* * *
I instruct Skylar to stay at the top of the staircase while I head down to find her brother.
I check the living room first, becoming agitated when he’s not there, then the kitchen, and tell myself it’s not worth losing my shit over when that room is empty too.
“Richter!” My voice cracks the air like a clap of thunder, but at least I know he won’t have any issues hearing me.
“I’m in the dining room,” he calls back timidly.
I run a hand back through my hair as I cross the kitchen, walk by the living room, until I find him in his usual chair.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” I ask.
“This is where everything has happened so far. I just thought—”
“Stay put,” I say, cutting him off with an eye roll.
I take a deep breath as I retrace my steps to the staircase where I find Skylar sitting on the top step.
“Come down,” I say to her as patiently as I can.
I watch as my baby girl descends the stairs with so much life inside of her that I wonder why I never decided to make her my wife instead.
I know I still have it in me to be a good husband, but she’s tainted to me.
She’s Darby’s daughter.
She’s wearing Taylee’s outfit.
I would never be able to be everything she needs with all of that weighing on me, so it only makes sense to leave that to her brother.
When she reaches the bottom of the staircase, she extends a hand out to me with a smile on her face.
I grind my teeth thoughtfully.
Skylar’s never really trusted me enough before to reach for my hand as much as she has lately.
Maybe Taylee had something going for her when she wore this goddamn thing. She was almost always normal whenever she had it on.
As normal as she could be anyway.
I caught her fucking herself once when she had it on.
Other times, she would babble her little prayers and hope for a better day.
Or maybe I’m just looking too much into this shit and should get it over and done with already.
I close my hand around hers and walk her into the living room.
Richter thinks he’s so fucking smart by being in the dining room right now where he and his sister have diddled each other on the table, but the only place they’ll learn to be true members of this family is the same place I learned.
“Sit here and wait,” I tell Skylar, nodding toward the couch.