A tingly heat creeps up my neck. Elliot scrolls through the website. Sayers Medium Service is in bright, bold letters at the top of the page. I’ve probably told Jackson thirty times I didn’t want anything related to our mother on the website. I lean over Elliot’s shoulder and see numerous rows of YouTube videos of her in psychic garb. Instead of yelling at Jackson, I focus on digging my fingernails in my forearm.

Elliot reads over the website. “I thought we were losing the articles.”

Jackson waves his hand as if shooing a fly. “Why? Because Ange wanted to?” He turns his attention to Beth. End of discussion.

Elliot glances in my direction. He hands the phone back to Jackson. “Cool,” he says dismissively. Jackson just grins.

I grab the vodka and refill my shot glass. With one quick motion, I tilt my head back and down the liquor. Then I fill the shot glass again.

“There you go, sis!” Jackson cheers.

I can feel Elliot’s gaze as I swallow the harsh liquid. The burn is slow and sweet. No wonder my father likes this stuff. Forcing a smile, I grab Elliot’s hand.

“Come on. Let’s dance!” I say, pulling him away from the table.

The dance floor is already packed with sweating bodies. It’s hard to breathe as we sway under the swirling lights. The bass reverberates under my skin. Elliot leans in, whispering in my ear. I feel his hot breath on my neck, but when I look up I stare into the face of someone I’ve never met. Scanning the crowd, I see Elliot’s not even close to me, but at the bar. How did that happen? He’s talking to a girl with long eyelashes who smiles at whatever he says.

A wave of jealousy swells within me, but I push it down, closing my eyes. My sweaty hair sticks to my face. For just a moment, as the bloops and blips take over, I’ve lost myself. I’m just another body dancing in the dark, bumping up against strangers. I let the pain of what I can’t have wash away.

And it feels great. I’m just like everyone else, dancing, laughing. Jackson howls to the DJ, suddenly beside me. He jumps up and down. I let out a little yelp and raise my arms to the flickering lights.

My hazy eyes drift around, searching through the tangle of arms and legs. The room spins. People laugh and flirt. I rock my head to the music. Through the crowd, halfway to the bar, a small shadow crouches by itself. Not moving.