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I’d felt it my whole life.
“A lot of you don’t know me, but I’m Amy, Calvin’s twin. And I just want to say a big congratulations to my brother.”
A few claps rang out in the crowd.
“He needs this,” I said. “You know, when we were kids, he always used to push me down whenever I was getting the attention.”
“Amy, get down.” Calvin’s voice was hard as he tried to make his way to me.
“Yes,” Mom added. “Enough of this.”
“No, no. Let me finish. It’s about time that you got the attention youdeserved.” I raised a glass, and the crowd did the same, unaware of what I’d say next. “Anyway, when we were kids, I would be so jealous when people would flock to him. I just wanted a friend for myself. But you know what? I realized that he needs this. He can’t function without it. When things don’t go his way, Calvin struggles. He might do things like smash windows or manipulate someone who’s dying. He also fires his sister and leaves her without health insurance when she has a chronic condition. You know, things like that.”
The crowd was silent. I was sure I could have heard a pin drop from a mile away.
“So, please, for me, continue stroking his ego. You don’t wanna see what he does when you stop.”
Whispers broke out as I jumped down and headed for the door.
“Amy!” Dad yelled. “What the hell was that?”
“That was me finally saying what I should have for all of these years. You’re welcome.”
“I amnotthanking you.”
“Good. Neither am I. You and Mom have consistently chosen Calvin over me, and I’m tired of it. I have no interest in celebrating a spoiled man-child who can’t handle the word no.”
Dad went red in the face. “You’re the only one causing a scene.”
“Good. I deserve at least one. At least I won’t be following up a funeral with a fucking court case.”
“Y-your gram was wrong!” Dad snapped. “She never loved him like he deserved.”
“Not loving people like they deserve runs in the family.”
Calvin was making his way to me and I knew he wanted to get me alone. Pure rage was on his face, and he wouldn’t let me get away with this.
And he wouldn’t want an audience.
I darted out the door and into the side yard.
He caught up quickly.
“Amy! You don’t get to run from me after doing what you just did.”
I turned to him and flipped him off. “You deserved it!”
“And you deserved to get fired.”
“Yeah, you know what? I did. And it led me to my husband, so thanks for that.”
“Your husband who’s spending his night with another woman.”
“He’s not gonna touch Ava.”
“Really? He wouldn’t be the first person to leave you when something better came along.”
I laughed. “Like Gram did with you?”