My mother was driving when she heard about his death. The shock hit her so hard she crashed her car. That’s how she lost the use of her legs.
“I don’t want revenge to consume you. Even before you told me the truth about Robert, I knew what that look meant,” she adds. “I knew Robert must have done something terrible to you. Something terrible to hurt you near enough the same way Dad did when he practically disowned us.”
Although it aggrieves me to admit I allowed Robert to cut me at such a deep level, she’s not wrong and the sting of betrayal felt similar.
“Olivia, I want him to pay for what he did. It’s as simple as that. That is what I want. You have to realize something here; I can’t rest because he’s out there alive somewhere. He tried to destroy us, and in my eyes, he’ll always be a threat I need to eliminate before he comes for us again.” I explain as best as possible. I know she gets what I’m trying to say, but it’s not going to help her worry any less.
“Can you promise me that you’ll be careful,” she pleads.
A promise like that feels the same as telling her I won’t die. But right now, I need my sister to believe anything that will help ease her mind even if it’s a lie.
“All right. I promise to be careful. But, Liv,” I only call her the pet name I gave her when she was little because I want her to see how serious I am. “You can’t worry about me anymore. You have a family to think about now. I’ll be careful, but just remember your family has to come first now. You hear me?”
She nods. “I hear you.”
“Good. Now go home and get some rest.”
“Okay.”
“Spokoynoy nochi,” I say, telling her goodnight in Russian.
“Spokoynoy nochi.”
After another hug, she leaves. As soon as she goes through the door, the tension I previously felt comes back, and the beast inside awakens, remembering all that I have to do.