I chose to deal with the most difficult conversation first. I slogged to my room then tossed my laptop on the bed and immediately opened up Skype. My finger hovered over the Start Call button to my sister for several seconds before I hit it.

When Akos answered, she wasted no time. “Shit, Abbie, we have all been worried sick about you. Do you know how many messages we’ve left? Mom and Dad have been beside themselves.”

And so it began. “I'm not sure why. I called and left Mom a message, and I tried to Skype Dad yesterday, but he didn’t answer.”

Akosua blew out an exasperated sigh. “Well, that's not the point. You know full well your taking off like this isn't good for them. I mean they're old, for Christ’s sake.” My sister gesticulated wildly, waving her arms about as she tried to make her point. “Abbie, you can’t just take off on the family.”

“Well, if you remember, I didn’t exactly ‘just take off.’ I’m at school.”

“Look, the point is that you said you would put it on hold for at least a year to wait for Easton, then you turn around and decide to suddenly go. With no word as to why. I mean, can you imagine how Easton feels?”

No, but I could imagine how it would feel to dole out some of the same bullshit he’d force fed me for years. I forced myself to take a breath. And they all wondered why I ran away and didn’t call. I tried to get my sister back to her point. “Akos, you have been calling me urgently, and you've sent no less than four emails about my apartment, so what's the matter?”

“Well, we need to have paperwork signed for a new renter. But Easton says he wants to just stay there.”

I frowned. “He cannot stay there.” My stomach rolled. I couldn’t tolerate the idea of him in that place.

“Look, okay, you guys broke up or whatever, but he’s still a guaranteed renter, and I don’t have time to play property landlord till you get back. What’s so bad about him staying there for now? He’s your boyfriend.”

“Ex.” I corrected automatically. I wondered how my sister would feel if she found out how Easton really was. How he’d treated me. What I’d put up with for far too long. But Akos had never been the one I could confide in. She was nearly ten years older and too similar to our mother.

“Whatever. I started interviewing renters, and out of the pool of ten, four were promising. I've pulled their credit checks. I need you to sign and scan one of the agreements back to me. I just think it would be better if—”

I didn’t let my sister finish. “Not Easton. I’m done talking about him.”