Leaving Their Home for Good

"Mom! Micah hid money!"

I had barely sent my message to Dr. Redmond when Connor started yelling from the hallway.

"I saw it myself! He stuffed cash beside the bed!"

I rushed out.

Mom was already glaring at me.

"Micah, what's wrong with you? At your age, and you're already hiding money from the family?"

"I wasn't hiding anything."

I held up both hands.

"I really had twenty dollars left this month. The dollar coin fell beside the bed. I forgot it was there."

She didn't believe me.

I ran back to my room and brought out the little notebook where I recorded every cent I spent.

"Look, Mom. That dollar really was mine..."

Mom barely glanced at the pages.

"Why are you keeping records like this?"

I stopped.

"I just wanted to prove—"

"Prove what? That we mistreat you? That we favor your brother?"

Her face hardened.

"Don't forget, on paper you've lived at your grandma's for years. The only reason you're still allowed to live in this house is Connor."

She pointed toward him.

"Apologize."

There was no room to argue.

Connor folded his arms and looked down at me.

"Micah, this is the Hollis house. Your clothes, the room you sleep in, the money you use—all of it is mine."

My chest tightened and my eyes stung. I couldn't get a single word out.

I lowered my head.

"I'm sorry."

Mom's expression relaxed at once, as if none of it had happened.

"Good. Now wash up for dinner."

I hesitated.

"Mom, I missed the college application deadline."

Some stubborn part of me still hoped she might care.

She only shrugged.

"Then you missed it. That's what you get for dawdling with the money.

"Besides, we got you through high school. We've already done more than enough."

Connor snorted and shoved past me toward the kitchen.

Mom immediately caught his arm.

"Don't touch the serving dishes. They're hot."

Then she turned to me.

"Micah, what are you standing there for? Bring dinner out."

I carried everything to the table, my chest aching.

The son they doted on would never be me.

Every dish was one Connor liked.

Dad kept piling food onto his plate while Mom fussed over whether he was worn out from studying.

I sat quietly at the end of the table and ate plain rice.

I couldn't afford the meal charge that night.

Under the Hollis rules, if I didn't pay for dinner, rice was all I was allowed.

Eventually Mom seemed to notice me.

As if handing out charity, she peeled a shrimp and dropped it onto my plate.

"Here. This one is free."

I stared at it.

When I didn't react, her face darkened.

She picked it up again and tossed it to Connor's dog, Peanut.

Peanut gobbled it up happily and barked twice.

Mom gave a thin smile.

"Even the dog knows to wag his tail and bark. You can't even manage a thank-you."

I spoke softly.

"I'm allergic to shellfish."

Her smile froze.

Connor rolled his eyes.

"Everything is a problem with you. Would one bite actually kill you?"

I kept my head down and answered quietly. "Yes."

It really would.

The cost of a box of antihistamines equaled that of four dinners, or four nights' rent.

I couldn't bring myself to spend it. I couldn't afford it anyway.

Dad slammed his fork down.

"Can't we have one peaceful meal?

"Your brother says one word to you, and you've got ten to throw back. All this drama over one dollar."

He stared at me with open irritation.

"Next month, I don't care how much Connor saves with coupons. You get one dollar. That's it."