“She didn’t sign up for easy, Kellan. She signed up for you. Through all of it, she signed up for you. Don’t worry, though. We’ll fix this.”

“When did you become so wise?”

I smirked. “When Alyssa gave me the same exact speech about how she signed up for me, which included all of the baggage that came along with me.”

He laughed. “I should’ve known you weren’t that wise.”

“Yeah, well, I’m working on it.”

We sat silent for a few minutes. “Uh, Logan?”

“Yeah?”

“What the hell happened to your face?”

I chuckled, and began to tell him about mom and my father. He reacted much better than I hoped, yet had the same thought as I did. “Well, at least she can’t get to any drugs while she’s in the hospital.”

Ah, my brother. My best friend.

***

Alyssa: You’re okay, Logan Francis Silverstone.

Me: I’m okay, Alyssa Marie Walters.

She texted me those words every few hours. When Kellan was ready, he and I went to the hospital to see Ma. She was in quite a bit of pain, because the doctors couldn’t give her much medicine due to her addictions. It was hard seeing her that way, but it wasn’t the worst I’ve ever seen her.

Kellan sat in a wheelchair, and I pushed it toward her bed. He took her hand into his and gave her a small smile as I stood back watching.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” she cried. He placed their hands against her face, and he shook his head. “I’m so sorry for messing up so much. I’ve screwed up everything.”

“Be here now, Ma,” he replied. “It’s okay.”

She bit her lip and looked down at her hospital gown, and all of the cords and bandages attached to her body. “I want to go to rehab,” she softly spoke.

Kellan and I nodded in agreement.

“Me too,” another voice said.

I turned to see Sadie. She had glassy eyes, and was fidgeting a little, but she gave me a smile.

“Okay,” I said.

She nodded. “Okay. I don’t know how I’m going to do it. Have this baby on my own. I don’t have anyone.”

I nudged her. “It’s fine. That kid, he’s going to be my brother. And where I come from, you do anything for your brother. I’ll help you. You have family now, Sadie. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own anymore. Promise.”

Chapter Forty-Six

Alyssa

Two weeks passed since the incident with Logan’s parents. Julie entered rehab, and had been there for days, struggling, but fighting for her life. Sadie was getting clean too, finding her footing.

Everything was getting back to normal. Except for the fact that Erika was still staying with our mom, which was far from normal. It was actually a bit terrifying. On Saturday afternoon, I headed over to Mom’s house, with a box in my hands, and pounded on the front door.

When it opened, Erika cocked an eyebrow. “Hey, Aly. What’s up?”

“Um, what’s up is the fact that you’re staying with Mom? You know what, never mind. Go get your things. It’s time to go.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Remember your life? Your fiancé? Yeah. It’s time for you to go home. Kellan—”

“Doesn’t want me. He doesn’t want me there, Alyssa.”

“He needs you.”

Mom appeared in the doorway, her eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? Erika finally has come to her senses. She’s getting her life back before she made a huge mistake. I’m so proud of her for realizing this.”

“Mom, can you do something for me?” I asked.

“What?”

“Just mind your own damn business. Just for once in your life, mind your business.”

She huffed, but before she could reply, I yanked Erika out of the house and closed the door behind her. Erika frowned. “Listen, Alyssa. I tried with Kellan. I really tried. But he made it loud and clear that he didn’t want me there, so I’m not.”

“Come home, Erika. Right now.”

“No.”

“Fine.” I opened my box and arched an eyebrow. “But I tried to warn you.”

Her eyes widened when she saw her plate collection in the box. “What are you doing, Alyssa?” I started tipping the box over, and she jumped as they all crashed to the ground. “Oh my gosh!”

“Logan! Come here.” I called him over, and he hopped out of the car with a box in his hands. “Tell Erika to come home.”

Erika was shaking, biting her bottom lip. Logan walked over to her, stared her in the eyes, and smiled. “You’re my sister.”

“Stop. I’m not.”

“You scream at me. You hate my guts. You treat me like shit. You call me stupid. You’re my sister, Erika. And screw Kellan right now. Right now I need you to come home. I can’t help him without you.”

“I can’t,” she said. “I can’t do this.”

Logan nodded, opening the box with Erika’s favorite glassware. “Come home.”

“I am home.”

“Okay.” He started tipping the box over, and she cringed.

“No, Logan! I just bought—” Crash! Glass pieces went scattering across the ground. “Oh my God! What is wrong with you two?!”

“We want you to come home, that’s all,” I explained.

“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t do dysfunctional anymore.”

I gestured toward the windows to the house, where Mom watched our every move, pounding on the glass, yelling for Erika to go back inside. “And you think that’s normal?”

“Go away, you two. Please. Kellan doesn’t need me.”

“Yes I do.” We all turned to see Kellan walking toward us with a box of his own. He stood at the edge of the driveway, and locked eyes with Erika. “I miss you. I want you. I need you, Erika.” He dumped all of the items in his box to the ground, and released the box.

“Come home.”

Erika laughed, and then we all started laughing with her. Mom opened the front door, came rushing out, and ordered Erika to come back inside, but she refused to listen.

We all walked back to the cars, leaving our pain in the broken pieces of glass on the ground, and starting over again—together. Kellan rode home with Erika in her car, and Logan drove mine.