XX

M o n d a y, 25/3/19

Dear Diary,

Unable to comprehend what I had just heard, I looked to Dad for an explanation.

"Andrea, honey," Dad frowned at the giggling blonde woman. "We were going to wait until dinner to tell her."

Andrea flipped her sleek hair over one shoulder before purring in my father's ear, "Why not now? I wanted this occasion to be special, remember? And the poor girl looks sooo confused." Trying to be sexy, she flitted her eyelashes at him and ran her index finger down his chest.

I nearly gagged.

With a sigh, Dad turned towards me. "Jo, my dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to find out this way but I would like you to meet Miss Andrea Melcox, my fiancée."

Giggling like an immature little kid, the grand Miss Andrea Melcox wiggled her finger, upon which rested a large diamond ring, right in front of my face. "Come here, you little jewel," she uttered in a fake, high-pitched voice. Gliding over, she cupped my cheeks in both her hands and pressed her lips, painted in a bright red chapstick, right, smack bang, in the middle of my forehead.

I squirmed uncomfortably as she drew back and looked me up and down. "So - er - nice to meet you," she flashed me a sickly sweet smile.

I shivered.

What a creep.

"Nice to meet you too," I forced myself to answer as my large, disbelieving eyes bounced back to Dad's figure. "H-how long have you two been - um - together?"

"Several months," Andrea tipped her head back as her lilting laughter echoed around the room. "Your father popped the big question two weeks ago and ever since, wedding preparations have been all we've been able to think about, isn't that right, honey?"

"And Jo's arrival of course," Dad motioned to me as he slipped up behind Andrea and encircled her waist with two brawny arms.

"Of course, of course," Andrea nodded empathetically. "That's why I've been so excited to meet you, Jo. Your father simply won't stop going on about you."

"Really?" I pressed my lips into a long, firm line as I watched her and Dad cuddle. "Righto. I'm going upstairs. Have - uh - fun, you two."

Brushing them off, I started up the stair-well but before I had gotten far, Dad suddenly called out to me, stopping me mid-stride. "Wait! Jo! There's - uh - something else you should know. You're going to have a step-sister as well."

And if I thought my day couldn't get any worse I was wrong, dead wrong. 

For the rest of the evening, I had to put up with Andrea's antics as she tried to impress both me and my Dad. During dinner, just before Spencer came waltzing in, I caught Luna's eye as she helped serve out the meal. She just raised her gaze to the roof and stuck two fingers down her mouth. I nearly laughed out loud at this but, with Andrea's sharp, blue eyes watching my every move, I didn't dare.

When Dad broke the news to Spencer, however, she was less cordial about the idea.

"Lane, she's too young!" Spencer flailed her arms about as she stared dubiously at Andrea's petite figure on the other side of the room. "Why would she want to marry an old ratbag like you?"

"I would say thanks but I don't think that's a compliment," Dad retorted, his face heating up with anger and embarrassment.

"No, seriously, Lane," Spencer made googly eyes at him. "She's probably a gold-digger and you say she has a daughter? Well, this is just getting off the rails."

"Shut-up, Spencer!" Dad hissed. "I think I have a say in who I want to marry and let me just inform you, missy, that this is none of your damn business so buzz off!"

As he stalked back to where Andrea was standing, sipping a cocktail mix from a large glass bowl, Spencer, doubtful and sympathetic, looked over at me.

"Sorry girlie," she shrugged. "I tried. Hopefully it's just not me, but this whole - er - thing seems dodgy as."

I shook my head and folded my arms over my chest, my gaze trained on Andrea. "No, Spence, don't worry. You're not the only one thinking that."

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