Beth, who I’ve loved and protected since the day my parents took her in.
But Elle is right. Beth is her sister, and she was taken from her.
I glance down at the ink covering my forearm. She bit me. She was just a kid. A terrified, screaming little girl whose sister was being ripped away.
And I was the one who did it.
***
“Sweetheart, I thought you had plans,” Mom says as she opens the front door. Her cheerful tone falters the moment she sees my face. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to talk to you and Dad,” I say. “After dinner. Can we just... table it for now?”
“Hey, big brother,” Seth says as he pulls me into a quick hug. “Where’ve you been hiding?”
“Just busy at the shop,” I say, dodging any mention of the new neighbor. “Where’s Nate?”
“He and Dad are on their way,” Mom chimes in from the kitchen. "They just left the office."
“I thought he was on vacation this week.”
“He was,” Seth says, grabbing a handful of chips. “But Dad needed help with the Matthews estate, so Nate cut it short and came back a day early.”
“And Bethy?” I ask, the tightness in my chest returning.Please let me get through dinner without breaking into a sweat, or worse, tears.
“She went home with Paula after the game,” Mom says. “And I dropped off Hannah so she could play with Emily for a couple of hours. They should be home any minute.”
“Hannah and Emily have been inseparable since Emily’s birthday party last month,” I say, smiling at the memory of Elle helping Hannah pick out the perfect gift.
“What’s for dinner?” I ask, inhaling the mouthwatering mix of onions, garlic, and bell peppers.
“Fajitas,” Thomas says proudly. He’s a chef and will soon be opening a restaurant in Milton. He’s a pro when it comes to anything grilled.
“Here they are!” Mom calls out as the front door flies open and my daughter bursts in, all energy and momentum, with Beth right behind her, lugging her soccer gear.
“Daddy!” Hannah squeals, launching herself at me.
“How are my two favorite young ladies?” I say, scooping Hannah into my arms.
“Hi Cal!” Beth says brightly as she kicks the door shut behind her. “We won!”
“Of course you did," I say, "Our secret weapon came through again, huh?”
She beams. “Two saves in the second half. Coach called me ‘a wall.’”
“Have you eaten?” Thomas asks from the kitchen, flipping a tortilla with dramatic flair.
"No," Beth says. "I'm starving."
“You crushed it," I say, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I’m proud of you.”
Beth drops onto the stool at the kitchen island, reaching for a slice of bell pepper. “Paula’s mom had cupcakes though. I may have had two.”
“Is that why you're bouncing off the walls?" Seth teases, grabbing a soda from the fridge.
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
