screamed from the hallway. "Using a v

d at their suitcases, still sitting in my entryway. I picked up the first one, a large,

bing the second bag and throwing it

d by their luggage, faces a

like a parasitic vine, one that had wrapped itself around me since birth. It didn't just t

oat, they pulled me out of high school. I got a job working construction, sixteen-hour days of hard labor, just so Kevin could

new house. I paid off their debts. I gave Kevin the money for his ridiculous "start-ups." I

conditional. Their respect was a transaction. When I had nothin

rying to regain some dignity. "We will go to the press! We

spaper article where you disowned me. And the forged medical records. And th

m up. They kn

sed. "You want to play hardball? Give us fifty million dollars. A one-time payment. And we will walk away

called my dog a beast. But you're the ones putting a price tag on a

amily. He didn't come up with that on his own. He learned it from

is greed overriding his fear. "It's a sev

" I said, my voice dropping. The humor was

shouted, finding his voice

back into my apartment.

" and trotted toward the door. My fami

ing and locking the door firmly behind me. I didn't even look at th

pulled out my phone and called

evoke access for Martha, Richard, and Kevin Miller. They are not to be allowe

ng out. For the first time in days, I felt a small bit of peace. I had d