I Pay Strangers to Be My Dad

Summary

Ever since Mom loses the baby, Dad has been spending his time keeping his late classmate's wife company. So I take scissors to our family photos, cutting him out of every single one.

When Mom receives a call from my school, she overhears me telling a classmate that my dad is dead and asking if I can borrow theirs instead.

Mom freezes for a moment before admitting, "Yeah, he died young."

When family sports day rolls around, Mom catches me slipping a ten-dollar bill to the school guard, begging him to pretend to be my dad for the day.