Looking back on it, I'm glad my mom didn't go to the party. It would have just added to the drama.

Around 4:30, I rode the bus home to change. I think by that point, everyone had discovered that I didn't have a chauffeur, or at least a daddy with a nice car, and every adult offered me a ride home. Kendall even invited me to try out her newly renovated limousine ("The flat-screen's even bigger now! Stupid Daddy still won't agree to put in the hot tub, though, the cheapskate.") but I refused them all. I wasn't ready to have every embarrassing detail of my life revealed.

Despite my self-assurance that everything was fine, I was hit with another wave of sadness as I entered the empty house. I wondered how long she would be gone this time, and if it even mattered anymore. I attempted to push these feelings away as I threw on what I hoped was a good family party outfit.

The people of Whistlewood studios really take the term "family party" seriously. I felt like I was crashing someone else's family reunion as I pushed into the crowded main room. I scanned the crowd and slowly began to make out the faces of my fellow cast mates.

Liz was standing with a little boy and an older woman, chatting happily with Emily and a man I could only assume was her husband. Or rather, Liz and her mom were speaking to Emily's husband, while her son was talking energetically to Emily, saying things like "Aunt Emily! I caught a lizard in the backyard today! Grandma said I had to put it back, though."

Mark was introducing a woman I later learned was his girlfriend to some ladies from the makeup department. I had always felt that the makeup girls were snooty, but they didn't seem to be visibly annoyed by the couple. That said, they didn't stay long and mostly congregated together the rest of the night.

Kendall was standing by the bathrooms, looking back and forth somewhat anxiously. I thought she was alone until a girl seeming to be in her early twenties fought her way out of the crowd angrily. I didn't know who the girl was, but the two did not seem happy with each other at the moment. I thought she may be Kendall's sister.

The only one who seemed to be truly alone was Shawn. He was standing in a corner studying his designer leather shoes. I wandered over to him.

"Hey," I said as I approached.

He looked up, startled.

"Hey."

We stood awkwardly for a moment before he asked, "Where's your people?"

I cringed inwardly.

"My mom had to go out of town." I then decided to take a chance. "What about you? Where's your family?"

"Don't have anyone," he said simply. "I thought about bringing my butler, but I didn't want people to get the wrong idea."

I had trouble believing that.

"Come on," I said, "you're mega famous! I thought you'd have lines of girls a mile long wanting to date you."

His expression darkened slightly.

"Oh, there is. I'm just not interested in any of them."

I noticed that Shawn's gaze was always straying toward the front of the room. I followed it back to where Liz's and Emily's families were. The adults were still talking and Liz's son was still explaining his neighborhood's wildlife to Emily, who was listening intently and smiling in genuine interest, as if there was nothing that she would rather be doing at a party than listening to a four year-old list the names of the spiders he had found in his garage.

I smiled slightly, but was surprised to see Shawn glaring. I could almost hear the criticism likely flying through his mind as he watched the group.

I wanted to ask him why he still hated her after all this time. I wanted to ask him if he knew how badly it hurt her, and if he even cared.

We both watched as the boy grabbed Emily's hand and half led, half dragged her to the snack table, both of them laughing like they were having the time of their lives. It wasn't until a few seconds later that I realized my eyes alone were following the pair. Shawn's remained fixed in the exact same position they had been all along, and it was only then that I realized the reason why.

Now that Emily and the boy had moved, we had a clear view of their families. Emily's husband, Steve, was saying something to Liz and her mother. They all laughed loudly. Shawn snorted. Liz then exchanged a few words and she and her mom turned away, waving at Steve in goodbye.

Steve turned as well, scanning the crowd for his wife. He found her a moment later, talking to Mark and his girlfriend and gently tugged at her elbow, leading her away from them. The way she smiled at him as they walked through the throng reminded me of a romantic movie scene. I almost expected them to start waltzing. Shawn's eyes had narrowed into slits.

He suddenly surprised me by moving briskly into the crowd, and intercepted them about ten feet from where I continued to stand, slack-jawed.

The way he stepped in front of the couple was slightly aggressive, but if they noticed, they gave no indication. Shawn held out his hand roughly to Steve.

