After facing the criminal alone, the two brothers regretted going to see their adopted sister’s performance
Chapter 1
My Brothers‘ Regret: A Solo Showdown Gone
Wrong
Ugh, cramps from hell. I’d ordered some Midol
off DoorDash, and the app said it was a female
driver. So, imagine my surprise when some
drunk dude starts pounding on my apartment
door.
This time, I didn’t freak out and call my brothers
begging for a rescue. Nope. I went straight for
- 911.
See, last time this happened, my genius
brothers had pulled all their security guys off
assignment and raced over here themselves.
They ended up missing my foster sister, Lisa’s,
<
big theater debut. She got all dramatic and
impaled herself with a stage prop – right
through the chest.
My brothers, all guilt–ridden, told me, “Don’t blame yourself, at least you’re safe.”
But the next thing I knew, they’d duct–taped me
to a chair and handed me over to a bunch of
boozed–up frat guys.
“A single drunk guy, all you had to do was slam the door in his face, was that so hard! What did we leave Lisa’s stage for? Now she’s dead, and you don’t deserve to live either!”
Now I was waking up on the couch, once again the same drunk knocking on the door.
This time, I was sticking to my plan. They were finally watching Lisa’s play, cheering her on like good brothers should.
<
But after that play, they regretted their
decision.
- 1.
It was late, and this drunk was going to town on
my door.
–
I started shoving furniture against it the
coffee table, chairs, whatever I could find. Aunt
Carol, though, she just kept moving it all.
She shot me this annoyed look like I was totally
overreacting.
“Your brothers promised Lisa they’d be at her
play, the final act! They’re probably busy right
now, they don’t have time for this. Why don’t
you solve it yourself?”
“Just open the door and tell him to shove off!”
Seeing all this again felt like a punch in the aut
<
Seeing all this again felt like a punch in the gut.
I was only here because I’d moved out after a stupid fight with my brothers.
And, of course, a drunk pretending to be a delivery driver shows up. And, of course, it’s the same night Mark and David were at Lisa’s thing.
I grabbed my phone, ready to dial 911, but Aunt
Carol freaked and snatched it away.
“Don’t be such a drama queen!”
I knew she’d pull something, so while she was
busy trying to hide my phone on the top shelf, I
ran into the living room and grabbed the
landline. Old school, I know, but it was my only
shot.
Before I could dial, Aunt Carol slammed the
phone down. “You really are calling the cops
aren’t you!”
“Trying to manipulate your brothers into coming back, is that the game? Well, what about Lisa?”
Aunt Carol waved her hands in the air. Then she
stomped toward the door, dragging me with
her.
“This is all such a bunch of bullcrap! If you’re so
worried, why don’t we just see who it is!”
Her hands felt like a bear trap. I was struggling
to break free, my feet sliding on the floor.
The drunk outside was getting more aggressive.
The pounding sounded like a drumbeat, shaking
the whole apartment.
I was sweating bullets, jumpy with every bang.
But Aunt Carol seemed oblivious, pulling me
forward.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to!”
<
8:11
“You can’t stand seeing your brothers paying
attention to Lisa, can you?”
“Lisa’s an orphan! She has nothing! Can’t you
show her some compassion? Why are you always making it difficult for her?”
I’d known Aunt Carol for almost twenty years. She was a snob, looking down on everyone, yet she was always fawning over Lisa.
Every time Lisa had a show, Aunt Carol would be there, ready to take what was mine and give
it to her.
But I never thought she would risk my life for
Lisa’s show!
