Chapter 2

After the assessment ended, Molly hung off Mom's arm, delighted. "Mom, Audrey skipped the rest of the tests, and I felt amazing in there.

"I might've gotten all 1200. I might be the top scorer in the country."

Mom stroked her hair.

"Of course you are. Molly's the best.

"Audrey was never going to keep up with you. Tell me what you want as a present."

Molly tilted her head and suddenly looked at me.

"If I did that well, you shouldn't get me anything. Give it to Audrey instead.

"Call it an early consolation prize."

Molly always did this.

Every sentence sounded generous, and every one of them was a foot on my neck.

Dylan smiled and opened his banking app.

"Molly, you crushed it and you're still thinking about your sister. That deserves something.

"Audrey didn't even sit the exam, but Molly asked us to include her.

"So I'll send you both a little cash. How's that?"

Both our phones chimed at once.

"Dylan, a hundred and twenty thousand dollars?

"I love you so much."

Molly shrieked, threw her arms around him, and kissed his cheek.

"Audrey, hurry up and see what he sent you."

Before I could reach for my phone, Colin took it out of my hand and opened the transfer.

One cent.

Molly turned to Dylan with theatrical outrage. "That's so unfair.

"How could you give her that little?"

Dylan spread his hands. "Don't blame me, sweetheart.

"I was perfectly fair. Molly scored a perfect 1200, so a hundred times that is a hundred and twenty thousand.

"Audrey didn't take it at all. One cent was already generous."

Molly nodded. "Okay, that's actually fair.

"Audrey, you can't be mad at him. Your stomach's the one that let you down."

I took my phone back from Colin without a word.

Then I stood up to go.

Whether I stayed or not, there was only one person in that room they were celebrating.

"Audrey, you're not upset that I did well, are you?"

Before I could answer, Mom, Dylan, and Colin were all watching me like guards.

Terrified my next breath might upset Molly.

"No. I'm going to get your present."

The second I walked into my room, I saw them sitting on my desk. The three things I'd treasured most.

The Northstar pin Colin gave me the day he promised he'd be waiting for me there.

The brass fountain pen Dylan gave me when he told me I'd go as far as I wanted.

The St. Jude medal Mom had blessed at church, back when she told me I'd graduate at the top of my class.

I didn't want any of them anymore.

The same way I no longer wanted the people who'd given them to me.

I carried all three back to the living room.

"Molly, these are for you."

Mom's face changed the moment she saw them.

"Audrey, isn't that the St. Jude medal I got you?"

I smiled at her. "It is, Mom.

"I don't have money to buy Molly anything new.

"So all I can give her are the things I cared about most."

Mom stared. "Didn't I tell Dylan to give you spending money?"

Dylan rubbed the back of his neck. "Molly's been unstable. I used it keeping her happy.

"Audrey doesn't spend anything anyway. Call it her contribution to Molly's treatment."

The irony almost made me laugh out loud.

Molly's grades were terrible, her moods were a weather system, and every want she had became an emergency.

I couldn't afford a practice workbook without earning the money myself.

They never noticed how late I came home from shifts, because every time I walked in, they were gathered around Molly.

As far as any of them were concerned, I didn't really matter.

Since Molly mattered that much, and since they believed every word out of her mouth, I decided to give them something magnificent.

"Mom, Molly said you should get me something to cheer me up, right?

"I don't need cheering up. I want you to give Molly something instead. From me."

Mom smiled, warmed by how reasonable her older daughter was being.

"Tell me what it is. I'll pay for it."

"Let's throw Molly a party for her scores, and invite everyone we know."