Page 78 of Jep

“I don’t know how your memory is so skewed, but I had to do everything. The cooking, the cleaning?—”

“Spare me. You loved every second of it. All you ever cared about was pleasing everyone. Everyone but me. Pretty little housemaker.”

“I did all that because there was no one else to do it. Mom was passed out most of the time?—”

“And that’s why you were her favorite, because you let her shirk all her responsibilities. Then we went to Carla’s, and you took her all for yourself too.”

“You were never around. You didn’t even give her a chance. And I wasn’t anyone’s favorite.”

“Of course you were. You were the good-looking one, the smart one, the clever one. I was the screw up.”

“That’s why you left? Because you thought everyone liked me better? What I wanted the most was my big sister.”

“Well, here I am. Now you get everything you want.”

Em stared at her lap. This wasn’t working. If she couldn’t keep their personal baggage out of the way, it would be impossible to see through to the truth. “The bomb wasn’t armed, but it could have been. Why didn’t you blow us all up?”

“I should have. What can I say? It turns out I’m a big softy after all. Which means I’m useless to everyone.” She glanced at Pearce again. “What a big surprise. But don’t worry, sis. I won’t let it happen again.”

“You won’t have the chance again. But you can still save more lives if you work with us.”

“Listen to you. Let it go, will you? You’re so self-righteous and ignorant.”

“About what?”

“The world. You’ve stayed in your safe little bubble your whole life, while I’ve been out there seeing what it’s really like. And you know what I’ve discovered?”

“What?”

“That the world isn’t fair. People are suffering, and lo and behold, America can sometimes be the bad guy pulling the wings off of flies.”

“Those agents that died in the last blast had family and friends. You think their kids aren’t suffering right now?”

“Right along with the rest of the world. But real change requires sacrifice.”

“Maybe if you had stayed with people you cared about, you would have seen some of the good there is.”

“I had to leave my family to care about anything.”

“All you’re doing is making things worse. What happened to you that brought you to a place where you’re willing to murder innocent people? When was it that you switched from having a great time traipsing the globe to strapping a bomb to your chest?”

Jade scoffed. “You really are thick, aren’t you?”

“Then help me understand.”

“You think I was having a good time?”

“That’s what every postcard said.”

“Have you ever noticed that it’s usually the people who put up those obnoxiously happy posts on social media spewing garbage about how great their lives are that are the ones in the pit of despair? One second, they’re married to the most amazing man on the planet, then the next they’re getting divorced and shouting venomous accusations at their partner.”

“If you were so miserable, you should have come home.”

“And do what? Sit around in your shadow? Look at you in your silk blouse with your fancy job. At least I have purpose.”

“Aunt Carla offered you purpose.”

“What? You mean church?” Jade groaned. “That was the worst of all. I know you got sucked into all that airy fairy nonsense, but that wasn’t for me.”

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