Page 141 of Return Policy

Anger bubbles inside me with how casually they speak about him in the past tense. I shove it down as my blurred eyes connect with Sophia’s. Hers swim with confusion, and I hate that I’m the cause of it.

“This is not the message we should be giving, Elijah,” Mom says.

“What?” Nama scoffs. “Like I always say, better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Mom folds her arms over her chest. “Now what would Father Nolan say about that?”

Nama mirrors Mom’s position with a smug smile. “He’d say repentance exists for a reason.”

“You tire me, Mama,” she huffs, turning her attention to me.

“I tried to keep my cool, I really did.” My muscles tense as I think about the situation. “He was just there, and I… I thought about Abbs and everything, and I just—” My head pounds hard as a snare drum. “I snapped.”

Mom reaches up, rubbing my shoulder. “It’s fine, honey. I’m not mad at you.”

My gaze flicks from the ground to her. “Really?”

“Of course not.” She tilts her head at me. “He deserved way more than that for what he did to Abigail. I just don’t like seeing my sweet boy go all Mike Tyson.”

I laugh weakly. “Mama.”

“It’s fine.” She pulls me in for a hug. “Let’s all go inside and get some ice for that hand, okay, honey?”

“Well, I’m gonna go to my house where I can speak freely without reprimand.” Nama scowls at Mom.

I pull her in for a hug and whisper in her ear, “We all know you’re going home to drink Gramps’s whiskey and watchThe Bachelor.”

She chuckles, kissing the side of my head. “Don’t tell all my secrets, honey.”

I turn to Sophia, placing my arms around her tense shoulders, and guide her to the house.Have I shattered our glass bubble?

Sophia and I walk into my bedroom, bag of frozen peas in hand, and I shut the door behind us. She still hasn’t spoken a word, and my stomach twists in knots.

“Babe?” I say gently, taking her chin between my fingers and tipping it upwards. “Please say something.”

She lets out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t even know where to begin, Elijah.”

“Anything is better than the silent treatment you’re giving me right now.”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Like, I seriouslydon’teven know where to start.”

I exhale heavily and pull her to my chest. She rests her head against me, snaking her arms around my middle. “I’m really sorry if I scared you earlier.”

“What?” She yanks backwards to look at me with furrowed brows. “I’m not afraid.”

“Oh.” I breathe out a heavy sigh of relief. “I just… I thought it might've scared you because I snapped, and I don’t want you to think I’m anything like Seth, and I—”

“Babe.” She cuts me off with narrowed eyes and a sweet smile. “You’re nothing like Seth. I’m not mad at you about the fight. I’m just… confused.”

A sour feeling settles in my stomach. “I know.”

“First I found out about your dad… and now… You have asister, Elijah.” She tilts her head to the side with pain-filled eyes. “How did I not know you have a sister? Why did you never tell me about her? Where is she? Why don’t you ever talk about her?” She steps out of my grasp and paces the room.

“Because… it’s just… a lot.” I sit down on the bed, placing the frozen peas wrapped in a kitchen towel against my bruised knuckles. Sophia unzips her boots and throws them on top of her suitcase. She pads over and kneels down in front of me, placing her hand on mine.

“You can tell me anything. Remember?” she says gently with eyes so full of hurt, I struggle to breathe. “I’m a good listener.”

“I know. It’s not that, it’s just… it was easier not to talk about her or my dad.”

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