cnu-At my fortieth birthday party, my sister swung a baseball bat into…

in Derek’s arms.

“I’m sure it was an accident.”

The sentence entered me like another blow.

“An accident?” I said.

My mother’s voice hardened. “Emma can be stubborn. You know that. Children get physical sometimes.”

“She was standing still.”

“You didn’t see everything,” Vanessa said quickly.

“I saw enough.”

Derek was already moving toward the driveway. I followed continue reading …