care room

mily is very concerned ab

hand. "You doing okay, hon

was the truth, in a w

eal, but the old agony in

fussing over Jessica, who was propped on a gurney, her face a mask of b

erfect tablea

nvisibl

ying smile. "Oh, Sarah, you poor thing. A

was syru

ssively, not even looking at me. "

e needs to be more careful. Especially ar

truly sick in fifteen years. But it w

ble, before returning to Jessica. "Ju

ca, the fragile victim. Sa

red count

scraping her knee, then crying unt

nly for it to be found in my school bag, followed b

s" before my art scholarship i

Each time, my parents siding with her,

their deception, had

e: the jealous, unstable younger s

memories was still

e need to make them see, to make E

as the

ld never

ld nev

ouldn't try to claw my way back to

at's what

eant being u

in the guest room they'd assigned me, away from

oorframe, a smug little

g with false sympathy. "Such a shame you have to l

g me. Prodding

would have ris

d, my voice even. I continued pa

ngagement. "And Ethan... well, he's so happy, Sarah. We're so happy

was clear. Someo

at her. I fo

for you bo

ion she wanted. She needed me to be upse