09
Г
Mom rubbed her temples.
“The boy really came back at the wrong
time.”
Billy heard her as he was coming down the
stairs from his shower, and his face went red.
“How could you say that? I’m your son! You
didn’t even ask me how I got back, or what’s
been going on with me. I’ve been dreaming of
this for years. Why are you doing this to me?”
He was crying, but they didn’t feel bad for
him, they thought he was trashy and
embarrassing.
CC
F
E
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Dad waved him off. “Enough. Act like a man.
Now that you’re back, you can stay here and
behave yourself.”
Billy wiped his tears and snot, looked at Alex,
and said, “Get him out of here. I don’t want to
see this trashy thing.”
Before I could say anything, my parents
chimed in. “No!”
Billy’s face got even redder. “I’m your son!”
Mom said softly, “I know, but Alex has been
with us for years. We all love him.”
Dad added, “You should learn from him.”
Billy flew into a rage and went to punch Alex,
ad acide and stuck bis feet out
but Alex stepped aside and stuck his foot out
to trip him.
Since the couch was in the way, my parents
thought Billy just lost his footing.
Billy fell flat on his face and started bleeding
from his nose, but instead of getting
sympathy, he got yelled at.
Dad yelled, “I can’t believe you. Get out if
you’re gonna act like that.”
Billy started shaking, but he didn’t say
anything.
He realized that this wasn’t the home he
remembered.
They were going to kick him out.
く
My parents didn’t love him anymore.
:
That night, Billy looked at Alex and said, “I’m
sleeping here. You can sleep in the guest
room.”
My parents had already gone to bed, so I
stopped pretending. “You haven’t figured it
out yet? You don’t have a say around here.”
“While you were gone, Alex took your place.
He got the love of our parents, and he’s going
to get the Sterling empire.”
“Alex is hot and smart. He’s popular and
brings so much money to the company every
year. And what are you? You’re what, five
く
“You better start being nice to Alex, or when
Mom and Dad are old, you’re gonna be back
on the streets.”
Alex stood behind me, saying nothing, but
looking intimidating.
Billy went ballistic.
He went to throw something, but he was
scared Dad would hear him.
He bit down on his lip, fighting back the
anger.
“Fine. Just you wait.”
