Page 10 of 7+Us Makes Nine

“She was. But you started in on how inadequate I am as a parent before I could continue.”

I bit down onto my tongue to keep from fighting with her any longer.

“What happened?” I asked.

“When the officer found her stumbling along the side of the road, she lashed out at him. Assaulted him, Catherine.”

“What? Are you serious?” I asked.

“Very. She was taken to the station and tested, and they found a fun concoction of muscle relaxers in her bloodstream as well.”

“Oh shit,” I said with a whisper.

“Language Catherine. Your father and I decided to enroll her into rehab. This has gone on long enough and her partying has gotten far out of control.”

“So she didn’t elect to go on her own.”

“It was that or throwing her into a jail cell for a while, and we weren’t going to let that happen. Not to your sister.”

Not to the baby of the family.

“That’s kind of you,” I said.

“Yes. Would you imagine that?” my mother asked.

“Not now, Mom. This isn’t about us anymore.”

“The first unselfish thing you’ve said in years.”

“I’m going to hang up this phone if you don’t stop,” I said.

“We’ve enrolled her into a place on the outskirts of San Francisco. It’s why I called. The place is called Clean Slate, and as of now Hannah can have visitors during the hours of ten in the morning and two in the afternoon.”

“Everyday?” I asked.

“For now. I’m sure she would enjoy a visit from her sister who doesn’t make it home for the holidays anymore.”

“Mom, I don’t come home-”

Keep your cool, Catherine. This isn’t about you.

“Clean Slate is supposed to be the most prestigious and best rehabilitation facility on the West Coast. They’re coming under a bit of fire lately due to Anya Petrov’s actions, but they can’t have a perfect record. We’ve been told that Hannah will be in great hands there.”

“Wait, Jace Logan’s ex-wife?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said plainly. “Her.”

That name kept popping up. Jace Logan. I sat on the edge of my couch and closed my eyes. I knew why my sister partied the way she did. I knew why she had turned down the path she did. And I felt responsible for it. One snappy comment I made as an angry teenager and my parents sunk their teeth into her. They started grooming my younger sister for the business. Surrounding her with tech talk and taking her to Dad’s work on her weekends when she wanted to be with friends. They took care of her college. Enrolled her into business and I.T. courses she hated. She partied all through high school and carried those into college, but I had no idea she was doing more than drinking.

I should’ve been more vigilant.

I should’ve checked in with her more.

“Anyway, let us know when you’re going to go visit her. I think seeing her as a family would really lift up her spirits right now,” my mother said.

“I’ll do that,” I said.

“Thank you for picking up the phone call.”

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