"Shawn Laws," he said by way of greeting. "I work with your wife. I play her, well, other half."

Steve shook his hand while Emily stared, her eyes flitting back and forth between them, half bewildered, half apprehensive.

"I'm Steve," Steve said.

"I know," Shawn replied, then added, "You have a large reputation."

"And a good one, I hope," said Steve, chuckling.

Shawn tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace.

Emily was still staring at Shawn. There was something in her eye, as if she were trying to warn him to keep things cordial.

"I think I remember you from somewhere," Steve continued. "You were at that award ceremony we went to some years ago."

"Probably," Shawn said, "I do win awards a lot."

Emily's eyes widened, but Steve didn't seem to notice anything.

"Or maybe," Steve continued, "I've just heard so much about you I feel like I know you already."

"You probably have," countered Shawn. "I have been doing a lot of interviews lately. Probably because of all the success I've been having with my career."

"Or maybe," Steve's face hardened, "I remember you because you're the one who I have to constantly be reminded of. The loser who, to this day, tries with all his might to make my wife miserable."

Emily closed her eyes as if she had been waiting all night for this to come up.

Steve wasn't done.

"Do you know what's funny? Every day I'm compared to you. Everyday people wonder what I have to offer that could possibly be better than the great Shawn Laws. But, you know what--"

"Guess what!"

Emily pushed her way between them. It was kind of weird seeing her sandwiched in, looking like she was being swallowed in their vastness. She stared at Shawn in disapproval.

"Why don't we talk about something a little more civil? Did you know that Steve here is a doctor? He--"

"Oh, there it is! That never fails to be brought up--" Shawn began.

"Oh, but of course we all know what you do Mr. Laws," Steve interrupted. "How's that top priority career coming?"

Emily suddenly looked sick. I couldn't hear anything through the noise of the crowd, but I could see her chest begin to rise and fall rapidly. The two men didn't seem to notice anything.

"You pompous, jerky little--" Steve began.

"At least I can afford to be pompous and jerky. How much do you make in a year? Minimum Wage?"

"Evidently, you know nothing about the medical field. Of course, I would expect such stupidity from your kind--"

Emily suddenly grabbed Steve's arm, her face pale.

"I have to go home!"

Steve finally turned his attention from the fuming Shawn and assessed the situation. His eyes swept quickly over his gasping wife.

"I want to leave," she restated, leaning against him.

"Okay," Steve said, leading her toward the door.

Shawn remained rooted to the spot, glaring after them.

The party was pretty boring after that. Around 10 o'clock, I caught up with Mark's and Liz's crews. I was introduced to Liz's mom, Nancy Evans, who was one of the sweetest and scariest ladies ever, and her son, Ben.

I learned that Mark's girlfriend had had to leave early because she had work in the morning but had insisted Mark stay and enjoy the rest of the party. I guess they hadn't had much fun either.

The Evans's excused themselves soon after and I was left alone with Mark. We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes, watching the party wind down.

Kendall was still dodging that girl she had been with.

"I guess she wasn't too happy having the nanny as her plus-one," Mark said.

"What?" I hadn't realized the girl was Kendall's nanny.

"Yeah, it's difficult not having your dad around."

I knew that.

"What about her mom?"

Mark snorted. "I'm not even sure who that is. Apparently there was a nasty divorce when Kendall was really little. She just lives with her dad now. Not that you could call the situation living with him."

I knew her dad was a famous director, but I had never considered that he may be away often. I wished I could say that I couldn't imagine how that would be.

I knew how the single parent life worked. I had never known who my dad was. He was long gone before I was even born. I don't want to say that my mom is a terrible parent. I think she tried in her own twisted way, but I wouldn't consider mine a conventional childhood.

My mom having a job never really fit into our family's plans. I supposed I liked that as a child, but you can only live in ignorance for so long. Eventually I realized that you need money to live, and what we were doing was not living. Once again, I thanked my lucky stars to have this new opportunity.

"That's--" I tried to think of something to say, "that's...too bad."

Mark moved away soon after, leaving me alone in the rapidly fading party lights, realizing that celebrity families are nothing like I had imagined.