My Sister's Tears Stole My First Life, Not My Second novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: Seven Years Old

Quentin didn't say another word on the way up.

He held the county letter in one hand and the sailor dress in the other.

I carried the tin box.

Simon's woman rode with us and said into her sleeve, "She's fine. Residence. Five more minutes."

The penthouse doors were still open.

Tinsley was standing at the window with an ice pack against her cheek.

One of the household staff was hovering beside her with a glass of water.

"Leave us," Quentin said.

The woman put the glass down and went.

Tinsley turned around with her chin up, ready to be the injured party.

"She hit me, Quentin. In front of the staff. I want you to..."

Then she saw what he was holding.

She stopped talking.

Quentin held the dress up by its shoulders.

It was so small. It barely reached from his collar to his belt.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked her.

Tinsley's eyes went to the collar. To the two navy letters.

"No," she said.

"You threw it down the trash chute this morning. You opened the box. You said you looked inside."

"I didn't look closely, I just..."

"Mother bought this dress for the Fourth of July," Quentin said. "She made us all wear red, white and blue. I complained about my shirt the whole drive down."

His voice was very quiet.

"You told the police Winnie pulled her hand out of yours and ran into the river. You said you saw her go under. They searched the water for a week. Mother stood on that dock for a week."

He held up the county letter.

"She was found at two in the morning, three hours inland, asleep on a church bus. She never drowned."

Tinsley's mouth opened.

Nothing came out.

Then her eyes filled, and her voice broke right on time.

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