Cora closes her eyes and rests her cheek against my chest. I gently run my fingers through her hair, urging her to trust me and that she can take her time.
After a few moments, she asks, “Did you know Arlo is technically my half-brother?”
“Really?” I ask. “I didn’t know that.”
“We share the same mom. Neither of us know our fathers, really, or our mom for that matter. She didn’t want to raise us, so she dumped us off at our grandparents’ house. They weren’t thrilled to have to start parenting again, but they did the best they could . . . I guess. We were sent to boarding schools when we were teenagers and sort of forgotten about after that. When Arlo was in college and I was a senior in high school, our grandparents passed away, leaving us a large trust fund. Arlo moved mountains with his share, but I just fucked around.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I was depressed, like very depressed. I tried to commit suicide—”
“God, Cora.” My heart stutters in my chest.
Tears well in her eyes. “Arlo found me on the bathroom floor. I believe the only reason I’m still alive is because of him. It’s why he’s so protective, because of the grief we’ve grieved together, because of everything I put him through. I started going to therapy after that, and when I was feeling healthy, I met Keenan. At that point, he gave me attention, he gave me love, even if it was halfhearted love. It was more than I was getting anywhere else. And I love Arlo, but he was often emotionally unavailable, dealing with his own insecurities and shortcomings.”
“Jesus, Cora.” I move my hand to her cheek, wanting to keep close to her, to love on her. “I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be sorry. It’s my past, and I figured you should know. Arlo wasn’t being an ass, he’s never been an ass to me, but he does try to protect me. Protect himself. He gets worried because of my past with depression. I’ve always had a handle on it, well for the most part, my divorce was tough. But his concern is heavy whenever I drink because he worries I’m trying to numb my feelings, and I get it. He doesn’t want me going back to where I came from. He already lost a dad, a mom, and grandparents. I’m all he has left. He’d do just about anything to make sure I don’t go anywhere, either.”
“I get that. I really do. I would do anything for my siblings. I understand what it’s like not to be loved by a parent, and to seek that connection with a brother or a sister, instead.”
“Arlo is all I really have, all I’ve ever had, so even when he’s a stuck-up asshole, I deal with it.”
“Seems like Arlo and Killian could be good friends, because Kill is the same way, maybe not as pompous, though.”
“It’s the long-lasting effects of boarding school.” She tilts her head to the side. “I’m surprised you didn’t go to a boarding school, since it seems as though you grew up in the British elite.”
“Pa was never a fan, which is quite surprising, given he could’ve forced us to make connections with the children of people he wanted to do business with, but he found that private, conservative Christian school was more suited for us.”
“Oh, so your parents must have been doubly thrilled that Aggie has a girlfriend.” She winces. “That’s a horrible assumption. Not all conservative Christians have issues with the LGBTQ community—”
“I know what you mean, and, yeah, that’s one of the reasons it wasn’t well received. I’m actually glad Aggie is so happy with what she’s doing and how she’s living her life because Ma and Pa haven’t been fair to her at all.”
“Just like they haven’t been fair to you with Iris?”
I shrug. “I suppose. I guess we were both shunned from the family for different reasons.”
“Is that why you’re here, in America? Because you were shunned?”
“My life felt like a merry-go-round that never changed. I wasn’t thriving, but simply meeting expectations, and I wanted more. I wanted a fresh start, a place where I didn’t feel like I was being watched over every second of every day. I wanted freedom to make my own choices and do what I wanted to do. I’m surprised I was hired, in all honesty.”
“Principal Dewitt is a pretty amazing woman. She sees the potential in people and gives them a chance. She actually spoke to me about putting together a marketing workshop and offering it to the seniors.”
“When did she do that?” I ask.