Chapter 13
As we drove away, I instinctively glanced out the window, stealing one last look..
Marlin said, “He went into town with Elsie to pick up some food. The roads have been snowed in for days, and she was itching to get out and play.”
I let out a soft, awkward “Oh,” and quickly turned my eyes away.
After we paid the fare, the car took us straight toward the city airport.
As we passed through the town market, I caught sight of Charley and Elsie among the scattered stalls and small crowd.
They were standing in front of a pizza vendor. The vendor handed a finished pizza to Elsie.
She said something, then shoved her coffee into Charley’s hands.
Reaching into the pocket of his coat, she pulled out his wallet and paid.
For years, that used to be me.
Dragging Charley around to shop, reaching into his pocket to pay the bill.
The car sped on, and the scene slipped past in a blur.
A few moments later, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Charley on WhatsApp.
Just one short, awkward sentence with no context: [What do you want to eat?]
Then a few photos of street food stalls.
The clearest one showed a booth selling handmade cakes.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced–one late night, years ago.
I’d thrown a fit, saying I wanted cake.
Back then, teenage Charley tried to scare me, saying eating sweets late at night would rot all my teeth.
But he still snuck out that night and came back with warm cakes hidden inside his coat.
At the time, he said, “This is the last time.”
Just yesterday morning, when we had breakfast together, he made me eggs again–and said, “This is the last time.”
But now, sitting in the car, looking back through the window at his quickly fading figure-
I thought, maybe this really was the last time.
I put my phone away without replying.
At the airport, just before boarding, the real estate company in Vlaufield called Nolan again.
1/5
+20)
11:20 Tue, Aug 12
99%0
”
X
(20)
Chapter 13
They were checking our arrival time so they could finalize the paperwork for the house.
After the call, Marlin looked surprised.
You’re planning to settle down over there?”
I explained that Nolan wanted to take a few years after his surgery to rest and recover–and that I was thinking of trying life there for a while, too.
Marlin was quiet for a moment, then let out a long sigh.
“If I’d known that, I probably wouldn’t have lied to Charley.”
I frowned, confused.
He went on, “I could tell he had a lot of resentment toward Mr. Diaz, and I was worried it would interfere with his recovery.
“So this morning, I told Charley that Mr. Diaz was still bedridden and wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon–and that you wouldn’t be leaving his side.
“That’s the only reason he agreed to take Elsie into town.”
He sighed again.
“If you’re really planning to live abroad… don’t you want to call him before you board?”
I hesitated, then shook my head. “There’s no need.”
Over the years, the thing I’d heard him say the most was, “Erma, why wasn’t it you who died instead of our parents?”
So… maybe it was better not to.
The boarding announcement came over the loudspeaker.
My phone buzzed again in my pocket.
I ignored it.
Stood up, and walked toward the gate.
Charley felt uneasy.
Ever since he left Marlin’s house with Elsie, that unsettled feeling had been gnawing at him–and he didn’t know why.
He had been so sure. If Nolan couldn’t get out of bed for another couple of days, there was no way Erma would leave.
And yet, something in his gut wouldn’t settle.
Anxious. Restless. And he didn’t even know why.
Elsie was still at the stall, buying snacks.
The snow had just begun to melt, but the air was still biting cold.
2/5
11:20 Tue, Aug 12
Chapter 13
Even so, with Christmas around the corner, people had started returning home.
The streets were packed with vendors and families. Everything was cheerful, festive, loud.
Charley’s thoughts drifted back to the past. Every year, he used to go back to their grandmother’s house for Christmas with his parents and Erma.
But then Grandma passed away. And then their parents.
After that, neither of them really cared about celebrating anymore.
When had it started? This distance between them?
When was the last time he’d had a real conversation with Erma?
The little sister who used to be loud and playful, always getting into trouble.
The one who once burst into tears after catching him eating birthday cake alone–then picked a fight with their parents because of it.
She’d become so quiet. So numb.
She didn’t seem to care about anything anymore.
And between them, something had shifted. Grown cold.
They were strangers now. At least, that was how it felt.
So when he saw her go home with that man–someone she barely knew–when he saw her laughing with him, fussing over him, worrying about his health…
When she braved snow–blocked roads, humbled herself, practically wore herself out just to find him the best doctor…
That wasn’t just anger rising in Charley.
No–it was something else.
Something he didn’t want to admit.
He was jealous. Wildly, bitterly jealous.
Because even as her brother, someone who’d grown up with her, lived through everything with her–he hadn’t seen her care that deeply in years.
That was why he snapped. Why he said something so outrageous–told Marlin not to treat Nolan. It was childish. Petty. Completely ridiculous.
And Erma had slapped him, hard, without even hesitating.
That was all he needed to know.
In her eyes now, her own brother didn’t matter as much as a man she’d just met.
3/5
11:20 Tue, Aug 12
Chapter 13
99%
1
D X
20)
She actually believed he could be low enough to stop someone from getting medical help.
Charley hated her for that. He hated her for staying behind all those years ago, for being the reason their parents died in the earthquake.
But more than that, he hated the way she no longer saw him.
So he hated that man too.
Hated how, in just a few days, that stranger had become someone Erma was willing to fight the world for.
ཚ ཚ
He couldn’t accept it.
Even if he was the one who said it first-“You’re not my sister anymore.”
He could lash out, say awful things, pretend he didn’t care.
But deep down, he couldn’t handle the thought that she might actually leave.
Elsie was still talking beside him.
Charley stood at the edge of the busy street, lost in his head.
A mess of tangled, conflicting emotions swirled inside him like a storm–confusion, guilt, fury, grief.
He felt like he couldn’t breathe.
Elsie reached into his pocket for his wallet.
Charley didn’t stop her. He just wanted to wrap things up and get out of there.
A car passed by.
He caught a glimpse of it in his peripheral vision–unfamiliar, nothing special.
But for some reason, something about it stopped him. He couldn’t see clearly through the window.
And yet he could’ve sworn he saw Erma.
Her expression calm, lifeless.
Looking straight at him from behind the glass.
He couldn’t see her. Not really. But somehow, he knew.
And in that split second, instinct took over.
He shoved Elsie out of the way and took off running after the car.
4/5
11:20 Tue, Aug 12 G
D X
–
