Every time he walked away, the prison guard would breathe out and say, “Your brother doesn’t believe you.”
Disappointment kept coming, and I didn’t know when it slowly turned into hopelessness.
I felt like the whole world had left me behind; I once had a brother who cared about me, but now even he was gone.
When I saw that pearl necklace again, my mind completely collapsed.
I turned the box over in panic.
With the necklace breaking apart, the pearls dropped to the floor and scattered in a trail of clattering rolls.
Rosie stood frozen in surprise, unsure of what to do.
Jude’s face darkened immediately. “Rosie is giving you a gift out of kindness. She doesn’t even blame you anymore. What are you doing?”
I shook in the chair, my face as pale as paper.
He dragged me up roughly. “You think just because you’re out, you can throw tantrums? Hurry and pick up the pearls and say sorry to Rosie!”
Say sorry?
How could I ever say sorry?
I pushed my brother hard, ran out the door, and rushed into the freezing wind.
With the wind biting cold, I felt grief and shame tighten painfully in my chest.
I didn’t want to stay home.
If not for taking back my father’s things, I never would’ve returned with him.
I didn’t want to be blamed ever again.
I didn’t want to bear even a small wrong ever again.
My brother soon ran after me and caught my wrist.
He frowned deeply and scolded, “Where are you going? You spent three years in prison and still didn’t fix your attitude?”
I couldn’t hold back anymore.
I pulled my hand loose, my eyes turning red.
“Is she giving me that necklace out of kindness or spite? Jude, can you really not see it?”
“I’m your real sister. You already sent me in once, what more do you want from me?”
“It was for your own good!”
His voice turned cold. “Since you dared to steal, you must accept punishment. Otherwise, how will you ever change that bad habit?”
“Should I pretend nothing happened and let you keep going down the wrong path?”
Hearing him, I felt a deep, painful emptiness open inside my chest.
All my life, when had I ever taken anything?
Why would I take Rosie’s necklace? For what reason?
Why couldn’t he think it through?
Why couldn’t he trust me?
With tears streaming, the hurt and hopelessness from those three years came rushing back..
I let go of explaining, once more.
Looking at my short prison haircut, my brother lowered his voice as if giving up.
“Evie, everything I did was for you. You spent three years inside, but I’ve set up a future for you.”
“My company will be yours someday. I only wanted to give you a small punishment, nothing that would truly hurt you.”
“Come home with me. Don’t run around anymore.”
He took my hand and brought me back. I went with him like a machine, empty, saying nothing.
At the door’s opening, Rosie saw him come in with me, and a quick look of surprise crossed her eyes.
Even with all that, it seemed she never thought my brother would bring me home. But I only felt worn out.
I hid in the bedroom and didn’t come out again.
Late at night, Rosie rushed into my room. I opened my eyes on instinct, but she assumed I was asleep.
She moved her hand under my pillow and pushed something beneath it.
I kept quiet. I left it there.
She was so eager, I had barely come back, and she was already using the same trick again.
I wanted to see whether my brother would choose to trust me this time.
The next morning, just as expected, she cried while accusing me again, saying I had taken her necklace.
“Evie, if you want it, you can just tell me. I gave you the necklace yesterday; you were the one who didn’t want it.”
“Or do you just enjoy taking things?”
My brother’s face went dark, and he set his jaw as he looked at me.
