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My heart sinks How many times have I told her that and all this ti "You do, but you also have Zac, Paul and Joshua And you heard Lia back in to help"

"Not the sa because you went soain"

I could lie to Elsie, but she’s sh to know the difference Where I’m built for facts, her little brain reads people very well "Mom and Dad tell me I should be like you That I should listen You aren’t listening any you away If I don’t listen, will they send o away It tookfor them to listen to s happen They realize then they should have listened instead of talked So what they want to hear, seeing what they want to see, and they don’t care what’s real, only what they think is real"

Elsie shifts away from me "You want to leave home? But you have another year before you have to leave Why would you want to do that?"

Another piece of her hair falls and I beckon s She does and I begin the task of undoing the knot of hair I had put up this ht if I left, I would"

"You fit in here"

I brush her hair out with ers and then smooth it back up "I didn’t think I did"

"Sounds like you were the one not listening"

The rubber band snaps her hair in place, but it’s the snap inside lances at me from over her shoulder "Like when I don’t fit in with the other girls, you tell me I have you, which means you have me And if I have Zac and Paul and Joshua and Liam, then that "

My body goes nuins to disseminate the information Is it possible No, I mean Clara has always treated me like But there are eleven people in ive up his dreams of independence because he’s concerned for me

"If you’re sad because you’re in trouble," Elsie says, "then don’t be I get in trouble all the tis "

And she does it Elsie hugsin ot to pick s happen to prove you’re strong enough to be a Miller"

My eyes shut with the wetness for there I did tell Elsie that She was sad I was sad for her and I e of honor, and it’s not until this ht she is This family is messed up, but it’s still my family