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

“Brooklyn is traumatized too. She saw the whole thing.”

I stared at her.

Derek pushed off the wall. “You need to leave.”

My mother stiffened. “Excuse me?”

He did not raise his voice. That made it worse somehow.

“Leave.”

Dad looked at me, waiting for me to correct my husband.

I did not.

After they walked out, Derek sat beside me and took my hand.

“We need to continue reading …