The Stars We Lost

I crouched down and straightened Stella's crooked hat.

"We're going."

Her eyes lit up for a second.

"What about Daddy?"

"Daddy has his own plans."

Nathan heard that, and his expression darkened.

"Zara, do you really have to say that in front of her?"

The airport PA was calling passengers to board.

Sophie stood quietly beside him, clutching her boarding pass, her eyes still red.

She glanced at us and spoke softly, "Maybe I shouldn't go."

"If you leave now, where are you going to stay tonight?" Nathan asked without the slightest hesitation.

Then he reached for Stella's suitcase.

"We're already at the airport. Stop making a scene."

I tightened my grip on the handle. "Who's making a scene?"

Nathan frowned. "Then what do you want?"

"You stay with Stella. I'll share a room with Sophie."

Nathan froze.

Sophie looked up awkwardly.

I repeated myself, looking at both of them.

"She's afraid of the dark. I'll keep her company. You go watch the stars with Stella."

The solution was simple enough.

"If he truly was only worried about Sophie being alone, it shouldn't matter who stayed with her."

But Nathan went silent.

"Zara, you barely know her."

I replied, "We'll get to know each other in a few days."

"Her situation is more complicated than you think."

I let out a short laugh.

"So you're the only one she'll accept, is that it?"

He looked away. A warning crept into his voice.

"Cut the sarcasm."

Stella stood between us, the little girl slowly letting go of her father's sleeve.

She tucked the blue notebook she'd been holding into her backpack.

It was filled with stars she'd drawn.

She had spent a whole month preparing it, waiting to show her father.

The final boarding announcement sounded again.

Sophie's breathing suddenly quickened.

She grabbed Nathan's wrist, her face pale.

"Nathan, there are too many people."

Nathan steadied her immediately.

"Look at me. Breathe slowly."

He didn't even glance our way.

It was as if she were the only person in the entire airport who needed him.

I took Stella's hand. "Let's go."

Nathan finally turned to us and said, "The gate's that way."

I said calmly, "We're going home."

His expression darkened.

"Zara, are you really using our daughter to threaten me?"

I looked at him and said, "You could come with us."

"No."

His answer came too fast.

Stella looked up at him. Her lips parted.

This time, she didn't ask again.

I took her hand and walked away.

Once we were outside the airport, Stella pulled the blue notebook from her backpack and turned the pages one by one.

She stopped at a drawing of a family of three, holding hands under the stars.

"Daddy doesn't want us again, does he?"

I took her little hand—the one that held her paintbrush—in mine.

"Stella, I'll watch the stars with you tonight."

She covered the father in the drawing with a sticker.

Once again, we were all each other had.