I kept my end of the bargain. He never did see him — because I only had Sergei over when my father wasn’t at home.

But then, if my father was really concerned about me, he would have stayed around a bit more, wouldn’t he? He can’t fool me. His lack of concern reeks beneath the expensive aftershave he splashes on every morning. He uses being an adult as an excuse so he can do as he pleases. What makes me so mad is he thinks because I’m so young I don’t know. He thinks he’s hiding in plain sight but he underestimates me. My grandmother died when I was little, but I remember she said when he was a boy he was always dressing up in a suit, staying inside to count his piggy bank when the other kids were outside climbing trees. When he married my mother they went on their honeymoon to a resort where he had a conference so he could use the trip as a tax write-off. She just sat on the beach the whole time, talking to cabana boys.

My father’s second visit here, I came into the visiting cell and he looked up at me like he was going to chair a meeting. He had a pad of paper and a pen. “Tell me what happened. I’m getting you the best lawyer. I’ll see Sergei is put away forever.” He was talking really fast. He was all business, just writing notes, doing damage control. Clean-shaven. Not like the first time, when he still cared enough about me to be upset.

I said Sergei was going to tell them what really happened. He wasn’t all bad, I told my father. I mean, who is all bad? Sergei wasn’t going to let them put me away for something he was responsible for. He promised when the police arrived at the pond that he would make sure they knew the truth, how I was totally innocent. Sergei would keep his word.

My father nodded, playing with his pen. It drove me crazy that he wouldn’t even look me in the eye. It was like he didn’t believe a word I was saying.

But at least he didn’t just sit there saying nothing, like he’s doing now.

Lulu was everywhere after that time we saw her at the store. We drove by her once and she was walking her big white poodle, and she gave us a flutter of her hand and a smile, and of course, she winked. I could see her, even though we were driving fast. Sergei said there was no way I could have seen her from so far away, how I was starting to act crazy, really paranoid. Well, I could feel my face turn red when he said this.

“Crazy? Me, crazy?” And I put my hand on the door handle and opened the door. “Maybe I’ll just hop out right here. How about that? I’m sure my father would love to know you pushed me out of the car.” Of course I would never have jumped out but Sergei didn’t know that, did he?