You should have calledas soon as it happened,she corrects, glaring at me as she blindly opens the car’s rear door.Her laser-focused death glare leaves me, then turns soft as she reaches inside for Harper.
I stand motionless as Dani unbuckles a sleeping Harper and hoists her into her arms.The bright orange cast over her wrist is hard to miss.Once Harper is secure in her arms, Dani’s attention is back on me.
Chills dance down my spine when Dani whisper-hisses,I can’t believe you waited this long to tell me.I could kill you.And orange, seriously?You couldn’t have gotten her to agree to a more adaptable colour?A neutral, maybe?
Before I’m able to get a word out, she’s marching past me.I fling my arms out in awhat more could I have donegesture, and they flop back to my sides as I watch Dani and Harper disappear into the house.Looking up to the dark, cloudy sky, I ask for divine patience.
With nothing else to do in the chilly dusk, I brace myself for the fight of my life and head into my sister’s house.
I close the door slowly, hoping to not make any noise and call attention to myself.I cringe at the soft click and freeze, waiting for hell to rain down on me…but nothing happens.Scanning the main area, I spot Harper in the living room, blinking sleepy eyes and just waking from her post-hospital nap.The brave girl deserves her rest.She’s potentially going to be as mad at me as her mother when she finds out I didn’t stop for any fast-food goodies on our way here.
I’ll have to bribe her another time because right now, I need to use her as a human shield against her mother.
I can hear Dani in the kitchen, already talking to herself in a hushed, angry tone, no doubt gearing up to rip me to shreds.
I’m not going to let that happen.We are going to have a reasonable conversation, where I’m able to explain everything and defend my choices.With my niece sitting between us as a wall of defense.
Toeing off my runners, I tiptoe my way into the living room.I’m seconds away from snuggling with Harper on the sofa when a booming voice stops me in my tracks.
Absolutely not.Get your sorry butt over here, Sidney.
Son of a bitch.I hate when she usesthatvoice on me.She soundsjustlike Mom.
And I will tell her that.Someday.When I want to make her mad.Today is not that day.
I am a professional athlete.A grown-ass man, weighing a hundred and eighty-six pounds, with reflexes like a damn cat.I’ve lived away from home since I was sixteen and travelled solo more times than I care to remember.Not much makes me nervous.
But my sister is not someone to mess with.
She may be five-foot-whatever, with a sweet face and an endearing smile, but she can flip personas in seconds and become Satan’s second-in-command.It’s honestly terrifying to witness.
I clear my throat and step into the kitchen like I’m approaching a bear in the wild.A small bear.A cute bear.A bear that could absolutely rip my face off if provoked.Dani stands at the counter, arms crossed, foot tapping, her expression so thunderous it should probably come with a weather advisory.
Before you start,I say, hands up,I need you to remember that I love you.And Harper.And I did the best I could under extremely chaotic circumstances.
Her brows rise.You mean the circumstances where my child broke her armand her uncle—the responsible adult on duty—didn’t call me?
She fractured her wrist,I stupidly correct.And Ididcall you!
Not soon enough.
Dani.I drag a hand down my face, searching for the right words, the ones that won’t send her into a maternal rage spiral.You were literally in the middle of an exam.You told me last week you couldn’t miss it.Not for anything.Not unless someone was actively on fire or dead.Andyou’re also forgetting the fact that even if I texted you the moment it happened, you didn’t have your cell on you.
Her eyes narrow even more, mouth opening—ready to retort—but I barrel on before she can.
And Harper was…look, she was panicking.Full meltdown.Tears, snot, the whole nine yards.I had to get her in the car.Then I had to get her calm enough to tell me what happened.Then I had to get her through the hospital parking lot, which, side note, charges criminal prices.And then—
I break off, exhaling hard.Dani softens.Not much.But enough that I think maybe—maybe—I won’t die tonight.I’ll just escape with minor bruising and a crushed ego.
I lower my voice.
I didn’t want you to get distracted, or fail your exam, or worry before I knew what we were dealing with.I…thought I could handle it.
Her eyes flick over me, searching.And you did.
I shrug helplessly.More or less.
Dani sighs.I have a feeling she’s about to apologize and tell me I’m the best uncle in the world when a booming voice scares me half to death.
