Chapter 14

Cynthia enters my room and chirps into the intercom saying she's on her way. We never had to share space as kids, but we were all in the same hall, which father referred to as "the girls' wing." Cynthia and Carole's bedrooms are still there, however they've been redecorated slightly to remove fairy lights and school medals.

My door creaks open, and I sit up in bed, tossing my book aside. “Hey.”

"Hey," she replies, sighing heavily and swaying on her heels, her hands in the back pockets of her trousers.

"That bad, huh?" As I throw my legs over the side of the bed, I try to chuckle, but the mood in the room is somewhere between "right before you find out grandma died" and "the sex talk with your parents."

Neither have I; our grandparents are all still alive and likely have another hundred years to live, and Mother has probably never even mentioned the term "sex" out loud.

"You can sit down," I offer with a sigh. "Stop acting like you're here to break bad news."

"I thought everything abou