“For how long was I supposed to ‘handle it differently’?”
He didn’t answer.
I stood up.
“For how long was I supposed to smile while your mother insulted me in my own home?” I continued, my voice still calm, but sharper now. “For how long was I supposed to listen to your sister talk about me like I’m some kind of… worn-out object next to you?”
“They didn’t mean it like that—”