I opened my eyes and sat up cautiously. His regular ponytail was scruffy and drooping over one shoulder, and the top buttons of his collared shirt were undone. One of his hands was hidden behind him as he approached my bed. I scooted to the edge, so my feet were grounded and not left vulnerable.
He took a seat next me. I shifted to make space between our thighs. “Sorry, your door was left unlocked,” he said, sounding sober despite the faint reek of alcohol in his breath. I carefully watched his hands. Empty now, but he surely had something before. “I wanted to talk to ya one last time. I’ll really miss my sister’s daughter. My beloved niece.”
Why had I ever thought this so-called uncle of mine was the full package?
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Mildred told me how much you
