I remember when Andy knew he didn’t have much time left. I expected him to cry, but he didn’t. Instead, he said he wanted one last family trip to Disneyland.
I wanted to grant it, of course.
So, I begged Kyle and knelt before him. When he refused, I clung to his pants, promising that it would be the last time I’d ever bother him.
One last request, and I’d set him free.
He was happy then. He didn’t say much, but his sparkling eyes told me he was happy.
I was miserable, but so what?
Kyle was a kid I found by the river when we were little. He was homeless, so I begged my parents to adopt him.
It never became official, though. The adoption papers didn’t push through, so we weren’t legally siblings.
When I was in junior high, my parents split up, and Aria went to live with my dad. I always stuck close to Kyle, so I begged him to come with me and my mom.
Little did I know, that made Kyle resent me for years. Turns out he wanted to go with Aria.
Later, my mom made Kyle promise to take care of me, saying it would give her peace of mind. Maybe he didn’t have a choice, so he married me in a quick, no-frills wedding—no family, no friends, no certificate.
He said that was all I deserved.