41
Watching Father’s death isn’t easier the second time.
Even when hiding behind my older brother.
Will’s shoulders shake when Father appears on screen. His hand squeezes the edge of the table when itty bitty Ayaka starts talking.
He freezes when Father shouts My daughter is going to f*****g kill you.
His whole body shudders when Father leaps off Skald’s shoulders.
The image freezes.
Will shoves his chair back, almost knocking me over. I open my mouth to complain, but he growls “’Scuse me” and staggers to the bathroom.
I shake my head as the door slams. Will had broken his arm jumping his bike off the riverbank the spring I was—what, nine? No, Mom had been gone by then, I must have been ten or eleven. The whole drive to the hospital, as Father told Will to man up and men don’t cry,
