Fifteen Years

Sera

After I found Joyce, thankfully nowhere near Giuliana’s wing, I told her to bring supplies to Mom and Dustin, then headed back to their room.

They were in the middle of making the beds with fresh sheets on the massive king-sized bed in one room and a queen in the adjoining chamber. Mom’s bed could easily accommodate three people.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing these rooms,” I said as I slid pillowcases over the pillows. “There are other guest suites if this is too close for comfort.”

“It’s perfect,” Mom assured me, though we both looked at Dustin to confirm if the teenage boy was comfortable with the arrangement.

He shrugged with indifference, and I saw the tiredness in his eyes. Whether he cared or not, he was too exhausted to protest. He smiled briefly when I handed him a pillow, too shy to meet my gaze, but I didn’t mind at all. It was going to take both of us some getting used to the fact that we had a new sibling. It occurred to me: did Dustin know I existed before now? Had