The Shoebox With My Name On It

I tried to comfort her, but I could tell it wasn’t only our mother’s death that was troubling her.

Then, suddenly, she whispered,

« I’ve been afraid of this moment since I was ten. »

I squeezed her hand.

« Tessa, if this is about how jealous I was, I grew out of that years ago. »

Her face crumpled.

« This isn’t about your jealousy.

I was afraid you would hate me for what Mom did. »

« Our mother? »

Tessa stood up and went into Mom’s old storage room.