"But you can''t just hurt Mom and Dad-they gave you life, they raised you," Sean said, genuinely baffled.


    "I wish they never had," Sandy replied, not missing a beat. "If you bring a child into the world, you''re supposed to take responsibility. When they let me fend for myself, did they care I was their daughter? When I was hanging on by a thread, why don''t you ask them how they could just stand by and watch? Weren''t they worried I might not make it?"


    This was the real root of Sandy''s resentment toward her parents.


    She''d stared death in the face. She was terrified of dying. She''d thrown all her hope in her parents'' direction, praying they''d save her. But in the end, they just watched her suffer. Even though they knew Sean''s bone marrow was a match, they couldn''t bear to see their son in pain-so they let her go.


    Sean looked at Sandy, finally seeing her for who she really was.


    He''d never med her for tricking him into donating his bone marrow. But seeing his parents so broken now, he couldn''t help but wonder if the whole thing had been a mistake from the beginning.


    "Sandy, just tell me the truth. What really happened to Mom? How did she fall down the stairs?" he asked quietly.


    Sandy''s mind shed to Ashley tumbling down the steps. She couldn''t meet Sean''s gaze, turning her head away. "That night..." she started.


    "Look at me and say it," Sean cut in.


    Sandy clenched her jaw, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "It was an ident. Mom slipped. I tried to catch her, but I couldn''t. I was scared you''d all me me—so I hid the truth."


    She would never admit what really happened.


    If lying through your teeth needed an example, this was it.


    Sean didn''t know if he could trust her anymore. He didn''t ask again. He just gave a bitterugh and headed upstairs.


    That night, Sean came down with a high fever. Alone in his room, he felt so awful it was like staring death in the face again.


    His immune system was shot, and Willowbrook winters were merciless. With all the stress weighing on him, from that night on, Sean just couldn''t get better-only medicine kept him going.


    Meanwhile, Tavon had left Willowbrook and gone to Nabb Mount.


    Anastasia only heard about Tavon''s trip to Nabb Mount on the eve of the holidays. Her first reaction? Did Tavon seriously go off to be a monk?


    Today was the Salstrom family''s big holiday dinner. Katelyn and Feiman Flynn were both over at South Gate for the feast.


    Salma was there too, and as she chatted with Anastasia, she mentioned Tavon''s retreat to Nabb Mount.


    Anastasia blinked. "He just decided to ditch everything and be a hermit?"


    Salma rolled her


    eyes. "Who knows


    with him? He changes his mind every other day. I called your dad, told him toe spend the holiday in Riverdale-he said nope, he''s staying on the mountain, eating veggies and reciting prayers."


    "That''s definitely a first," Anastasia said, just as somemotion echoed from the next room-Nancy''s voice ringing out.


    Emmie came running in. "Mom! Jamie hit Grandma! He threw a toy and it hit her on the head!"


    Anastasia got up in a sh and hurried over, finding Nancy in tears, smacking Katelyn. "I don''t like you! Go away! Don''te to my house! Bad grandma! You''re so dumb!"


    Katelyn, heart aching for her


    grandson, let him hit her and tried to gently soothe him. "I''m sorry,


    sweetheart. Grandma mene


    How about buy you a


    new


    Pup


    hmm? Please don''t cry


    “Jamie!” Anastasia called, using his full name as she marched over, pulling Nancy


    back and scolding him. "How could you hit Grandma? Apologize. Right now."


    "I won''t!" Nancy shouted, tears


    streaming down his face, stubborn as ever it was Grandma''s fault! told her not to touch my toys, and she broke them! I don''t like Grandma anymore


    Nancy was three, right in the thick of that sensitive, super-particr age-one minute he wasughing, the next minute throwing a tantrum.


    Katelyn smiled gently. "Ana, it was me. I was clumsy and broke Nancy''s toy. Don''t me him."


    Nancy''s little fists were balled up, face red with anger. "I don''t like Grandma anymore. Hmph! I''m never ying with you again!"


    In his fury, Nancy kicked at Katelyn and iled his arms, hitting her.


    He was so quick, Anastasia didn''t even have time to stop him.


    "Jamie! That''s enough!" she snapped.


    Herman heard the noise and rushed in, picking Nancy up and giving him a firm swat on the bottom.


    Nancy instantly burst into loud, huping sobs.


    Katelyn hurried over, eyes full of worry. "Herman, don''t hit him! Nancy,e to Grandma."


    Afraid Herman might lose his temper, Katelyn tried to scoop Nancy into her arms.


    Herman was stern. “I''m his dad. I''ll discipline him how I see fit. This kid is spoiled rotten. Honestly, I''ve been meaning to straighten him out for days."


    With that, Herman carried Nancy upstairs for a real talk.


    Anastasia didn''t try to stop him.