Chapter 13 - THE MEMORY I NEVER HADI was eight.
Lauren was twelve.
She had been angry because I borrowed a bracelet without asking.
She shoved me at the top of the basement stairs.
I fell six steps.
I split my chin open on the concrete floor.
I remembered the scar.
I remembered the hospital.
But I didn't remember Lauren standing above me.
Mom did.
"You lied," I whispered.
"Yes."
"For twenty years?"
"Yes."
She had told everyone I slipped while carrying laundry.
She protected Lauren because Lauren cried.
She was afraid punishment would damage her.
So she protected her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every time Lauren crossed a line, Mom lowered the line.
"Why tell me now?"
"Because when she hit Emma, I remembered those stairs."
I closed my eyes.
"And you still defended her."
Mom cried.
"Yes."
That was the truth.
Mom had known what Lauren was capable of.
She had simply convinced herself that protecting Lauren was the same thing as loving her.
I didn't know whether I could forgive her.
I told her so.
She didn't argue.
That was the first honest thing she had done in years.
Two days later, Dad called.
Lauren had disappeared.
Her apartment was empty.
Her phone was off.
Her social-media accounts were gone.
That night, I checked Emma's diaper bag.
Inside was a folded note.
I had never seen it before.
May you like
Five words.
YOU STOLE MY FAMILY FROM ME.
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