“Tell me the truth,” I snap.
“Sign the papers.”
A fire roars inside of me. “Who is my brother?”
“They’re for the house,” he clarifies. “I need you to sign?—”
“I’m not signing those papers. Now, tell me who my brother is?—”
“If you don’t sign the papers, I’m not telling you a single fucking thing.”
“Tell me who my brother is!” I scream.
“Sign the fucking papers!”
“Violet!” June yells.
With a shaky breath, I squeeze my eyes shut, my fingers turning white as they dig into the door knob. It’s like my entire life is flashing in front of my eyes, and it’s all a lie. All one big, freaking lie. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to my mom? How could he keep something so monumental from everyone in his life? I mean, I know I was basically the result of a one-night stand before he showed up years later, but…how could he keep this from me? How could he…how could he not tell me?
A gentle hand touches my upper back. “Vi?—”
“Everything’s fine.” Numbly, I wipe at my cheek and face my roommate fully. “I’ll fill you in as soon as I’m finished talking with my dad, okay? I just, uh, I need a minute.”
She steals a glimpse of my dad through the crack. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah,” I promise. “I’m just a little…worked up.”
She frowns, her full lips pursing. “I can see that.”
“I don’t got all night,” my dad interrupts as if June didn’t speak at all. Hell, it’s like she isn’t even here. Instead, he continues staring at me, his expression unreadable but powerful as ever. He has me. He knows it. I know it. Pretty sure even June knows it. Yet again, he’s won. And any hope I had of playing this carefully, of hiding my true desire and getting what I want out of this conversation without needing to give up everything I’ve ever had has flown right out the window.
Turning to June, I murmur, “I have some unfinished business I need to handle. But I promise I'll explain everything as soon as I’m finished. Can I just…can you give us some privacy?” I can tell she wants to argue. Wants to slam the door in my sperm donor’s face and call the police. Hell, maybe she already has, and they’re on their way. Would it be the worst thing? I doubt it. But first, I need a name, and I need it now.
“Okay,” she finally caves. “I’ll be in my room with nine-one-one on speed dial.”
Squeezing her hand, I force a smile. “Thank you.”
As she disappears down the short hallway, my shoulders hunch as resignation washes over me. I can’t believe I’m about to bail him out. Again.
“We gonna do this or what?” my dad demands.
“Listen,” I choke out, scrambling for a solution. “I’ll talk to Ethan, okay? You said he’s the one who took the bet. I know his sister. I’m sure she can?—”
“You think I didn’t think of that? That I didn’t ask him for another chance? Double or nothin’?” His unhinged laughter grates on me. “This is a business, Violet. And if you honestly think he’d take a rain check on a bad bet, you don’t know him as well as you think you do.” He gulps, and for the first time, I think I see fear. Genuine fear. Shining in his hazy eyes. “He’s not messing around, and neither am I, so you’re gonna sign the damn papers or I’m gonna walk. And your precious brother’s name? It’s gonna go right in the ground with me, so?—”
“Fine.” I take a deep breath, grappling for the numbness to spread so I can get through this without bawling my eyes out. “Fine, I’ll sign the papers.”
“Good.” He smooths out his shirt, then hands me the document, along with a chewed-up pen, through the door’s crack like a seasoned lawyer. Praying he doesn’t notice the way my hands shake, I take the items and close the door, using the slab of wood as a makeshift table. I have a brother. I have a brother, and sure, it would be nice if I didn’t have to give up my childhood home in order to find out who my brother is, but it’s not like it’s been a home since my dad showed up, right? So, what? Maybe, by signing over the house, I’ll be able to get rid of the memories along with it.
My eyes well with tears, blurring the words on the paper as I scribble my name across the dotted line. Maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe he’s lying about having a second child I never knew existed. But for some reason, some reason I can’t explain, I believe him. Maybe it was the way he said I had a brother. Like it was a slip of the tongue. Maybe it was the way he talked about him. In the same venomous tone I’ve heard him use with me. I’m not sure what it is, but all I know is this: If I have a brother somewhere in this world. If I have someone who shares my blood and my experiences and my messed-up childhood, even if it’s distant and different overall. It’s enough. Enough to convinceme my childhood home is worth sacrificing. Besides, it’s not like it wasn’t inevitable, anyway. My dad always gets what he wants. Worst case scenario, I ask Ethan to give it back. Sure, he’s a businessman like my dad said, but it’s worth a try. Right? Not all hope is lost. Not yet. It can’t be. After dotting the i in Violet, I wipe at my cheek with the back of my hand, take a deep breath, and open the door again.
It’s going to be okay, it’s going to be okay, it’s going to be okay.
I hand over the signed paper through the crack and lick my lips. My voice trembles. “Give me a name.”
He looks over the folded document. Satisfaction spreads across his worn features.
“A name,” I remind him.
