zzing with conversations and the clinking of glasses. My presence caused a ripple of wh
st as I reached the door, I heard their v
h asked, her voice low and anxious. "What if
night? He's a ghost. Besides, Mom and Dad have him so twisted up with guilt,
d M
failure. It was easy. Kids just want the fun u
over me, so intense I thought I would collapse. The sound in my ears was like rushing wa
. They froze, Sarah' s wine glass halfway to her li
ned smile. "Ethan! There you are. We were
"Just getting my beautiful s
as so blatant it
ething?" I asked, my v
"We're family. What's mine is yours, right?"
her face falling. She took a step back, moving to stand behind Liam as if for protection. In her haste, she almost called him 'Dad'. The slip was barely aud
er face was a
er a moment later, a perfect p
Sarah asked, her brow furrowed w
st enjoying my last party as a free ma
t on them. Or they
stress of the past few weeks was manifesting physically. I p
h asked, her concern
ough. "Oh, this air... it's doing a number on my allergi
l attention s
my mother cried, rushing o
hair," my father sa
d on Liam' s back. "Just b
venience. His was a tragedy. In that moment, the full, crushing weight of my place in thi
d at me with pure venom. "See? You always ha
f reality, were the final straw. A wave o
rowd that had gathered around my replacement. Each step was a monumental
d a cab, the cramp in my gut so severe I could barely speak t
he emergenc