himself. He even cleaned the house on weekends so she could sleep in and wouldn’t have to worry about it. He always walked several blocks to the bus stop rather than inconveniencing her for a ride or taking the car.
All because he refused to be a burden.
He had adapted, just as he always had, never requesting a change or expecting a favor in return. Only that she accept him as he was. As family should.
“You have to stop texting me. I want my life back.” He bent toward her, chasing her facial expressions when she lowered her head, needing to keep sight of her lips as she spoke. “I can’t do this anymore.”
He grabbed his phone, his fingers shaking as he typed out a short note. “Do what? Be my sister?”
Her gaze snapped to his. Those green eyes staring back at him blazed with rage. “Don’t you dare try to make me feel guilty! Don’t you dare try to hurt me like that. You think I didn’t try? I took you in, didn’t I? Gave you a roof over your head. But that wasn’t enough. You still screwed up.”
A chill rippled through his body. Over the years, he had learned to read people. He didn’t need to hear yelling to know when voices were raised. He wouldn’t deny he had screwed up. He had made a foolish mistake. One he regretted each and every day over the last two years.
But hurt someone? Hurt his sister?
No, he would never do that.
He rubbed his hands against his jeans and took a few deep breaths. He wasn’t the young, naive kid he once was, and after two years of repeatedly dissecting the tiniest of details in his mind, there was one glaring piece to the puzzle he could no longer deny.
This wasn’t about him.
“I want my life back.”
He had lost each of his parents—his father to a heart attack and his mom to a car accident a few years later. Having them suddenly ripped from his life from one day to the next had left him with no choice but to push through the grief that had torn through his heart. But this was different. He had lost his sister a little more with each passing day.
He wasn’t sure which was tougher to manage.
With her, there had still been a tiny shred of hope. Teasing him. Promising him a chance at a future again with family. But somewhere deep inside his heart, he’d known this day would come. He could no longer pretend, not when there was so much resentment and blame in her hard stare.
He took a deep breath, trying to accept what he had known for years. She wanted freedom, and he loved her enough to give her the gift she craved. He could grant her selfish wish, even if it tore his soul. He typed out another note on his phone and turned the display toward her.
She scoffed and shook her head. “Really? You’re asking about that stupid bunny. Why do you love that ugly thing?”
Because you gave it to me when you still loved me.
“It was old and worn out. It had so much patchwork it barely looked like a bunny anymore. I threw it out. I knew you wouldn’t, so I did. You’re not a kid anymore. You shouldn’t have toys.”
Toy? That toy had been his one trusted friend over the years. The one consistent piece in his life puzzle and the only source of comfort when his smiling facade had faltered while growing up.
“Don’t text me again.”
Readying the virtual scissor in his mind, he met her steely gaze and nodded.
She stood and straightened her dress. They stared at each other for a moment, another habit they seemed to share. He wanted to memorize her face, knowing it would be the last time he would ever see it again.
She turned away, walking down the few steps of the back porch toward her car. She hadn’t taken the time to learn sign language. But he had hoped she would have at least given him a wave goodbye.
She backed her car out of the rear lot, turned onto the road, then disappeared from sight.
No backward glance, no hesitation.
He sat frozen on the bench, staring at the empty space where her car had been parked. He lost track of how many times he had wiped at the wetness on his cheeks before Matt hauled him back inside the house.
He felt the weight of Julian’s and Calvin’s stares as Matt tried to