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“I know, but he knows family issues.”
“I think I might just go to sleep,” I say, turning to go back to the bedroom.
“Adora.” I stop. “Goodnight.”
I say, “Goodnight,” and head back to bed.
That night, Scott was in my nightmares instead.
* * *
Abigail is waitingout front for me when I step out. Jerome smiles up at her, and she doesn’t even bother returning it.
“Why are you here again?” I ask. This time she didn’t come up to the door. Instead, she chose to wait for me downstairs at the front of the building.
“Do you not want to see me? You know the reason I’m in this mess is because of you,” she says. Her voice is high, but she isn’t screaming.
“I did not tell you to get in that car with those men. You chose that. Then you proceeded to follow those men back here. So do not play the victim card, Abigail.” Jerome tugs my hand. “I have to walk Jerome to school.” As I head down the sidewalk, she comes up beside me. I don’t tell her to go away because, despite everything, she is my sister.
“Do you know how he found you?” she asks. I look down at Jerome, who is too busy watching the cars drive by to pay us any attention. “You sent me a letter. The return address was your bookstore.” She smiles, and I take a deep breath as a wave of nausea hits me.
No.
No.
No.
“You’re lying,” I snap as we get to the school. The teacher takes Jerome’s hand, and I kiss him and sign him in for the day. He doesn’t even pause before he runs off, too excited to play with his friends. Abigail stays back at the gate, waiting for me. The teacher offers her a small wave, and she returns it before I make my way back to her.
“You would like to believe that, wouldn’t you? That I was lying.”
“Yes.”
“Pity, really. I was mad at you. Found his address and sent it to him,” she says simply. “He didn’t even know it was me.”
“I’m sorry you have so much hate in you. I’m sorry that you think the world owes you something.” I shake my head.
I can’t fix her.
I can’t keep on helping her and trying and trying.
It doesn’t get me anywhere.
“Becca, that was her name, right? The one you were with before Joey?” she continues as I start walking ahead, not wanting to speak to her anymore. If I do, I know I’ll say something Iwillregret. And unlike her, I care. “Here you were, living your best life while I was trapped in a boarding school.”
I spin around to face her, getting right in her face. “That was a great school. I picked that school for the privacy and freedom you got with it. There was not a better school,” I argue.
She doesn’t even react. “Yeah, it was great. But what would have been better was having someone who loved me. Papa loved me.”
I throw my hands up in the air, withholding the scream that wants to tear from my throat.She doesn’t get it.
“Okay, let’s make me the villain. You’re good at that. Aren’t you? Just like he was. Never taking accountability. It was his downfall in the end.” I smile at her, the same smile she’s been showcasing.
“Do you plan to kill me too?” she asks, glaring as she looks at me.
“Push me, and I very well might.”
“If she won’t, I will.” Joey’s voice echoes from behind me.
