• They say he’s come back to stay for a while—
    It’s been four and a half years.
    And desperate for any place to stay, he’s falling into a last resort.
    Right back to us.



    “he stays, I go.”
    It’s simple.

    After what he did
    After what he put me through
    After what he made me do

    It’s simple.
    “he stays, I go.”



    I could have screamed it, I could have whispered—
    Instead, I thought it, as he stood there. Silent.

    As his eyes avoid mine
    As his fingers tremble with nerves
    As his lips twitch at the opportunity

    I wanted to scream it, right into those devious eyes.
    I stayed silent.



    It’s uncomfortable, the silence—
    But leave it to mom to beam through the pressure
    And eventually she answers.

    And his eyes grow wide
    And his arms disgustingly wrap around mom
    And he’s laughing in gratitude

    I hated him!I hated him!I hated him!
    My lips bleeding, my palm hurts, my fists are clenched.



    He glances over at me, forgetting the bitterness there.
    And he actually smiles.
    Smiles.

    And I can’t feel anything—I find myself already going up the stairs.
    Fourteen steps. Fourteen woodened, dusty steps. Our steps.
    In our home.

    My own brother used me
    My own brother violated me
    My own brother abandoned me

    It’s simple.
    “he stays, I go.”