It was two words but the most shameful ones I ever said in my life. “The condoms.”

We touched on this before, but I let her repeat some of the story. It was good for her… and me. Considering what we did to each other, this needed revisiting.

Her forehead scrunched. “My older brother wanted to get me knocked up.” Eyes that were formerly full of shame now lit with anger. “Figured if that’s where we’re taking things, I could get you pregnant first.” It was a full minute before she spoke. “We both did rotten things to each other and need to atone for.”

“So where does this leave us?” I asked.

Her voice was tiny, “I’ve always wanted a real brother. I had a relative in our house, but he didn’t love me. I hate to think I’ll never have one…”

Nobody said anything as seconds ticked by.

***

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

PETER

For whatever reason, she spoke first. “For what it’s worth… I forgive you.”

I was about to speak when she continued. “Nate would have found a way. I keep telling myself that. I have to believe that. Otherwise… what I did gave him the idea to attack you. Still, they were my sleeping pills.” She looked down. I’m sure it wasn’t to avoid my gaze. Rather to look back into that night with a man leaning over her brother. Those were the eyes of somebody replaying the past.

She hugged herself and I saw a shiver. “There on the ground were the pills I used in your drinks.” Her voice turned hallow, “You were asleep, and I used your fingers to change the test. He used my bottle for something else.”

She looked directly into the view-screen. “You’re protected. You got a man nobody’s going to mess with. I wanted my brother to know what it was like to be a woman but never that lesson. I would have never done anything like that.” More tears went down my face as did hers. Almost like each other’s cry magnified the effect.

My voice was quick. “I forgive you.” I don’t know if I could thank her for my new life, but I knew I couldn’t hate her for it. “We should be a brother and sister,” I whispered. I held my hand up in the international ‘Give me a moment’ gesture. I made sure Taylor was in his crib before I let myself go.

Off-camera I spent a few minutes letting tears fall. The old me would have said they were Omega hormones, but I felt something that wasn’t hate anymore. It wasn’t sad, but cathartic. This level of emotions was new – even overpowering.