Page 112 of Her Ex-Husband's Brother

I sigh impatiently. “You want me to double-check my first assumptions. Look, I know I sound super fucking paranoid when it comes to my brother. Iknowthese sound like paranoid delusions.”

But then I look Dr. Delaney in the eye. “But what if he justisan evil motherfucker and Lennonisin danger? What then?”

“Then I suggest you get the authorities involved.”

“And say what?” I shove the rolling chair back from the desk, frustrated. “Hell, not even you believe me, doc. You think they’re gonna?”

“I didn’t say that,” he says calmly. “I just want us to consider all possibilities. We’ve worked hard on radical acceptance that your mind doesn’t always work the way neurotypical brains do. That’s okay. And it’s very possible that in the family system you grew up in, your brother may have developed a disorder that might be located in the DSM-5, too. From the way you’ve described your mother…”

He trails off, frowning. “I can’t speculate about a person I’ve never met, but I’ll just say it’s certainly possible considering yourfamily history. Frankly, August, it’s a miracle that you’ve come out as healthy as you have. I hope you recognize how far you’ve come and are proud of the strides you’ve made.”

Now I look at him likehe’scrazy. “Even though you think I’m in the middle of a psychotic break?”

He smiles a little sardonically. “That’s putting words in my mouth. I think you’re probably in the middle of some very dysregulating events with your family. I can’t know what is really happening, and that’s not actually my concern. My concern isyou. Have you been sleeping? Continuing with your exercise routine and sticking to your regulation methods?”

I drag a hand down my face, one eye still on the window of the house next door. “I’m sleeping maybe four hours at night altogether. I’m not at home, so no swimming for the moment. I’m just doing a couple hundred pushups each night.” I pause, another long sigh. “And I really fucking miss Owen.”

“Have you had any more contact with Priscilla?”

“I figure I’ll give her another couple days, then try calling. I’m trying to show I’m different than the old days when I’d call and text manically if there was a problem. I don’t want to force a confrontation before she’s ready. I know it’s why Jake and Mom staged that shit at her house, to fuck up my custody arrangement. So I’m trying to stay cool-headed.”

Another silence. “But you’re also staying at a rental next door to your brother. If he gets a restraining order against you, that won’t help in a custody hearing, either.”

My eyes drop to the floor.

He’s right.

I know he’s right.

I drag both hands down my face this time. Shit. I’ve got to get some sleep one of these nights. I’m afraid the next crash down will come right when Lennon needs me. But then my body stayson high alert, and it’s keeping me manic. A body can only go on this sleep-deprived for so long, though.

Then I shake my head and look back at the screen. “Lennon’s indanger. I know it. I can’t leave here knowing that.”

Dr. Delaney tries to disguise his sigh but doesn’t do a very good job of it.

And that’s when a little notification pops at the bottom of my screen. Oh my god. LennonGallagher accepted my invitation to the Minecraft Realm.

“Great session, Doc,” I say, even though we’re only twenty-five minutes into a fifty-minute-long meeting, “gotta go!”

“August—” he starts, but I’ve already shut the window before I hear any more and am opening up Minecraft.

As soon as it loads, I send an in-game private chat:

[EIGHTHMONTH: u ok?]

[LENNON: omg its so good to see u]

[EIGHTHMONTH: U OK?]

[LENNON: … yes. Tired. SO sorry no contact before – bad migraines]

Alarm tenses my muscles. Lennon talked about having migraines, but also, she never had any when we were together. And now all the sudden they come back as soon as she gets back in that house?

[EIGHTHMONTH: do u think there’s something toxic in the house? Have u checked for carbon monoxide?]

[LENNON: had them long before this house. Think it might be stress.

[EIGHTHMONTH: leave. We’ll find another way. Trust me.]