Chapter 5: The Invitation

Brynn dumped my clean laundry on the floor and told me to pick it up.

The clothes landed beside the phone that had shown everyone what she did with the EpiPen.

I crouched to gather them.

My hands shook too hard to hold the first shirt.

The sleeve slid through my fingers and dropped back onto the floor.

The relatives watched me try again.

I hated that they could see my hands shake.

I hated that Brynn had given them a reason to.

'Cass, you can't leave yet,' Laurel said.

She reached for my arm in front of the relatives.

I pulled away.

'You don't get to decide when I leave anymore.'

Laurel's hand hung between us.

Then she lowered it.

She had refused to defend Brynn, but she still expected me to stay.

Brynn looked from Laurel to the relatives.

'Cass has lived here for years,' she said. 'We fed her and gave her a place to stay.'

She kept her voice sweet for the people listening.

'You don't have to make it sound ugly,' I said.

Brynn smiled at me.

'I'm only saying she owes this family.'

I picked up a shirt and saw the crease where it had struck the floor.

I folded it once and set it beside the rest.

'Is this how you repay me for doing your laundry?'

Brynn glanced at the pile.

'You chose to do it.'

'You left it for me every week.'

The relative who had moved away from Brynn stared at her.

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