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“It’s all I know,” she whispered.
“Me too, and I thought that suited me, but coming here, it’s like someone’s taken a can opener to me and now all this stuff is leaking out.”
“What stuff?”
“Emotions, needs. It’s weird, I’ve been back only a few days and I’ve talked more with people here than I have in years in New York. Really talked. Laughed too. Hell, this morning I did exercise class with a group of seniors.”
“You’re kidding me?”
“I’m not, it just kind of happened.”
“I don’t know if I can open myself up again,” Charlie said. “I don’t know if I’m capable.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean, but maybe we could try with just us two, and hopefully bring in Ava when she’s ready. Plus, there’s Dad who has always loved us.”
“He should have stood up for us though, Dylan. Taken our sides instead of sitting on the fence.”
“I know it, and I think he does too now.”
“Is he really going to be okay?”
“I spoke to the doctors and they said he’d make a full recovery, it will just take time.”
They were silent for a while.
“It was hard when you left, Dylan, Ava and I were lost for a while. She would go to your room and lie on your bed because she said it made her feel closer to you.”
Christ.The image of his little sister lying there wishing he was home hurt; more than that, it made him realize how selfish he was.
“It was like one day you were there and the next gone forever. You were our leader, Dylan, and without you the wheels well and truly fell off.”
“God, I was so angry, Charlie. All I could think about was getting away from here and Mom. Getting away from everyone and everything. I didn’t want to be a Howard from Ryker Falls anymore.”
“I know, and Ava knew too, it was just hard because we had no contact with you because Mom wouldn’t give us any information on how to reach you.”
“Bitch!” The word exploded from Dylan. “God, I’m sorry, Charlie. You and Ava deserved better from your big brother.”
Dylan had gone and not looked back. He’d been an angry, confused young man, uncaring of those he’d left behind. Sure, he’d missed his sisters, but told himself they’d be fine without him.
“I can keep saying sorry, but I guess now what we need is action. So how about you and I at least try to be friends, and then maybe the sibling thing will come?”
“I guess, but it’s hard to even think of letting anyone inside when you’ve kept yourself isolated for so long.”
“You and Ava didn’t keep in touch either?”
Charlie shook her head but didn’t elaborate, so Dylan didn’t push.
“Tell me what’s happened, Charlie. I really do want to help you if I can.”
She looked out the window across the water to the strip of island that had always been inhabited by what the locals had called the hippy community.
“I just received a phone call from my boss at the bank. They fired me.”
“Why?”
“Supposedly they have proof that I was filtering money from someone’s account into one I had set up. As I’d only been doing it a month, they are dismissing me instantly, but there will be no charges as the money was recovered.”
“Jesus, Charlie!”
