Page 45 of Mr. North

“He slapped her right across the face, Beth. You wouldn’t even fucking know! You were just a baby.”

I can’t take this anymore, this weird grasping at straws. He’s just trying to justify what he’s done, to make it okay that he’s betrayed not just me, but Mom and Dad, too. “How much did they give you, David?” I ask tiredly.

The line is static and nothing more.

“David. Tell me how much they gave you!”

“It doesn’t matter how much exactly. I got enough to save the farm. That’s all that matters.” His voice is flat. Almost lifeless. He’s not going to tell me what my dignity was worth to him.

“Don’t call me again, David,” I say. “Lose my number. Don’t come knocking on my door anymore, okay? You’ve just gone and lost yourself a sister.”

He laughs gently, chewing something on the other end of the phone. “Whatever you say, Spooch.”