A knock sounds at the door.
"Gen?"
It's Bridget. I quickly wipe the tears from my face and take a deep breath. This only takes a couple of seconds, of course, but Bridget is already speaking again sounding irritated, stressed, and confused all at the same time.
"Gen, let me in. This is my room too."
Popping up from my bed I head to the door and open it just a crack. When I've made certain that it truly is only Bridget, I open the door just enough for her to get inside before closing it.
Bridget storms across the room and starts pacing. It almost makes me smile, except for the fact that her cheeks are tear stained. The Tolia kids have convinced me that pacing when you're anxious is some kind of genetic trait. They all do it.
"Who is this Aunt Cassie? Why does she-? Ugh! Who does she think she is?" she rages.
"Bridget, calm down," I say, taking in a shaky breath so I can keep my own composure.
Stopping dead in her tracks, she brings a hand through her hair and blows air through her lips before turning to face me. "Sorry," she mumbles. "I guess she is your aunt..."
I scoff and cross my arms. This makes Bridget give me that look that tells me she knows I'm hiding some aspect of my past about Aunt Cassie. Which, of course is true. They know nothing about her...
"She doesn't deserve that title... Did you not notice I literally ran away from her?" I mumble to the floor, with more sadness than anger.
"Genevieve Rose Tolia."
Bridget walks up and forces me to look her in the eyes. "What. Happened?"
I shake my head and blink back tears. "Please don't make me do this, Bridge," I beg. "Just... Tell me she's left."
Bridget's hard, determined expression softens a bit and a twinge of guilt flashes across her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."
"It's ok. You deserve to know but at the same time," I pause and laugh an awkward, sad laugh. "At the same time you deserve not to know."
I sit down on the edge of my bed, the bright tie dye colors doing nothing to brighten my mood. My hands drag down my cheeks as I try to keep the tears in. Bridget hesitantly sits down next to me.
"Gen... Gen, she's still here. She's... Ummm... She's talking with Mom and Dad..."
My head snaps up. "Why?"
What more could she possibly take a way from me?
Bridget's own eyes begin to water and she can't even get the words out of her mouth. "She... Well... Gen... She..."
"What?" I whisper-shriek.
She turns her head away and the looks down at her hands. "I'm trying to decide it it's really my place to tell you or not."
"Tell me what?" I push.
She licks her lips and meets my eyes for a second. Several times she opens her mouth to speak but can't force the words out. Finally, she says, "Gen... She... She wants to bring you to her home."
I stand up suddenly. "WHAT?" I demand, the tears no longer staying inside me. I sit back down suddenly and just cry.
I'm a rag doll being thrown from place to place. Mr. And Mrs. T are probably showing Aunt Cassie the government papers while she argues that I'm biological family to her. Why did I think I'd find a stable home?? I'm being fought over like some old precious antique.
