“Lori, I know this was hard on you. I really do. But Lisa... she’s not like you. She’s sensitive. She couldn’t handle something like that.”
“If anything had happened to her, I couldn’t face my brother in the afterlife. You understand, don’t you?”
I was too exhausted to argue. Too done to care.
I waved him off, voice flat. “You don’t need to explain. I get it. I won’t take it personally.”
His eyes lit up like I’d just given him a gold star. “That’s what I love about you, Lori. You’re always the understanding one.”
“Once the wedding with Lisa’s over, I swear—I’ll take care of those enemies. You’ll never be in danger again.”
Whether Milford did it for me, or for Malissa’s safety—he knew the answer better than anyone. I didn’t have to say it out loud.
On the morning of the wedding, just before heading out, Milford took my hand.
“Lori,” he said gently, “thank you for being so understanding. Once all this is over, I’ll take you and Enid on a trip—just the three of us. A proper break.”
I gave him a soft smile and reached up to straighten his collar. “Sure,” I said, “go on now. Don’t keep your dear sister-in-law waiting.”