When Alex finally got back into the kitchen to find the tea (I mean honestly. How long does it TAKE to pour tea!), Jessica's tears had stopped. Actually, she was sitting there, on my Aunt's couch, shredding up a tissue.

"Hey, I need those," I said, indicating the tissues.

"I'll buy you a new box," she said, also indicating the tissues.

"More tea!" Alex cried triumphantly as a box of tea flew out of the kitchen and into the living room. I caught it and chucked it right back into the kitchen.

Bang.

"Ow…" Came a voice from the kitchen.

"Whoops, sorry!" I called in the general direction of the kitchen.

"I enrolled in the class," Jessica told me.

"That's great! It was enough money, right?" I asked.

"Yeah. More than enough. If you don't mind, I sent the rest to Henry to buy a new clarinet… He's been playing with food in his mouth again and he lodged a carrot in there somehow."

"Ew," I said. "No, it's good."

"Mike was a bit confused as to why you threw his allergy medicine in through the window."

"Oh. You know. Symbolism."

This had been going on for a good five minutes before Alex, holding a hand to the side of his head (oh, so THAT'S what the box of tea hit… oh dear.) and carrying a cup of tea in his other hand. He gave it to Jessica.

"What, none for me?"

"You hit me in the head."

"Ah—yeah. Sorry."

"I'm just kidding. There's more in the kitchen. I think."

"Oh. Thanks."

"Kim, you have to come home," Jessica said, all in a rush.

"Not until everyone else forgives me. I don't want to go back."

"Can't you just--"

"No!" I collected myself. "I mean, no. Everyone else has always gotten what they wanted and did they ever think about me? No. Not really. They just watched me while I did my homework, every single day, and the only ones who actually cared were Mike and Alex. Who isn't even my brother. More like, honorary."

"Really?" Alex said.

"Yeah. And you know what else, Jessica? I sent you that money to give back what I'd so forcefully 'taken away' when Dad died. I hoped it would make you see that maybe, just maybe, I cared about you guys and the rest of the family and maybe finally you guys would care about me again." By this time, I was gripping a pillow off the couch so tightly that my fingers were starting to turn white. "And maybe it would make you see that it wasn't my fault." I was crying now. "I was only 12!" I wailed.

"Call them and tell them that… You have to make them understand. Call them and tell them what you told me."

I dialed my cell phone for what seemed like the millionth time in the past two days.

"Hello—ow!" Someone said. I covered the phone with my hand.

"Ah—Jessica… Who would be saying hello—ow?"

"Oh. That's Jake. He was being an idiot." I uncovered the phone.

"Jake? It's me, Kim. What did you do?"

"I stepped on the glass from the window. Dude, two words: That's sharp."

"Oh. My. God. That was actually two words, Jake, good job!" I could tell that Jake felt proud of himself. "Hey, can you put me on speaker and get the rest of the family? I have something to say."

I heard two clicks, lots of footsteps, some yelling, and a beep. Then I heard, "Go ahead, Kim."

"You guys know that I sent Jessica $100 for her after-school program, right? She used the money and sent the rest to Henry. Please, please, believe me when I say it wasn't my fault. I was only twelve, when I turned the steering wheel I was trying to stop the car, I swear, I need a family, I really do…" I tried to turn a sob into a cough. "I'm really, really sorry…" I heard sobbing in the background, and then Mark's soft voice.

"It's okay, mom."

"I—I—Kim!" The sobbing resumed. That was mom.

"Mom, I'm so sorry… If I had known… I was only trying to help…"

"Kim, I'm sorry." Mom again.

"Come home," came Jessica's voice from beside me.