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“He wouldn’t want your skinny, skanky ass, especially as he wouldn’t knohat he’d catch seeing as you sleep with anything Now, get out of th, but with the shove she gave, it was a warning Never had she stood up to her sister “Paige, sweetie, go ahead and get in the checkout line” She waited for Paige to be out of sight Grabbing her sister, she pinned her against the fridge It was the first tier sie like that, even if you’re not talking to her, ill see who’d win in a little fight today when I’ your punches Do you understand?”

Emily looked afraid

“Your days of treating me like shit are over You’re notto do with them You’re all done foron her heel and forcing a se, who ran into her arroceries in the car and they left the parking lot

Even as her hands shook a little, she was happy she’d done what she did

When she got ho on what E his cake She put an apron on Paige, and they both got really messy

“Was that your sister?” Paige asked “The nasty lady at the store?”

“Yeah That was Emily She’s not very nice, is she?” Maddie said as they prepared the frosting The cake was already out of the oven and cooling A really dark, deep chocolate cake It s

“No She said nasty things Are sisters all like that?” Paige asked

Maddie handed Paige the bowl to continue working the butter and icing sugar together “No, they’re not all like that Soreat” She’d been unlucky to have one who actually wanted a baby sister “Emily has never liked me, but you don’t worry about what she said, okay? It’s nothing about you You’re perfect”

They finished decorating the cake, and once it was in the fridge, she found Paige staring at her She orried that she’d scared the little girl with her anger at E, honey?” she asked

“I want a brother or a sister Do you think you and Daddy could get me one? I asked Nathan at school and he said et theet You’re like my mommy, and I love you, Maddie I wish I could call you Moe threw herself into her arms, and Maddie’s eyes filled with tears That had to be one of the nicest things that anyone had ever said to her

“I love you, too,” Maddie said

“Will you think about it?” Paige asked

“Yes,” she said, not knohat else to say “Why don’t you go and get cleaned up?”