“Where are you? My kids are hungry, and the table still isn’t cleared!” my sister demanded on my birthday, as if cooking, cleaning, and caring for her children were automatically my responsibility. – Welcome

away this fall.”

“I already accepted.”

“You can defer.”

“I don’t want to defer.”

Mom finally spoke.

“Avery, nobody is saying never.”

“Never what?”

“Never medicine.”

The words made my skin go cold.

She said one year would not destroy my future.

I could work at the family company.

Elliot and I could spend time together.

If something developed naturally, we could continue reading …