Page 68 of Torch

“Selfish?!” Myron snapped.

Uncle Gavin tensed beside me before sending a look that could kill toward Myron. “You need to lower your tone when you’re talking to her. Regina might turn a blind eye to you mistreating Brittney, but I won’t.”

My mother gasped. “I have never done anything like that.”

Before I could say anything, he beat me to it. “Regina, stop it. We all noticed how Myron treated the girls differently. Why do you think your mother, father, and I made sure to always pour a little more love into Brit? We knew she needed it. Then, if that wasn’t bad enough, it’s like he installed hate in Morgan toward Brit.”

“That is not true,” Morgan spoke up, coming to Myron’s defense. “How I feel about Brittney has nothing to do with my father.”

I raised a brow, feeling uncertain about where this was about to go. “And how do you feel about me?”

She shrugged, picking at her nails. “I don’t hate you… but I don’t necessarily like you either.”

“Morgan, this is your sister!” Granny hissed angrily.

“It doesn’t mean I have to like her, though. Brit always acts like she’s better than everyone else. Acts like she's too good for certain people. Julian was pampering her like a princess, but it wasn’t good enough. She’s ruining Daddy’s career with no regard to how it will affect us.”

“There it is. There’s the real issue. What? Are you mad because without all those bonuses Myron collected because of my relationship with Julian, you will no longer be able to sit around like a spoiled brat? Are you mad because I’m no longer suffering in silence? Or are you mad because, for once, you’re not the one winning and I am?”

By the time I finished, Morgan was fuming. She was breathing deeply, her fists clenched at her sides. Out of nowhere, she leaped off the couch and rushed me. Without giving it much thought, I shot to my feet and punched her in the face.

“Stop this! Stop it right now!” my granny yelled.

Uncle Gavin and Myron pulled us apart before more blows could be thrown. I was calm, but Morgan was thrashing around, trying to get loose. Mama stepped in front of her with tears streaming down her face.

“Morgan, that is your sister. Why are you behaving like this?”

“I hate her!” she screamed, venom lacing her words. “She always ruins everything!”

“You see what I’m saying, Regina? You allowed this to happen right under your nose. The signs have been there for years. You chose to ignore them.” Uncle Gavin shook his head in disappointment.

I stepped around Uncle Gavin, grabbing my purse off the couch. “It doesn’t matter because I’m done.”

“D-done?” my mom stuttered with a shocked expression.

“Yes. Done.”

“Now, Brit, I know a lot has happened, but we are still family. We need to work this out.” Granny clutched her chest. She looked devastated.

“You’re right, Granny. We are family. But from here on out, I’ll just keep my distance. They want me to be apologetic when I’ve done nothing wrong. For months, I have been the happiest I have ever been. Yet, the second I’m around them, the darkness creeps back in. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Good. Be gone!” Morgan shouted. “You think your life is so perfect but just wait. It isn’t going to be long before that husband of yours is cheating with someone far better than you.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, facing my baby sister. The amount of hostility she had for me had me flabbergasted. I had never wished ill will on her. Never spoke a bad word against her. Yet she had this much hate in her heart for me. The days of me sparing her were about to come to an end.

“A better choice, like who? Someone like you?” I laughed. I knew what this was really about. Morgan couldn’t fathom that we both met Christian at the same time, yet he chose me. “What makes you better, Morgan? Hmm? Is it the all the married men you’ve slept with for the right price? Or is it the four STDs Mama had to take you to get treated for before you even graduated from high school?”

Uncle Gavin and Granny's mouths hung open as their eyes were wide as saucers. Myron, on the other hand, was furious that I had just blasted his precious baby girl.

“You are out of line!” he yelled.

“And Morgan’s not?!” Uncle Gavin yelled back. “Did you not hear what she just said? Yet you only got something to say to Brit! And I’m not going to tell you again to stop raising your voice at her. Next time, I’m grabbing my shotgun.”

I placed my hands on his chest and shook my head. “It’s not worth it. Besides, I’m leaving.” I hugged him and my grandmother before leaving. I didn’t say a single word to my mother, Myron, or Morgan.

I was officially done.

As I drove home, I felt a mixture of emotions. One was peace. It was a long time coming. I remembered when Christian told me all those months ago that he had family members he had distanced himself from. Back then, I couldn’t fathom doing the same. Now, I knew this was the only way I could protect my peace.