Sherryl Woods - Flamingo Diner

“Then who will?” Andy asked.

“We’ll all pitch in, I guess,” Jeff said, sounding less certain.

“Even Emma?” Andy asked as if she weren’t sitting right there. His skepticism was plain.

Emma sighed. Until now, things had been so hectic that she’d been able to avoid the fact that her brother was furious with her for not coming home sooner. Clearly, she had some fence-mending to do with Andy.

“Of course, I’ll pitch in,” Emma said emphatically.

“You planning on sending a check from D.C. every so often?” Jeff asked bitterly, then added mockingly, “Big deal.”

So, it was two against one, she thought. Maybe she deserved their attitude. She returned Jeff’s angry gaze with an unflinching look. “What would you like me to do?”

Jeff faltered at that. “Honestly, I don’t give a rat’s ass what you do,” he retorted, heading for the door.

“Jeff!”

Emma’s impatient, slightly frantic voice carried after him, but he ignored her. She turned to Andy.

“Why don’t you go ahead and say it,” she suggested quietly.

He squirmed uncomfortably. He was not the kind of kid who enjoyed confrontation.

“Well?”

“Say what?” he asked.

“I know you’re angry with me. I know you think if I had come home sooner things might have turned out differently.”

“That’s right,” he said, his voice climbing. “If you’d been here, Dad might not be dead. It’s your fault, Emma.” His voice caught on a sob. “I hate you! I hate you!”

She stopped him as he tried to run from the room and held him tightly. “I wish I’d been here,” she told him, her own tears streaking down her cheeks. “I wish I’d listened to you.” He had no idea how much she regretted the choice she’d made to wait to come home.

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