“The rest of the family?”

“They already know what a disappointment you are.”

“Mom, stop it!” Dan yelled, his voice cracking under the strain.

The screen door opened again, wider this time.

My sister, who had been sitting on the porch, stood in the doorway.

She was holding her phone, the screen lit up with an incoming call.

“Annie,” she said, looking nervous.

“Your phone is ringing in the living room.”

“And someone is at the front gate.”

“They’re carrying a delivery box.”

Juliette smiled, a cold, triumphant look on her face.

“My dinner is here,” she said.

She pushed past me, her shoulder catching mine as she walked toward the hallway.

“We’ll see who eats what,” she muttered.

Dan looked at me, his eyes pleading for me to stay calm.

But I couldn’t.

I followed her out of the kitchen, my boots clicking loudly on the hardwood floor.

“Juliette,” I called out.

She didn’t stop.

“Juliette, look at me,” I said.

She turned around at the front door, her hand on the brass knob.

“What do you want, Annie?” she asked.