tion had dulled, but the weight of it never left. I was in G

ce was weak, straine

lled me. "Alex?

d, little brother. Doctors f

some twisted version of the

ome," I said,

was a blur of anxiety. Alex was

g at our parents' old house, which he now lived in. He look

anized a small "welcome home/Alex is

faces, of the past dredging itself up, was terrif

I tried to blend into the

I saw

iv

le. More beautiful than I remembered. Successful, c

my throat. Six year

ion party, spotted me. One of them, a blonde

ed. Her eye

nt, the wo

friends

y god, it's

d you we

k and fast. Where had I

he inev

aid, her eyes glinting. "Still single? Or did you finall

ia was watching me, he

o protect her from the s

way. For her own go

tone, "I'm with someone. Met her in G

t like ash

something – pain? Disappointment? – crossed her featu

at the graduation party. M

s trying to r