Chapter 48
Maple
@Tellatttale, TikTok
Guys, I know something about Ella Hart that explains A LOT, I think. And when I get to ten thousand followers, I’m going to tell you everything, so get sharing this #findElla
Mom and Dad are silent on the drive back from church. Aspen gabbles to Ash the whole way, something about Joseph Smith being a badass. And I try to not feel guilty.
Because I know this atmosphere is my fault.
The video Dylan and I recorded for YouTube yesterday has turned into a lowkey TikTok meltdown.
Everyone’s accusing Selena Hart of being America’s worst mom, and some are calling her a killer.
But I will not feel bad. Because making sure that Ella’s safe is the most important thing.
And if she is in England, like Selena claims, she just needs to say so online.
Dad pulls into our drive, and I jump out, desperate to get back to my room. But as I reach for the front doorknob – we never lock up for church, like we assume Provo thieves must be church-going Mormons too or something – Dad’s hand falls on top of mine.
‘Could we take a walk?’ he asks gently.
I can guess why he’s asking, so my instinct is to say no. I don’t want to fight with him about this too. But the feel of his warm, rough skin on mine is so unusual that I find myself nodding. And when he looks grateful, my stance softens even more.
‘How about I take you for a soda?’ he asks as we hit the sidewalk.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re sitting outside a soda shop drinking dirty Diet Cokes – coconut syrup, lime juice, and a dash of half and half (I know, weird).
Dad takes a long suck on his straw then leans back. ‘So I saw the video you made with Dylan.’
‘And?’ I ask, holding on to the possibility he might follow up with something good, like he’s proud of me for holding Selena Hart to account. ‘What did you think?’
He sighs. ‘I really need you to take it down.’
It’s supposed to be boys who break your heart, but I’m not so sure. Boys make my tummy squirm, and my lungs malfunction, and okay yes, my heart hit the accelerator sometimes. But it’s Dad who shatters it. ‘No. I won’t. Sorry.’
He nods, like he was expecting pushback. ‘You know, Selena Hart called your mom this morning.’
I look up, because this is news.
‘And I don’t want to scare you,’ Dad goes on. ‘But she’s not happy. And she’s a powerful lady, you know. I’d hate to see you lose everything you’ve built over something like this.’
I think about Coco’s snap, how she called me brave, and even though it freaked me out a bit, it made me feel good too. ‘Sometimes taking a risk is worth it,’ I point out.
‘Yeah, and sometimes it isn’t. You told me how much you loved that Azione job.
And Mom says that your engagement stats tripled after Dylan’s visit, the fun content you put out.
You’re flying high right now, honey. The world is yours for the taking.
Now is not the time to be ruffling feathers and risking it all. ’
‘I don’t even know if I want it anymore,’ I admit in a whisper, wondering whether he’s seen the fake kiss video yet, if he approves of it. Or if he’s got no idea how badly Mom lied.
‘You don’t mean that, not deep down. Being an influencer has been your whole life; it’s who you are.’
I want to say that I’m only fourteen. That I’m not fully formed yet. But maybe he’s right. Maybe it is too late for me.
‘And if you threw it all away now,’ Dad continues, ‘I promise you’d regret it.’
‘What about if Dylan and I found Ella?’ I ask. ‘Saved her from some kind of trouble? Would I still regret it then?’
Dad sucks hard on his straw, then pushes the soda away, the ice cubes clinking in protest. ‘There isn’t just you to think about, Maple.’
‘Huh?’
‘Look, I hate that I’m not contributing at the moment, but park ranger jobs are hard to come by.’
Slowly, it starts to make sense, and my heart fractures again. ‘So this is about the money?’ I say. ‘You don’t want me to piss off Selena Hart in case brands stop working with me?’
‘I wish things were different.’
I dig my fingernails into my palm. ‘So everything you’ve said is a lie. This fake concern for my future is actually about Mom’s fancy car and our big house.’
‘No, it’s not like that.’
‘You’ve never asked about Maybe Maple before, or told me you were proud of me, or thanked me for bringing in thousands of dollars.
But now that it might all come crashing down, suddenly you’ve got an opinion.
’ Tears burn my eyes. I feel physically wounded, but the pain makes me want to fight back.
‘Well, no. Fuck you. I’m not listening.’
Dad leans forward, his face pinched. ‘I wanted us to do this together, as a team. But I will not have you swearing at me, disrespecting me, Maple. I order you, as your father, to take that video down.’
I push to standing. The chair tips, falls backwards. I set my jaw and stare at him. ‘And I am telling you, as your daughter, that I won’t.’