Page 16 of With All My Heart, Joy

Joy crawled out from under the desk. “You guys bore my brains out. I’m leaving.”

“Good.”

Stupid Ben. Joy stuck out her tongue at him. He returned the favor. Immature brat. When she was fourteen, she wouldn’t stick her tongue out.

“No one wants you anyway, Joy.”

She slapped hands on her skinny hips and stomped her foot, stopping in the doorway. “That’s mean! I’m telling Mom.”

“She doesn’t want you, either.” Ben faced his computer screen, his hands busy with the controller, his brow furrowed. TJ was just as focused.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, just go.” TJ waved his hand over his shoulder without looking. “Leave us alone.”

Joy’s chin began to quiver. “You two are the worst brothers ever!”

Both heads turned. She’d finally gotten their attention. Maybe now they would play with her. TJ’s face was laced with regret, and he opened his mouth, but Ben, his eyes blazing with anger, beat him to it.

“You’re so annoying, brat. Get out of here. Don’t you know no one in this house wants you? You weren’t even supposed to be born, so just scram!”

Joy stood frozen. She was only six years old. She didn’t know what Ben’s words meant. But she knew how they made her feel. Like garbage. “What do you mean?”

Ben scowled, already turning back to his computer. TJ looked caught, glancing back and forth between his older brother and his baby sister.

“Just go, Joy,” he said softly, but she couldn’t. Something about Ben’s words rooted her to the floor.

“I won’t go until you tell me what you mean.”

Ben lunged to his feet, advancing toward her. He was the tallest in his class. She’d heard him say so. And she believed him as he towered over her right now, his face flushed red.

“You want me to tell you? I’ll tell you. Mom and Dad didn’t want another baby. They had all the kids they wanted. Then Mom got pregnant by accident. We’re stuck with you. We all are. Now get!”

Tears rushed down Joy’s face as she stared at her brother. He didn’t seem to notice her broken heart as he slammed the door in her face. She was still crying in a corner of her room, clutching her favorite stuffed rainbow-colored unicorn, when TJ quietly crouched in front of her.

“Aww, Joy. Don’t cry.” He awkwardly brushed at her cheeks. “You know we all love you. Ben’s just being a grouch. It’s okay.”

But everything in her heart told her it would never be okay again. And it wasn’t.

“I watched your apartment tour.” The words of her future sister-in-law wrenched Joy’s mind from the past. From Ben. From the moment her relationship with him had been severed. TJ had apologized and made an extra effort the next few days after that incident to reassure Joy. But the damage was done. She knew the truth. She hadn’t been wanted. Not by Ben. And maybe not by anyone.

Melody’s silky, long brown hair spilled over one shoulder, and the modest ring on her finger glimmered as she placed her plate in the sink, then turned to lean against the counter beside Joy. “It’s very cute.”

Joy wasn’t sure whether to feel flattered or scrutinized that her family was watching her content. They never had before she told them about her depression.

“Yeah, when are you going to have us over?” TJ butted between them, nudging Melody over with an arm around her waist. Ever since Joy was eight, Melody had been a permanent part of their lives. But somehow she hadn’t seen their relationship coming all these years later. If TJ had loved her all that time, why hadn’t he done something about it sooner? Ifsheloved someone like that, she wouldn’t let anything stop her.

“I don’t know how to entertain. I’ve never lived alone before.”

TJ gave herthe look. “I’m your brother. You don’t need to entertain me. Ask Mel. All I require is a gluten-free snack.”

Melody nodded matter-of-factly. “TJ is quite low maintenance. I wouldn’t be marrying him otherwise.”

“Hey!” The love birds drifted off, their banter lowering to whispers for their ears only, and Joy smirked at their retreating backs. They did seem meant to be together, and she was happy for them.

“When you’re done, can I talk to you?” Now it was Lucy before her.

“If this is about counseling, I’d rather not.”

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