Jane, Age 14

The restaurant in White Plains is beautiful, likely one of the best in Westchester County. Massive sparkling chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, giving the room a soft glow rather than a bright light. Every part of the room seems to glitter- the centerpieces, the crystal decanters, and the jewelry of the diners all gleam, reflecting the light. The tables are spaced far apart from one another to give a sense of privacy.

The view from where Jane and her father are seated is of a courtyard filled with gardens, fountains, and fairy lights. In the spring, it will open for patio seating, but now it's left desolate and frozen, a wonderland fallen into the despair of winter.

Nothing good can come from her father taking her out to dinner. Opening night of Romeo and Juliet was exactly one week ago. Today is the first Friday in six weeks Jane didn't have to stay after school to work on costumes or sets.

Neither Jane nor her father introduces conversation until well after the food arrives. Most of the dinner consists of their cutlery clinking against their plates, or occasionally speaking to the waitress when she stops by their table.

Only a few bites of filet mignon remain on Jane's plate when her father finally speaks.

"You might have realized that your mother has left me," he says, in a tone that veers near conversational.

"Yes." Jane spears several sauteed mushrooms. "I'm aware."

"We're divorcing." Her father sips his wine. "And I'm remarrying."

Jane's fork screeches across her plate. " What ?"

"Her name is Suzanne," her father says briefly. "'Zanne' for short. She has two boys, a six-year-old and an eight-year-old. You'll be watching them for us when we're out."

"You've got to be kidding me." Jane stares at her father. "All your outrage in elementary school because I was worried you and Mom might divorce. And now you're divorcing her and instantly marrying your side dish?"

Her father flushes. "Young lady, I won't have you speaking about Zanne with that attitude-"

"Zanne can rot in hell for all I care," Jane says pleasantly. "Tell me, did Mom leave because she realize what a colossal mistake she made by marrying you, or because you told her you were divorcing her to marry the other woman?"

A moment passes in silence, and Jane's father did not respond.

"That's why Bill went to live with Uncle David, isn't it?" Jane asks quietly. "Not because of the divorce itself, but because he found out you were planning on forcing Mom out of the picture so you could start shacking up with someone else."

"You will not talk to me so disrespectfully," her father blusters. "Not with everything I do for you, all the sacrifices I make for you-"

"What about all I went through because of you and Mom?" Jane challenges. "What about the time you refused to listen when some other kid tried to drown me, and I ended up needing stitches when you made me walk home alone? What about all the arguments I've been forced to listen to because you two refused to work out your issues like adults? What about when you've been really, really obvious with your cheating? What about when Mom showed up high to one of my swim meets?

"Word got out at school about the last two incidents," Jane continues, a misplaced sense of calm washing over her. "Patti and her friends ditched me because of them. Not because of me myself, but because of my 'trainwreck family,' as they so kindly put it."

"It's not within my control that you spend your time with unreliable people," her father snipes.

"No, but it is within your control to grow up and realize your actions affect other people." Jane gazes at her father evenly. "I make mistakes, Dad. In the past month or so, I've made some pretty significant ones. But you know what? When people called me on acting like total jackass, I admitted it. I apologized. And," she adds, remembering when Diana returned her rings, and when she gave Diana makeup tips, "I worked to make up for them. Not to moralize, but I really do think admitting when you're wrong and asking for forgiveness shows strength of character."

Her father gives her a sarcastic smile. "What a nice little sermon, Jane. I really appreciate being lectured on life's virtues by a high school freshman."

"Yeah, okay." Jane stands, shoving back her chair. "I'm done with this, Dad. I'm just completely done with you and your sarcasm and your demands and your orders and your relentless bullshit. Find some other caretaker for your illegitimate children." She strides away from the table.

Sputtering, her father calls after her. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"I'm walking home," Jane informs him. "But I'm sure you're familiar with that concept, aren't you?"

Retrieving her coat from the check room, Jane tips the attendant and proceeds out the front door. The night air is bitterly cold and the wind knifes through the skirt of her gauzy cocktail dress, but powered by years of anger, pain, and frustration, the chill doesn't register to Jane.

Ever since that day when Diana ditched her to hang out with Trixie- for the second time- Jane's resented both of them. When Trixie assembled a personal clique, even outfitting them with jackets, and invited Diana to join, Jane was at once disgusted and envious. When Diana won the role of Juliet, Jane felt the same way all over again.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Trixie and Diana were raised by parents that loved them. It wasn't fair that Jane's parents hated each other more than they loved their children. It wasn't fair that Diana got to be Juliet even when she wasn't very good.

But that's the way of the world, and Jane's shoulders slump, the cold biting at her as she acknowledges the truth of the statement. Sometimes, life simply isn't fair.

But then, Jane reasons, sometimes people can be fair to each other. Jim Frayne was nice to her, even though he had no reason to be. The Lynches welcomed her into their home for the cast party, even though Diana could have turned her away. And, again today, Diana allowed Jane to help her with her makeup, even hugging her afterwards.

Before that, Jane can't even remember the last time someone hugged her.

Moving forward against the frigid winter wind, Jane begins the long walk back to Sleepyside.