“I can. But I mean that I’m out of this family. Until you guys want to acknowledge about a million fucked up things that happened, I’m done.”

Her mother clutched her throat. “How could you do this?”

Eden saw her dad look away. He knew how she could do this. He’d always understood, at least more than the others, but that hadn’t changed anything.

“Eden.” Sienna’s green eyes filled with tears. “You can’t go…”

Her heart stopped. Was this the moment? Were they finally there?

Sienna wiped under her eyes. “… if you go, the bridesmaids and groomsmen will be uneven.”

Eden wished she had a pie to throw in her sister’s face. “I’m gonna be honest, Sienna. I don’t give a shit about that.”

“This is ridiculous,” her mother hissed. “It’s someone else’s special occasion and you’re here, once again making this about you.”

“Making this about me!?” Eden paused. She’d made herself a promise that whatever happened, she couldn’t—wouldn’t—get stuck arguing with her mother. She didn’t need to justify her behaviour; she just wanted to say her piece and then leave.

She spoke to her dad. “I didn’t come here to make excuses. I know I haven’t been perfect. I’ve done stupid things like the time I showed up to Mother’s Day brunch on acid and tried to pull your gardening gloves onto my feet. That was dumb and I’m sorry.”

A shadow of a smile flashed over her dad’s face, but he said nothing.

Her mother stood. “Is that why you’re here? We’re supposed to laugh about what a horrible, selfish little—”

Eden raised a hand, her gaze still fixed on her dad. “I did want your attention, I was trying to fuck things up on purpose, but that’s over. I’m going on tour and when I come back, I won’t be here for Christmas, and I won’t be here for birthdays. Write me out of the will and tell the family whatever you like because I’m done.”

Her mother’s face was lined with fury. “Then go! What are you waiting for?”

“I’ll leave as soon as I’ve said one last thing. I know families can be complicated, especially when they’re as big as ours, but what you did with David—letting me go around with him when I was fifteen and letting him date Sienna afterward. Having him over like he was never my boyfriend—that fucked me up. I can’t believe you let that happen.”

There was a moment. Birds twittered. Bees buzzed. And in each and every face, Eden saw regret. Then her father looked at the ground. Her sister stared at the sky and her mother pointed a trembling, pink-tipped finger at her. “How dare you. How—”