“I know.”
“You think I didn’t need you?”
“I’m sorry, I threw myself into dancing. I didn’t…I wasn’t myself.”
“Selfish.”
“Yes,” I say, moving toward her. “It was.”
“That seems to run in the family.” I reach for her and she jerks away. “Don’t,” she says, wiping her face and avoiding my touch.
“I was planning on coming to you after I sorted things with Lance. But you should know I left because I didn’t want it touching you anymore. The less you had to do with me, the less you would’ve had to deal with it.”
“Are you serious? I was terrified for you. I spent so many nights worrying about you, did you for once think of me? I’m your big sister. I wanted to be there for you, to protect you and you just shut me out.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, aren’t we all today.”
“I love you,” I say softly. “I miss you so much. I needed you too. I just…handled it wrong. Lance is mad at me as well. I just didn’t know how to keep you all away from it and stay in your lives. I was trying to protect you all.”
Her posture breaks, and she finally lets me wrap my arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m so mad at you. You broke your nephew’s heart too, you know.” She pulls from my embrace. “But don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry. It was just so hard to come back here.”
“Baby, I know. I know. I just wish you would have talked to me.”
“Please forgive me,” I say, crying in her embrace.
“I will, eventually. But, I’m proud of you,” she sniffs, pulling away from me, her eyes swollen. “Just so you know. I saw you dance on TikTok. Zane showed it to me.”
The thought of my nephew finding me on the app to watch my dance videos breaks my heart.
“Can I see him now?”
She eyes me. “I’m about to pick him up from school. You want to come with me?”
“I’d love nothing more.”
We collectively look back at the apartment building. “You think we should tell them we’re leaving?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Let them hash it out.”
“Okay.” She unlocks her SUV, and I climb in. “I can’t believe it.”
“I can. Neither one of them are the same anymore. I hope I can forgive Dad one day.”
“I just…don’t you feel sorry for him?”
“He made his bed. Maybe one day I’ll see it another way.” She adjusts the rearview and wipes her eyes. “So, you came back for Lance?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Tell me everything.”
A knock on my window has me jumping in my seat, and I see Trevor and roll it down.