Dad stands to speak, but I'm faster.
"Hey," I say. "Don't take this out on them. It's me you're mad at."
Mom sighs. "Honey, we had our suspicions, but we didn't know for sure."
"Bullshit," Addie says. She checks me with her shoulder as she leaves the room.
"I hate all of you," she yells from the bottom of the stairs.
"You don't mean that," Mom says, squeezing her eyes shut. She looks older than her fifty-eight years right now, and when I look at Dad, his head is in his hands.
"I'm sorry," I say, because what the fuck else am I supposed to say?
"It's not us you need to apologize to," Dad says looking up.
"Are you though?" Mom asks. "Sorry?" The question isn't accusatory, but inquisitive.
I drag both hands over my face, because am I?
"That's what I thought," she says. "I'm not telling you what to do or how to fix this, because I don't know what that looks like. But sometimes, doing what you think is right is what's wrong." She gives Dad a soft smile. "We're late," she tells him.
He looks at his watch and nods. "Right behind you."
Mom pats me on the shoulder on her way to the garage.
"What the fuck did that mean?" I ask Dad.
He sighs. "Sacrifice."
And then they're gone.
And I'm left alone.
Again.
My phone is quiet, still no response from Jade. Have her and Addie made up at least? Highly doubtful based on Addie's mood this morning.
As soon as she showed me my text to her from the morning after the arcade, I should've denied it. That single text started it all.
I should've told her the truth. I didn't send it. Did I type it out? Yes. Did I want to send it? Yes. But no, that one was all the punk. It's not his fault though, he's a child. He's not to blame, I am. I should've never even entertained the idea.
But if I hadn't, I would've missed everything that came after.
What if it never happens again?
Sometimes, doing what you think is right is what's wrong.
Sacrifice.
Like letting someone go.
It starts with changing her contact name in my phone, and it's followed by the text I don't want to send.
Am I finding a new assistant?
Jade
…
