Chapter 63
Cori
Instead of going home, I have Dax drive us to my parents’ house. They didn’t bother to leave Ruby’s car seat, so I had to sit in the back seat with her on my lap.
The house was empty when we arrived, but about an hour and a half later, Devin and Dad’s cars pull into the driveway at the same time.
I wait by the door while Dax feeds Ruby in the kitchen. Mom’s already crying by the time she makes it inside. She reaches for me, but I step back.
“Dax, let’s go,” I yell, but he’s busy making airplane noises while he feeds Ruby. I point at Devin, who knocks my hand away. My husband notices, because he leaves Ruby and stands between us. He shoves Devin, who hits the wall.
My mom screams, and my father helps her to the sofa.
“Don’t touch my wife,” Dax warns.
“Screw you both.” Devin is dismissive as he straightens and walks away. Instead of going to his daughter, he walks to the back of the house.
“Go finish feeding your daughter,” Dad yells.
“Get off my back. I’m tired. Can I get a minute? I’m so sick of you yelling at me just for existing.”
“For being a loser,” I yell. Dax takes my hand and starts to pull me toward the door.
“Cori, your mother and I need to talk to you,” Dad says.
“No. I’ve been trying to set a boundary with you for months, and you walked all over it today. I need space from you. I’m tired of being your scapegoat. Ruby is Devin’s daughter, not mine.”
“I never asked you to do shit for me,” Devin yells.
“Get over yourself. You think you’re so special when you were bought and paid for.
Dad chose Mom’s surgery over you. He was sending me the money you were paying him for rent.
” Dad gasps. “Yeah, I heard you and Mom talking about it, and when Dad saw me, he ordered me not to tell you. But thanks for the money. I needed it. And yeah, they took it from you and gave it to me, even though they knew you were saving to start your business. They put me first. Now, you think you’re special because you have a business.
A business he gave to you for lying on your back for him. ”
“Devin!” Mom gasps through her tears. “You will apologize right—”
Mom never finishes her sentence because I smack my brother across the face. Devin raises his hands as if he’s going to hit me back, but Dax wraps his hand around his wrists, shoves his chest with his free hand, and punches him in the mouth.
Blood gushes down Devin’s chin. He stands there as if he’s in shock. Dax punches him in the stomach, and he doubles over. My mother screams, and Dad rushes to stand between them before Dax can hit him again.
“Don’t lay another hand on my son,” Dad warns.
“I’m just getting started.” Dax goes around my dad, grabs Devin by the collar, and slams him against the wall.
“Let him go,” Mom says through her tears, but Dax punches him one more time. Devin falls on his knees while blood spills down his face. He finally drops face down on the floor, moaning in pain.
“Oh, Devin. You got your ass kicked over news I already know. Did you think your words would hurt me?” The truth is, his words do hurt. Not because they came from him, but because the entire family knows that I’ve always suspected.
Dad helps Devin to his feet. Once he’s upright, he yanks away from Dad and walks out the front door, slamming it so hard that Ruby starts to scream.
“Are you okay?” Dax asks. “Let’s go home.” I reach for my purse to leave, but Ruby’s cries escalate, so my husband goes and picks her up. That must give my father his opening, because he leans against the front door, blocking me.
“We can explain,” Mom says through her tears, but I’m unmoved.
“It was only five hundred dollars, Cori. It was to teach you responsibility.” Dad looks around the room as if he’s expecting help from someone.
“You were teaching me responsibility?” He doesn’t respond. “By giving Devin money? Why didn’t he ever have to be responsible?”
“He needed help, baby. He’s not like you.” Mom pats the couch. “Come sit with me. I didn’t mean to lie to you. I wanted to tell you—”
I hold my hand up.
“But you didn’t. You did what was right for you.
You helped Devin by taking money from me.
Why couldn’t you let me have the apartment after everything I’ve done for this family?
” No one answers. “I don’t care anymore.
It’s always Devin. I need some space. Please don’t reach out to me. If I want to talk, I’ll come to you.”
My dad hangs his head down in shame.
“If?” Mom asks. “What do you mean? Everything has worked out. You have a wonderful husband. He loves you, and you told me you love him. You—”
“What if he wasn’t wonderful, though? What if he were abusive or mean? What if he slept with everyone or slapped me around? It’s easy to say it worked out, but you had no idea that it would.”
“He gave me his word.”
“And that was good enough for you, Dad? His word was enough for you to hand me over?”
“It wasn’t like that, Cori,” Dad implores. “Please understand. We were drowning, and—”
I rub my temples. “And you used me as your life raft.”
I walk away from them and find Dax in the kitchen bouncing Ruby in his arms. I reach for Ruby, and she comes to me.
She’s happy, smiling and babbling now. She even plays with my earring, but I hand her to Dad, who is still leaning against the front door.
Not wanting to have a conversation, I take Dax’s hand and lead him out through the back door.