Part 2Cat Knight

When I got home, Jenna was there.

She and Dad were fighting again.

I stood outside the door, listening to her sobbing. "Just give me a straight answer. When are you getting rid of that kid? She talks to cats and dogs all day. Who knows if she's autistic or schizophrenic or something? I'm starting to show! If we don't have the wedding soon, what's our son going to think when he's born, having to live with a psycho?"

Jenna didn't like me.

She didn't like how quiet I was.

She didn't like that I couldn't say sweet, flattering things.

And she especially hated it when I went downstairs to feed Ginger.

She was always telling Dad there was something wrong with me.

That I was autistic.

That only schizophrenics claim they can understand animals.

At first, Dad didn't believe her.

But slowly, he started to resent me too.

He hated that I was so quiet.

He hated how slow I was, how I dawdled.

When money went missing from the house, he'd slap me without a second thought, forcing me to confess. "It's just you and Jenna in this house. If it wasn't you, was it her?"

He was never like this when Mom was alive.

I opened the door, and their conversation died instantly. Jenna choked back her tears and went into her room. Dad glanced at me but said nothing.

It wasn't until I had my shoes off and was opening my bedroom door that he finally spoke.

"Annie," he called out. "You've always wanted to see the great plains, haven't you? Your eighth birthday is the day after tomorrow… I'll take you."

So it was true. He was going to leave me there.

A knot of sadness tightened in my chest.

But I didn't let on.

I just nodded softly.

"Okay."