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“It’s not really so I think about often,” I reply “I haven’t been in contact with Kensie since I was about twelve Mom punched her in the face and told her to stay the hell away from me”

“Holy crap,” Mike whispers with a proud smile “Go Aunt Jilly”

“She died,” Sarah announces, surprising ”

I sit back and stare at my sister, not sure how I feel about the news

“When?” I ask

“About six years ago,” she replies “I didn’t dig too deep, but there was an article about an investigation Sounds like she was murdered I’m sorry, Seth”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about”

“Your biological mother was murdered,” she says with all of the drairl “Of course, you’re upset”

I smile softly “I don’t knohat I am Not surprised, really She lived a hard life, and I’m just thankful that I didn’t end up tied to her I’uys She showed ood ive birth to me herself In her mind, she doesn’t see me any differently than she sees you, and that’s not always the case”

I think of Remi, and the opposite experience she had, and my heart aches for her

“So, that’s why it was never brought up Because we’re a family, and we just all moved forward”

“Did that Kensie lady do bad things to you?” Troy asks He’s always been the roup

“Someti rown up, but then there are ht nohen he’s still very much a kid “I’m okay, bud”

“I want to hurt her back,” Troy says against otten aith it”

“She didn’t,” Layla says, always the philosopher “She was oes around comes around’”

“Karot hers in the end”

“I think this party has taken a far more serious turn than anticipated,” I say as Troy sits next tohis head on my shoulder “Are we okay?”

“Yeah, but I want to ask Dad about it,” Sarah says “I know, you’re going to call me stubborn But I have questions”