Her Own Making: A Family

ys were a stran

ls in my room and spending my time

emporary, a storm gather

me on Thurs

Aunt

ountry club tomorrow night," she said,

Sterling Foundat

parents a

and you will be on

ng Foundat

les, small talk, an

it was an oblig

battlefield

n make it," I said,

st," she replied, her

is your

ts you to be the

barrass u

tburst the other nig

dead before I

k into their web, using guilt a

i

performance, I wo

the country

a of glittering gowns

the entrance, Bethany standing between them, lo

y a small circle of admirers

saw M

d them, a glass of c

n' t s

thany, his smile warm and

at made her laugh, a light, tinkli

air from her face, his touch l

in my chest, a ghost of

ime, it wa

g of jealousy, it was the

ssed a hundred times before, but n

is fiancée, I wa

e was supposed to marry while his heart was

ath and started w

any saw me, her

a mixture of relie

me," he said, st

ted," I replie

ethany glided to my side, s

controlling gesture d

roup, toward a secluded terra

r voice dropping to a conspirat

id nothing to dispel

you, Bethany," I said, t

ip tig

th Michael," she said, h

ragility were gone, repla

and look

ask w

ethany, the one I s

sked, though I w

e she had been work

she continued, her eyes se

o ambitious

nderstand wh

e to take care

ne li

ht, refusing to give me the int

ow selfis

aying was a twisted

ble, but not

he was caught between dut

focating him

love him, you'

a similar conversa

n, crying and pleading, maki

ad w

down by guilt

t that per

yed my happiness, who had built her life on top of t

r because I was

a real, ge

e her more than any

," I

ny bl

ka

ou mean,

right," I said,

an hav

y breaking up

aw dr

he reaction sh

a fight, for tears,

how to handle m

that?" sh

that," I

know what you' r

closer, my v

ut the Alist

irm almost lo

raight, with no sleep, rewriting the code for

le he was at the hospital with y

, a pivotal moment where I sacrificed a major o

he two of us, a debt he s

he did

ne, that event had

ng a seed of an impossible mem

me, her face a m

you talk

ything about an

pulling my arm fr

luck w

ll ne

ballroom, leaving her standing on

ichael by

to you," I sai

fferent part of the terrace, aw

rry about every

... she' s going

chael," I said,

agement ring f

ight, ins

it out

re

then at my face, his ow

ha

' t be

ause of the

alk abou

hing to talk

ny wan

y, she can

eserve ea

hing toward us, her face pa

zed I was breaking

was bac

choose her, not fo

ied, stumbling as

I... I fee

Michael could catch her, she did som

aiter' s tray, smashed it against the stone balustrad

led instantly, a shocking line

eamed, a sound

into Michael'

she... she t

horribl

t she ma

od ran

ulation I hadn' t even th

s mon

nd uncle were there,

in Michael' s arms, and then they sa

n was instantan

nt shrieked, her fac

ou do to my

m Bethany' s bleed

flict in his eyes,

kne

ould never

, and the lie was so much more compell

ose t

ession h

.. how co

, shielding her as if I

ooing over her, calling for a doctor, th

e terrace, the cool night air f

e had c

trying to win, she wa

re supposed to love and protect