pte

en, like the anger had been sucked out and replaced with shame. She turned to Sophie, her voice trembling, "I'm so

change the way you handle things. I stepped forward, gently taking Soph

e like yelling, if you asked me. Sophie followed me without a word as I led her into the shared bedr

. She held each one up like she was choosing a dress for prom. I let her take her time, even c

on the edge of the bed and grabbed the brush from the stand, gently working through her wavy blonde hair. I starte

an and why doe

s in her hair were suddenly a lot easier

n't even know what he looked like-Mom had stashed away al

at me. "What's so complicat

dge them. She was smart. If I didn't tell her now, she'd find out eventually-an

mber anythin

ed a great man," she

her that? What a complete lie. He was not

t man, either. He left when you were only

voice cracked, h

"He left nine years ago and has neve

dled with the hem of her pajama top. "Y

not trusting my voi

hand-the one I'd cut ea

oom to the dresser and pulled out a few band-aids, carefully covering th

ow, "I'm scared. I don't know what to t

do, but what I think shouldn't affect your opinion of him. I don't know w

nt, then nodded. Her finger

walls were still too thin to mask the tension hanging in the air like smoke. Mom had calmed down, at leas

t surreal. This man. Our father.

from me," Mom said, her vo

his family. "I just thought we could all leave this place. I'll give you a new, more fit styling

ist. "I'm sure Cassandra would like to go

forced, like he was trying to play catch-up by saying all the

oolly. "But that doesn't mean I

ickly masked it. "It's not c

lded. "Now you care

"I made mistakes. I admit that. But I want t

. You didn't write. You didn't call. You didn't care. Now you show up, what, thinkin

looked down at her. Her eyes were wide

e said, his voice a little quieter

"And honesty. Two things you didn't both

ted to argue but then

with tension and unspoken thin

o to my

d quickly, pulling her into

d too. She let go of my hand and qu

hings to say, and

him flatly. "We don't owe you anyt

d. And for once,

ll didn't

't sure I