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Moes and slips it over to Haley "This was taken on the day we brought West hoirl ho tihts at the hospital instead of at a charity function, life has returned to normalat least for everyone else It’s like, to thelances at el I’ to reers against the photo as if she could make the newborn me pop out and be real "I had West to save Colleen"

Moo Colleen was Moer Moroup and they considered their family done When Colleen became sick, all bets were off

"Colleen needed bone marrow, so I had West in hopes he’d be a match"

"Was he?" Haley’s eyes flash to mine She’s aware Colleen passed but doesn’t know the when, the how or the why But in the end, do any of us know the why?

"No," I answer for Mom "I wasn’t a match" A failure since birth

"It didn’t ain "Colleen was too sick by then and died shortly after West was born"

My legacy in this house was formed a few days after my first breath: I failed at my sole purpose of life and my birth will forever be associated with Colleen’s death Monant with Ethan and Rachel shortly after because I wasn’t enough to irl, a replacement for the child she lost

"Well then" Mom shuts the albuht," I answer "I thought I’d show Haley my room Maybe watch some movies" Have her break my heart into pieces because I’ve lied about who I am

Mom narrows her eyes as she stands "I want the door unlocked and I expect you to behave like a gentle behind locked doors at other people’s houses, she would have given o Mom pokes me in the stomach as she passes "I mean it" Then leans in and kisses me on my cheek "Happy birthday, West"

"Thanks"

Mom softly pads out into the foyer and up the stairs She won’t sleep in her bedrooo into the mausoleum that once was Colleen’s room

The patter of different feet draws ainst my wrist connects me with Haley "Why didn’t you tell me it’s your birthday?"