""
"Madison, please. I'm hungry.""
Madison grabbed the plate from Zoe's hands.
Zoe instinctively reached for it.
The plate tilted.
Pasta slid across the counter, and the container hit the floor. A splash of sauce landed on Madison's white sweater.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then Madison gasped.
"OH MY GOD!""
She looked down at her sweater, then burst into tears.
"She pushed me!""
Zoe stared at her.
"What? I didn't push you!""
Lauren rushed into the kitchen.
"What happened?""
Madison immediately covered her face.
"She attacked me because I wouldn't let her steal my food!""
"That's not true!"" Zoe protested.
"She grabbed the plate!""
Lauren looked at the mess.
Then she looked at Zoe.
"Look what you've done!""
"She took it out of my hands!""
"Don't you dare blame your sister!""
"She's not my sister!""
The words escaped before Zoe could stop them.
Lauren's expression hardened.
"Excuse me?""
Zoe immediately regretted speaking.
Madison sniffled behind her mother.
"See? She hates me.""
Lauren stepped closer to Zoe.
"You have lived in this house for years. Your father gives you everything, and this is how you repay us?""
Zoe looked at the food scattered across the floor.
"I haven't eaten since lunch.""
"That's enough.""
"I'm hungry, Lauren.""
"Then you should have come home on time.""
"I was doing my school project!""
Lauren pointed toward the staircase.
"Go to your room.""
Zoe didn't move.
"Please. Just let me have a sandwich.""
"NOW.""
Madison lowered her head, but Zoe caught the small smile forming on her lips.
As Zoe walked toward the stairs, Madison whispered loudly enough for her to hear.
"Maybe she'll learn eventually.""
Zoe stopped.
"What did you say?""
Madison shrugged.
"Nothing.""
Lauren grabbed a cleaning cloth and tossed it onto the counter.
"Go upstairs. And don't come back down until tomorrow morning.""
Zoe stared at her stepmother.
There was something deeply humiliating about being sent away from a table where everyone else had eaten their fill.
But she had learned that arguing only made things worse.
She climbed the stairs.
Her bedroom was at the end of the hallway, beside a small storage room. It had once been a guest bedroom, but after Lauren moved in, Madison got the larger room with the walk-in closet.
Zoe closed the door.
Then she sat on the edge of her bed.
Her stomach growled again.
She opened her backpack and searched through the front pocket.
A crumpled packet of crackers.
Three crackers remained.
She had started carrying them several months earlier, after discovering that sometimes the food she left in the refrigerator disappeared before she got home.
She ate one slowly.
Then another.
The third she saved.
She had learned not to waste anything.
Downstairs, she could hear Madison laughing.
Then came the sound of television.
Zoe walked to her window and looked outside.
Her father's car wasn't in the driveway.
Marcus was a construction project manager who frequently traveled between job sites. Sometimes he returned after midnight. Sometimes he stayed away for several days.
Lauren always said the same thing whenever Zoe complained about anything.
"Your father is busy. Don't bother him with childish problems.""
Zoe had tried telling him once.
It had been six months earlier.
She remembered sitting beside him in the kitchen while he checked emails on his laptop.
"Dad, can I ask you something?""
"Of course, sweetheart.""
"Sometimes there's no food left when I get home.""
Marcus had looked up immediately.
"What do you mean?""
Zoe had opened her mouth.
But Lauren had entered carrying a tray of drinks.
"Oh, honey, she's talking about snacks. She's been eating everything in sight lately.""
Marcus had laughed.
"Growing girl. That's normal.""
Zoe had lowered her eyes.
She never tried again.
Tonight, however, something felt different.
At 8:15, she heard Madison walking down the hallway.
A moment later, her bedroom door opened without a knock.
Madison stood there holding a glass of milk and a slice of chocolate cake.
She took a bite while looking directly at Zoe.
"Want some?""
Zoe stared at the cake.
"Please don't.""
"Don't what?""
"Don't do this.""
Madison smiled.
"Mom says you're not allowed downstairs.""
"I'm not going downstairs.""
"Good.""
Madison walked toward the desk and placed the glass of milk just beyond Zoe's reach.
Then she picked up the remaining crackers from Zoe's backpack.
"What's this?""
"Give them back.""
Madison examined the packet.
"Are you seriously hiding food in your bag?""
"Madison.""
"That's pathetic.""
She dropped the crackers onto the floor.
Zoe bent down to pick them up.
Madison laughed.
"You're acting like someone who lives in a homeless shelter.""
Zoe's fingers trembled as she gathered the broken crackers.
"Just leave me alone.""
Madison reached the doorway.
Then she turned around.
"Oh, by the way, Mom said Dad might come home tomorrow.""
Zoe looked up.
"Really?""
"Yeah. So don't start your little crying routine. We don't want him thinking you're being mistreated.""
The door closed.
Zoe sat on the floor for a long time.
She didn't know what hurt more.
The hunger.
Or the fact that her own home had become a place where she needed permission to eat.
At 9:17 PM, headlights suddenly swept across her bedroom wall.
A car door slammed outside.
Then she heard a familiar voice downstairs.
"Lauren? I'm home!""
Zoe froze.
It was her father.
Marcus wasn't supposed to return until Friday.
May you like
It was Tuesday.
And he had come home early.
