As the train pulled into the Chicago station, I started having second thoughts. What if Aunt Muriel, clueless as she was, wouldn't take me in? I mean, I know it's not nice to take advantage of someone like that, but honestly, I'd had enough. This was my fight, and I was going to win it, whether they liked it or not. So, I hailed a cab on the way out of the station, got in, and stated the address of Aunt Muriel's apartment building.

Broken family that we might be, we still held connections to family that lived in-state, or in time-zone. Hence the reason that Aunt Muriel's address was stuck in my head. I could read it backwards. (Why, I don't know. I'm just saying that I could if I wanted to.) And however many times that my life turned around in the last day or so, it wouldn't matter. Family was one of the strongest ties that you could have, and I wasn't about to let that go as quickly as my 11 siblings and my mom had. Who did they think they were? My dad had given up his job, his source of income in order to be closer to his family. "Happier and stronger", he called it. But it looked like I was the only one who was trying to uphold that. And try I would. Try, try, until I finally succeed.

I paid the cab driver and buzzed up to my Aunt's apartment.

"'Ello? Who ees eet?" Aunt Muriel's voice came over the speaker.

"Hey, Aunt Rie," I said. "It's me, Kim Baker."

"Ah! Kim! Eet has been a long time, has eet not?"

And the doors flew open to admit me into the building.

--

"What was she thinking?" My mom said under her breath. "Where would she have gone?"

"Mom, we can fully hear everything you're saying." Mark said.

"She ran away, it's obvious. She knew it was her fault and she'd had enough so she ran away. I hope she got run over by a bus."

"JESSICA!" Mom scolded.

"No! It wasn't Kim's fault!" said Mike loudly. "Everyone has been treating her horribly ever since Dad died—Don't deny it. Everyone here supposedly hates her, why would she want to stay here. Dad always said that we'd be a happier and stronger family--" he continued, looking straight at Mark, hoping to get some support. "—and we're not going to be happier and stronger until all of our family members are recovered and safe and home."

Mike walked over to the couch and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm going back to bed, we can deal with this in the morning." Mom said, going back up the stairs. As soon as he heard the door shut, Mark spoke.

"He's right, you know." Mark said quietly. "I say we get Kim back. I say we make this family stronger, and happier, and—and everything that it was before… Well, you know. Who's with me?"

Nigel and Kyle stepped forwards. So did Sarah.

"Jake, Jessica?" Mark asked, hopefully.

"Dude, I would step forward, but have you seen my feet lately?" said Jake.

"No way, she ruined my life!" Jessica said, and ran off into the kitchen.

And so the rest of the family, unknown to me, gathered in the living room to finally pick up the pieces of their lives.