Free Where Petals Fall by Melissa Foster

think Daddy hurt Ellen ? “I’m not up to anything,” she snapped. “I’m not sure what happened. I think I’m just exhausted, and I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin your, Daddy’s…the service.” She’d managed to screw up her father’s funeral, her family, and God knows if she was responsible for screwing up Sarah, too. Sarah . Maybe Brian was right and the therapist was wrong to disregard the questionnaire. Maybe she should fill out that damned thing, if only to see if the other therapists missed something. If Sarah’s issues all came down to some flaw in Junie’s parenting, she’d rather know than be ignorant of it.
    “Oh, honey, you’re overwhelmed. We all are. Daddy’s death was so unexpected. Why don’t you go lie down? I can finish this,” Ruth offered.
    Junie set down the dish towel she’d been holding and hugged her mother. “I’m supposed to be taking care of you, Mom. Not the other way around. I’m a big girl. I’m fine.”

Chapter Eleven
    Sarah had been put to bed, having fallen fast asleep in front of the television. Junie sat at the edge of the bed, fidgeting with her fingers and wondering if she were losing her mind. Brian stormed into the bedroom and closed the door.
    “What the hell is going on, Junie?” he asked in an angry whisper.
    “I’m sorry. It wasn’t you.”
    “It sure as hell looked like me,” he snapped. Brian’s face was red. Fury emanated from his entire being, every muscle constricted and strained.
    “Oh, Brian.” Junie covered her face with her hands. “It was you that I yelled at, because you were there, but it wasn’t you I was yelling at. I sound crazy. I know I do.” She reached out to him. “I’m sorry.”
    He pulled away from her. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, I wasn’t the one you were yelling at? I was there, Junie. You yelled at me. All this bullshit about you wanting me to reach out to Sarah, and I finally break through, and you come crashing in.” His voice escalated, his words shot like nails piercing Junie’s heart.
    “I don’t know what’s happening to me. I walked into the den and, oh God, this is going to sound nuts, but…I saw my dad leaning over Ellen.”
    “Ellen again? Really, Junie? You’re going to blame this on my dead sister?” he spat.
    “No. God, no, don’t say that. You don’t know that she’s dead.”
    “Come on, Junie. It’s been more than twenty years.”
    Junie paced. “Brian, I’m sorry. I’m not blaming Ellen. I don’t know what’s going on, but when I walked into the den, I swear to you, I saw my dad leaning over Ellen, and Ellen was kicking and making weird, scared noises.”
    Brian crossed his arms; his nostrils flared, the veins in his forearms visible all the way down to his fisted hands.
    “It’s…crazy, Junie.”
    “I know it sounds crazy, but I know what I saw.”
    “Or you’re exhausted and confused.” He sat down on the edge of the bed and ran his hand through his hair. “Jesus, Junie.”
    She sat down beside him.
    He set his hand on her thigh. The weight of it comforted her.
    “This is why I hate coming back here. It dredges up everything bad.”
    Junie shrugged and laid her head on his shoulder. She put her hand over his and squeezed. “I had to come.”
    “We had to come,” he corrected her. “But we don’t have to stay forever. One more day; then we’re out of here.”
    “I can’t leave my mother, not now.” She pulled back in anger and sprang to her feet. “How can you even suggest that?”
    “Junie, being here is making you crazy. It’s putting me on edge.”
    Junie shook her head. “No, I’m not leaving her. She’d never do that to me. She’d stay no matter how uncomfortable she was.”
    “I can’t stay.” Brian stared into her eyes, unwavering. “It’s too much, Junie. Every second I’m on this block, all I can think of is what happened to Ellen, how my mom left. I just can’t stay.” He paced, then said, “Besides, I have so much