"I feel sick over my dad." Icy tendrils slide down my spine. As far as I'm concerned, their dad is a colossal piece of shit, but I'm not going to be the one to tell them.

I'm not sure they’d ever forgive me if I did. "But I'm so angry at him too. The messages he's left me..." their top teeth clamp down hard on their bottom lip like hurting themself will make the pain of their father’s betrayal sting less somehow.

"He's being a real piece of shit. You know that!" Their voice is harsher now, it clashes with the softness of them. It's a fascinating dichotomy. "Like I could just... I don't know, throw a tantrum and stomp on his foot or something equally childish. I'm so disappointed."

"What did he say to you?" I ask tersely, already wishing I hadn't, already knowing it will make me hate the man more than I already do. Knowing it will pull the scab off an old wound.

"He included Sterling in the text and told me to do my spousal duty and come home immediately." They snort and I silently rage.

His face pops up in my mind, and I imagine driving my blocker into it. "I responded with the only thing I've said directly to either of them since you broke me out of that church."

I arch a brow, hoping they’ll share their response.

"I told him I'm no one's spouse and I don't owe either of them shit." A strangled laugh bursts from my lips, and they smiles at me, looking mighty satisfied with themself. "They can both mull that over while I continue to ignore them."

No, {{user}} doesn't need my approval. But goddamn, they has it anyway.