I looked at the time. “Why would someone show up this late?” “
“I think he’d be happier if it were him instead of me”
“Do you want me to check?” Derek asked. I told them, “No, it’s okay.” “I’ll get it.”
The world stopped for a second when I opened the door.
Caleb was half-smiling as he stood on the porch. He looked different; he was older and wider, and the rough edges of his teen defiance had worn off. It seemed like it had been six years since he had said “Hey, sis.”
I just stared at him for a while, not sure if he was real.
The words then came out stronger than I meant. Ask yourself, “Why are you here?” “
He said, “I heard about Dad.” “I felt like going to check on him.”
“Will you check on him?” When did it matter to you? “
He said he hadn’t heard that.
“May I come in?” “
“When did it matter to you?” “
He walked by and stood in the hallway like he had never been there. “I’m not sure you’re going to stay here,” I told them. Caleb answered, “Calm down.” “I found a place close by.” I have no plans to move back in.
I sort of said, “Good.” “Because there is already too much chaos in this house.”
“You’re wrong if you think you’re moving here”
It didn’t bother him. “May I see Dad?” “
I gave him my OK and led him down the hall. Dad’s tired face lit up in a way I hadn’t seen in months as soon as he saw him.
He breathed in “Caleb.” “You showed up.”
I took a step back, and the lump in my throat got bigger. They talked softly, and Dad reached for Caleb’s hand while I sneaked out of the room. I felt like I did when I was thirteen again: forgotten, unseen, the daughter who stayed but never shone as brightly as the son who always left.
Derek was washing a mug in the kitchen when I got there. “Who was there at the door?” “
The daughter who stayed was never as bright as the son who always left. “My brother.”
“After all these years?” I think he smelled a will.
“Don’t begin.”
“I think he smelled a will,” she said. “All right, Tara. You already know how he is.
He likely saw money when he heard that your dad was sick. I said, “Maybe.”
I went to my dad’s room to say goodbye after Caleb left that night. Dad smiled and said, “He’s changed.” “I’m so glad he came.”
“He likely saw money when he heard your dad was sick.”
“Uh-huh.”
The empty space on the table caught my eye.
“Where is your watch?” “
Dad took a quick blink. “It was right there this morning.”
There was nothing on the table, the floor, or the chest when I looked. He no longer had the gold watch that he had worn since I was a child.
When Caleb came back the next day, I didn’t waste any time. “We lost Dad’s watch.”
He made a face. “Perhaps he lost it.”
I told her, “It was there before you came in yesterday.” “So it wasn’t.”
“So what do you mean I took it?” “
I put my arms together.
“Is that really a surprise to anyone?” “
He laughed. “You still think of me as that bad kid?” “That guy is no longer me.”
I told them, “I don’t believe that.” “People don’t change all of a sudden.”
“You still think of me as that bad kid?” “I’m no longer that guy”
“Tara, you’ve always hated me. Always ready for me to fail.”
“You went away!
When Dad got sick, I was in charge of everything! It’s been really tough, you have no idea. He snapped, “Then hire someone.” “Get a nurse or something.”
It was me who kept everything together when Dad got sick!
“
“Sure,” I said with a sour laugh. “Who is going to pay for that?” The air? “
He quickly said, “I can pay.” “I now have money.”
I said, “All right.” “From what?
Magic beans?” “
As he left, he slammed the door behind him and shook his head. As the weeks went by, things got even stranger. Someone was taking Dad’s things, like some of his jewelry, a few books from his collection, and even some of his cash.
My chest got tight every time he talked about it. I already had proof. I already knew who was to blame.
As the weeks went by, things got even stranger. But when I was getting ready to leave one morning, there was a woman holding a clipboard at the door. She was wearing a pale blue outfit.
She was nice and said, “Good morning.” This is Laura. I was hired by your brother to take care of your dad. “Who is he?” “
“I was hired by your brother to take care of your dad.”
“He told me you needed help.”
I didn’t know what to say as I looked at her cool, professional smile.
I just moved out of the way and let her in. There was no waste of time. I went right to Caleb’s apartment that same morning.
I didn’t give him much time to talk when he opened the door. “He said you might need some help”
What do I say? “Dad’s things keep going missing.”
When Caleb crossed his arms, he leaned against the doorframe.
“Of course you believe it’s me.”
“Who else could it be?” I shot back. “You come back after six years, and all of a sudden things are missing? Do you think I’m dumb?
“
“Dad’s things keep getting lost”
“Don’t you always need someone to blame?” Take a look at places near you. “What do you mean by that?” “
He said, “Nothing.” “But call the police if you’re really sure I’m the thief.” “Get it over with.”
“Don’t you always need someone to blame?” Take a look at places near you. “Maybe,” I snapped, and I quickly turned around.
I didn’t, though. That was something I couldn’t bring myself to do with my family. I had a different thought instead, one that would finally show who was lying.
That was something I couldn’t bring myself to do with my family. I went to a tech shop and bought two small cameras for safety. One is in the living room, and the other is hidden behind a picture frame in Dad’s room.
No one knew. Not Dad, not Derek, and not at all Caleb. I went to a tech store and got two small cameras for my home.
After two days, Dad said that more money was stolen from his safe. That day, when I opened my PC, my hands were shaking. The video looked good.
I hit “play.”
At first, all I saw was my dad sleeping in bed. Then Caleb showed up. It took him a moment to kneel next to the old safe, take out a stack of bills, and count them.
It broke my heart to know I was right. Afterward, he let out a sigh, put all the money back in the safe, locked it, and left. It didn’t matter to him.
I said in a whisper, “What the hell?”
Moving through the next few hours, I pressed the “forward” button on the video. Around midnight, there was another person. It was Derek.
He moved slowly and looked over his shoulder before getting down on his knees next to the safe. He opened it with shaking hands and put a few bills in his pocket. After that, he left like nothing had broken.
I couldn’t breathe as I sat there looking at the screen. I didn’t trust my brother the whole time, and it was Derek who was stealing from my sick dad. I was waiting by the door that night for Derek to come home.
He hung up his coat and smiled tiredly, but when he saw my face, he stopped moving. I said in a low voice, “I know it was you.”
He made a face. “What do you mean?” “
I told them, “Don’t.” “You took something from my dad.”
After a short pause, he said, “So Caleb told you.”
“What?” I blinked.
“Why would Caleb do that?”
Derek said, “He caught me once.” “He said he wouldn’t say anything if I told you myself,” she said. “He knew?” And you let me keep blaming him? “
“I felt bad about myself.
I lost my job a long time ago. I wasn’t sure how to tell you. I believed I could simply borrow money until things improved.
“Borrow?” “I said it again. “You told me lies.” When your brother was the only one who could protect you, you made me hate him. “Tara, please—”
“Don’t.” I am unable to look at you at this time.
“Just leave.”
“You hurt my brother when he was the only one who could have saved you.”
He thought about it for a moment, then slowly nodded and left, locking the door behind him. When it was quiet again, I grabbed my keys and drove without giving it a second thought. My hands were shaking by the time I got to Caleb’s room.
I started crying as soon as he opened the door. I choked up the words and said, “I’m so sorry.”
He came up to me and gave me a hug that meant more than words could say. “Caleb, thanks for coming back.
Thank you for trying to keep me safe. He said in a low voice, “You’re my sister.”
“That’s all that counts”
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