My parents forbade me from celebrating my 18th birthday because my sister didn’t feel special enough. So I moved out that night. A year later, their golden girl saw how successful I’d become, and her jealous meltdown shattered the family.

they think of my choices.”

“Fair,” she said.

Around ten, we left the restaurant and stood outside in the warm evening air.

“What happens now?” Bethany asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “We figure it out as we go, I guess.”

“Can we keep meeting for coffee?”

“I’d like that.”

She hugged me, and I hugged her back.

Something that had been broken for a very long time continue reading …