Page 78 of What Goes Around

“I’ll talk to your father,” she said, stroking Apple’s hair. “We’ll go tomorrow. Don’t worry, sweetheart.”

Of course you will.

I turned and walked away before either of them noticed the smirk I no longer tried to hide.

Chapter 24: I Was Just a Little Girl Too

The next day, my father was already home when I arrived from school.

“Ashley,” he called from his study. “Come here, please.”

When I stepped inside, he was sitting behind his desk, posture rigid, eyes lifting to me for half a second before sliding away again.

“Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair across from him.

I did.

“Your mother took Apple to see her doctor today,” he began.

I waited.

“She’s… struggling again,” he said carefully. “Depression. Panic episodes. Nightmares.”

I studied his face.

“What set it off?”

His eyes didn’t meet mine. They drifted to the desk. The phone. The window.

When he finally spoke, he still wasn’t looking at me.

“You,” he said.

“Me?”

He sighed and rubbed his temples like he was already tired.

“You’ve changed,” he said. “A lot. And Apple doesn’t handle change well. She compares herself to you constantly. It’s… overwhelming for her. School pressure, social stress. It builds. The psychiatrist says her stress needs to be reduced. She started on antidepressants.”

He glanced up at me, searching.

“What’s gotten into you?” he asked. “You’ve been… different these past few weeks. And your mother is worried.”

I stared back at him.

“I haven’t done anything,” I said. “I’ve just been living my life quietly.”

He sighed. “I know it isn’t fair. But Apple has always been fragile. The nightmares are getting worse. The panic attacks. And that man… from before…”

His jaw tightened.

“It still haunts her,” he finished. “She needs peace.”

“So what exactly am I supposed to do?” I asked softly. “Make myself smaller? Apologize for breathing too loudly?”

He blinked.

“That’s not what I meant—”