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“I don’t know what to say,” Molly laughed.

“Weird, right?” Faith smiled.

“So, your parents…” Molly trailed off, giving Faith the space to take over the conversation.

Puffing out her cheeks, Faith tried to find a place to start. “When I mentioned my dad,” she began. “I saw this look in your eye, like you were hoping he wanted to talk. Because he kept your letters.” Faith had to just rip the band aid off. “That’s not the case.” Molly stiffened slightly but remained silent. “It’s difficult for me to talk about. Living with him, with them, hasn’t been easy.”

“Tell me,” Molly said, her face full of concern.

Faith drew every bit of confidence Carmen and Mateo had instilled in her and let her mouth do the talking. Nothing was skipped or watered down. Faith knew Molly had to hear it all. Maybe then her aunt could forget the idea of a joyful family reunion.

It felt cruel of Faith to be this honest, especially when she could see the light in Molly’s eyes dim. Faith had to remember that her experience and Molly’s were different. The way Alan Parsons behaved now was the only way Faith had ever known him. But that didn’t mean Molly’s life with him had been the same.

“Faith, I… I really, I just don’t know what to say.”

“It’s a lot, I know.”

“Alan, your dad, wasn’t always like that. Maybe that’s why I kept sending him letters. I hoped one day he would snap out of it, and be the brother I grew up with.”

“Would you mind telling me about him, about you and what happened?” Faith couldn’t imagine a world where her parents were anything but what they were.

“I suppose I should start before it all went to shit,” Molly chuckled mirthlessly. “Our parents, your grandparents, were the best people I ever knew. God, they loved us so much. Your grandad was a mechanic and your grandma worked in the library. We had little, but what we lacked in money they made up for in love.” Faith wanted to wipe away the tears falling down Molly’s face. “Your dad was the best brother, too. He didn’t mind having his baby sister following him around, even when he was with his friends.”

“It’s just so hard to believe,” Faith replied, the earth shifting beneath her feet.

Molly nodded. “When our parents died, that’s when things changed. I honestly believe that if they’d still been around, your father wouldn’t have cared about my sexual orientation.”

“Really?”

“Really. I think he was just so angry that when he turned for guidance to the church, to the Pastor, he couldn’t see the poison being spewed into him. He started changing. He was always angry and short-tempered.”

“That’s the man I know,” Faith muttered.

“When he caught me with my best friend in my room, I thought he would get angry but then calm down. I didn’t think he would…”

“Would what? What did he do to you?”

“It’s not something I like to talk about,” Molly conceded.

“He hit me and mom,” Faith admitted. If she wanted Molly to be vulnerable and trust her, she needed to open up.

Molly shook her head and drew Faith into another hug. “God, I wish I’d known you were alive. I would have done something.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“How… how did you find out about me?”

Faith explained about her mother’s slip-up and the conversation she had with Mrs. Baker in the library.

“I thought that if I could find you… I don’t know, I just needed someone…”

“You needed someone to understand.”

“Yes, and make me feel a part of a family.”

“Your grandparents would have adored you, Faith. I promise you that. It’s cruel that you never got to have that with them.”

“Can we take a walk?” Faith asked. Her emotions were running wild and the urge to move became unsurmountable.