“He didn’t have an answer to my question. He told me he was a changed man, and he didn’t hit women and kids anymore. I drove him home, and that’s when he introduced me to Cora and Rylee. He told Rylee to make us something to eat, and then I noticed she was wearing a turtleneck sweater and would flinch and act so scared around me or him. Cora was sitting on the couch and I told her that I was her brother. She asked me a ton of questions about my life. Then she asked me if I wanted to see her room. I told her yeah, whatever. When I got there, she told me about the bruised marks on her mom, and she told me that when they went to bed, she would hear shouting and her mom telling him to stop, that he’s hurting her. When Dad popped his head in the door, asking what we’re talking about, I lied to him and told she was telling me about her manga collection. Cora asked him if he could give her a ride to her friend’s house, and I volunteered to do it.”

Alana hugs me tight.

“So I dropped Cora off, then on my way home I was coming up with ways to get Rylee and Cora out of the situation. I got drunk and passed out on the floor. The next morning, I got a phone call from Rylee saying Dad shot himself in the head, and he was dead.” I grow quiet. My heart beats rapidly, like it’s going to burst in my ribcage, and I want to vomit.

I had to leave out what actually happened that night because this isn’t the time to tell her what really went down, and I’m not going to rat my own ass out.

“I’m so fucking pissed at you,” she says, pulling away from our embrace.

“I know. I’ve been a shitty brother.”

“Damn right you have been.”

Several minutes later, Darien walks downstairs with Cydney in his arms. His dark hair sticks up as he rubs his eyes. He looks like he just woke up from a nap.

“It’s time to go home, Darien.”

Darien’s eyes dart between me and Alana and confusion colors his face. “What’s wrong, Siren?”

“Just . . . I want to get the hell out of here.”

They pack up Cydney’s Winnie the Pooh playpen, then they leave.

Just fucking great. Now my sister is pissed off at me. But I have no one to blame but myself. I made my bed, now I must lie in it.