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Lisa’s features twist into anguish, her body visibly shaking. I’m trying to keep up with the conversation and watch the gun she’s waving around like she’s never used one before. The longer she talks, the more time I have to figure this out.
“But she’s the reason I never got to say goodbye!” she screams, and all of us jump at the outburst. My gaze is trained only on the gun.
“She stole everything from me. Your precious little princess. My career, my family, my life.” Lisa’s bitterness coats everything in the room with a thick discomfort. Cooper is inching closer and meets my eye. Keep her distracted.
“What the fuck is even happening right now?” I ask, playing dumb. “What kind of person goes to this much shit to get back at someone who was a kid when your mom died?”
Lisa whips her glare at me, and it gives Cooper some space to move. Still slowly. Anything too fast will tip her off.
“Everything was about her. Everyone contorted themselves to give her the world. We were required to sacrifice everything to make sure Nova had anything she wanted.”
“I almost died, Lisa,” Nova says, and I remember when she told me about the MS. The brain infection she had as a child altered her life and family forever.
“My Mama did die!” Lisa spits at Ronnie. “Nobody made sure she had what she needed. None of you cared a lick about her. And then you went ahead and gave my promotion to Nova. Everything I lost was for nothing. Everything I worked for to make Mama’s life better was wasted. This is why rich folks stay rich while everyone else gets poorer.”
Ronnie’s struck silent at this admission, and if Lisa weren’t swinging a gun around threatening the woman I love, I’d maybe agree with her a little.
“I wanted to make Nova understand what it feels like to be motherless. To rid her of everyone that loved her. That’s why I forced her sister to betray her. But she wouldn’t listen. She wouldn’t stay away. He made her brave.” Lisa turns her attention to Nova, whose eyes are wide and glassy, her hand over her mouth like she’s in shock. “So, I have no choice but to actually make you motherless.”
The truth of her words doesn’t register as fast as her movements do. Lisa lifts her gun, pointing it at Ronnie, and my actions are automatic. I don’t think I just move. This time, I don’t freeze.
This time, I can protect her.
“Down,” I yell, spinning to face Ronnie.
She ducks as the loudbangrings out, followed by an explosion of glass.
My body rocks forward, and Ronnie catches me as pain explodes through my body.
