12

It was raining lightly on the day of the funeral. My parents, Alfred, and Elaine were all there. Black umbrellas formed a sea of black in the cemetery. My mother handed me an envelope with reddened eyes. “Kerwin gave us this when he first met us.” I opened it and found a will inside. Kerwin had left me all the savings and property his parents had given him. “He told us he wanted to give you the freedom to choose.” “If you’re willing to come home with us, we’ll take good care of you. If you don’t want to live with us, with this money, you can live well on your own.” Mom’s voice choked up. “Dolores, you’ve found a good brother. He deserves your kindness.” Alfred stood to the side, rain streaming down his cheeks, indistinguishable from tears. He suddenly stepped forward, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m sorry.” “All these years, I vented all my hatred on you.” His nails dug deeply into his palms, “But I never thought that you were… also a victim.” “In my heart, you've always been