Page 156 of Isolation

When Milo found out that Raven left for Paris, he threw a shitstorm. He flew out to Paris but he came back alone. It was impossible to read Milo after that and I didn’t try. I didn’t know the extent of their relationship and I didn’t care to know.

I had my own shit to deal with.

Shockingly, Mia didn’t ask either. So, none of us offered her an explanation.

I blamed Raven for destroying our family, but in reality she was the only glue to hold us together.

Raven was the one who organized family nights. She took care of things that none of us deemed important. Without her efforts, all warmth died off inside our home. The the house became suffocatingly quiet. Laughter died off and three of us walked around like zombies. However, none of us ever talked about it.

I became dead on the inside, detached from life. Milo pulled away from the rest of us, filling his time with work. He became void of all emotions. Mia simply bottled everything up.

With Milo’s new influx of income Dad didn’t have to stay in the Cayman Islands any longer, nor did he have to work long hours. Our parents moved back home.

Milo purchased a condo in Soho and moved out. However, he barely comes to New York with his new rigorous travel schedule. He lives on the road, and seems to prefer it that way.

The moment I graduated from high school, I moved out as well. I couldn’t live in that suffocating house anymore.

We all moved away from each other, barely reuniting on holidays and select weekends. Other than Mia, I barely see my family. The same is true for Milo.

Raven was the one who made all of us real. I realized it after she left. Without Raven our home was a sham; it was cursed and empty.

“Where are Sam, John, and Ulysses?” Raven asks. “I thought they were flying in with you, Janeen and Mary. Shouldn’t everyone else be here by now?”

“Hah,” I scoff. “Remember the movieParent Trap? I think that’s what they set up for us. Janeen booked me an earlier flight than everyone else. My guess is they will be coming in later tonight. They probably just want us to sort our shit.”

Raven doesn’t say anything but smiles politely.

“So, should we?” I finally break the silence, unable to take the awkwardness between us.

“Should we what?”

“Sort our shit.”

What the fuck am I saying? Why would I want to sort anything with her?

Raven looks just as surprised at my suggestion as I feel. It’s like the moment I saw her, none of the awful shit she did matters anymore.

How does she always have this effect on me?

“I don’t think that’s up to me,” Raven says flatly.

Irritation pulses through me. I feel powerless and back to square one. I hate it.

For once, I want her to grovel. To tell me that she missed me. I spent my life longing for her. I need something to feed my ego right now.

I try to remind myself that it doesn't matter. She is lethal for me. She couldn’t be my lover, but she couldn’t even be my friend. She treated me like dirt.

“How’s that?” I ask.

She tries to smile. “I believe it was your decision to end our friendship. I never stopped being your friend. You just chose not to be mine.”

I have been hers since the day we were born.“You didn’t exactly call me to make up.”

“Actually I did, but I took the hint when you blocked me,” Raven points out.

I momentarily feel guilty, and somewhat surprised. I thought Raven's pride would stop her from calling me. I am shocked that she tried to contact me.

In my anger, I blocked her from every medium possible.