“I saw the AP wires at about nine-thirty saying that Jesse had found you. I kept calling him and calling him, then I took the first flight I could get down here. He finally called me back about an hour ago and told me where you were staying. Mariska tracked down the contact information of the people who own this place, and I reached them a little while ago,” Mom continues. “Bev D’Angelo let me in. She’s downstairs. The press is still camped outside. They think you’re in the restaurant.”

I feel mortified. I don’t know what to say. I stare at my mother.

“Star, honey, can I come in?” she asks after a moment. I think she’s feeling uncomfortable as I stare her down. That’s really not my intention, but I can’t help it that I’m mad, can I?

“Whatever,” I finally say, moving aside slightly so she has to squeeze past me to get into the tiny apartment.

She avoids my glance and instead surveys the room, her eyes widening.

“This is where you’ve been staying?” I shrug. I refuse to mention that the motel where I spent much of the last week was far worse.

“Yeah,” I respond, like I’m challenging her to say anything about it. “So?”

“Oh honey,” she says. She looks at me in anguish. “I’m so sorry I drove you to this.”

“Don’t be,” I say. I try to keep my voice cold, although her apology has surprised me a bit. “I like it here. Better than I liked my life in your world, anyhow.”

“Look,” she says. “I know I haven’t been the perfect mother . . .”

I roll my eyes.

“That might be the understatement of the year,” I say. “Let’s see: you’ve kept me from my father, you’ve lied about I don’t even know how many things, and you’ve made me look foolish to the media. How am I doing so far?”

The more I talk, the angrier I feel. Because of her, I don’t even know who I am anymore.

“Star,” she says. I cross my arms over my chest and stare at her as she continues. “I am sorry. I just got so swept up in things, so carried away . . .” She pauses. She shakes her head. “No. It’s not just that. I know I made a lot of bad decisions. But honey, you have to forgive me and realize that I’m trying to do what’s best for you now.”

“Yeah, because you have a real track record of honesty,” I say sarcastically. Mom’s face looks pained, but I don’t care.

“Honey, I need to know something,” she says slowly. “Have you found your father?”

“What do you care?” I snap.

“Because, Star, he’s bad for you,” Mom says.