“You didn’t think I had a right to know?” I sob.
“What difference would it have made?” Dave snaps. “It doesn’t change the fact that you’re my baby girl, and you always will be.’’
“Did you even want me? Or did Jesse have to convince you?” I steer my focus toward my brother.
There’s a beat of silence.
“I said, did you even want me?” I take it up a notch, pushing my father’s buttons.
“No!” Dave matches my intensity.
So, it’s true.
It was all Jesse. He’s the reason I didn’t grow up with that monster of a foster dad. Because of him, I got to have a family. A life. How am I supposed to be mad at him knowing I owe him everything?
“Not at first, anyway,” Dave elaborates.
“Got it,” I spit.
“Dia, listen to me.” Dave steps closer. “That doesn’t mean adopting you wasn’t the best decision we ever made.”
I’m almost scared my heart is going to overdose—is that even a thing? If not, it should be. Because that’s how this feels. Like there are too many emotions in my chest. More pain, resentment, and gratitude than the human heart can possibly handle.
“You did this?” I glance at my brother, my anger waning with each new piece of information.
Jesse’s eyes are pointed at his feet, shame looming over his head like a thick black cloud. “I… I couldn’t leave you behind.”
No one speaks or makes a sound for an eternity, each of us needing a moment to process what just happened. I let myself get caught in the eye of the hurricane for a hot minute. Until I remember why I came home in the first place.
Finn.
Facing his demons.
In the worst way possible.
Shit.
“I have to go.”
With that said, I head for the door.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You want to leave now?” Jesse stops me. I ram my shoulder into his chest to force him to move, but he doesn’t budge.
“You don’t understand. I need to go,” I try to reason with him, but nothing seems to do the trick.
“What you need to do is sit down with your family and have a serious conversation. There’s something else we need to talk about.”
Normally, I’d be curious. On any other day, I’d pull up a chair and give them my undivided attention. But this isn’t any other day. Because this time, I’m not just worried about Finn hurting himself emotionally. I’m worried for his safety.
“What part don’t you understand? Finn needs my help.” I direct every ounce of my strength into pushing Jesse out of my way, and to my disbelief, I succeed. Unfortunately, my brother’s hand takes hold of my wrist the next second.
“You’re not leaving,” Jesse asserts.
“You’re not my fucking dad.”
Then, he says the one thing I’m afraid our family will never recover from…
“Yes, I am!”