Rue is sitting in that same chair looking helpless and very un-skanky. She’s a little mousy, if anything. She’s got light brown hair that blends in with her light brown eyes. She’s pretty, but doesn’t know how to show it. She’d look good as a redhead, if you asked me. If I had my way, I’d get her to a salon and give her a makeover, shed some sunlight on her entire presentation. But I would never say that, and especially not with those words. If I did, Jack might guess the truth about me.

Dad wasn’t the only one in this family with secrets, and as I sit here looking at our half-sister, I can’t help but feel closer to Dad for it.

It’s painful living a double life.

And here I thought I was the only one.

Dad couldn’t come out about loving the help, and I can’t come out about loving my same sex. I don’t feel safe to be who I am, not with our public life. Who wants to live a life of ridicule from strangers, the press, and maybe even my family. Twitter would have a field day. I can’t even think about it, so I break the silence. “Rue. Who did you think your father was?”

She looks at the letters lying in her lap and whispers from miles away, “Mom said he died in Desert Storm. I thought he was a soldier.”

“Well, that would have been more respectful,” Jack mutters. “Except that it happened before you were even born.

Irritated, I snap, “Jack, lay off her. And we didn’t know about the letters. Maybe he loved her.”

“Don’t say it!”

“What did you read, Rue? Did he?”

Jack doesn’t wait for an answer. He yanks them from her hands. “Give me those.” He runs to the other side of the room, but she leaps out of her chair and chases him. He holds them out of her reach and like a wild cat, she climbs up his body as he yells at her to get off him. She launches her hand up like a claw and snatches them back from him, pushing him back with force as she jumps off, clutching them to her chest. “No!” They’re both panting and staring at each other like neither can believe that just happened.

Henderson and I are standing in front of our chairs, risen in disbelief by the frenzied spectacle. We exchange a look.

Rue brushes her hair away from her face and says, “I’m sorry, but these were meant for me.”

Henderson clears his throat. “Okay. Okay. Let’s all sit down. This is a difficult and unusual situation. There are bound to be arguments and assumptions, but if you can take my considerable age as an indication of what I’ve learned, and thereby take my advice, I’d like to impart that family is important.” We all settle back into our chairs, but Jack’s still grumpy. He doesn’t want to listen to advice. He never has. “You’ve both lost a parent, and Rue has now lost, in essence, three. Perhaps you can go easy on one another.”

We all wait as she looks up. Her lips separate slowly and she whispers something I never thought I’d ever hear: “I don’t want the money. I couldn’t possibly take it. It’s not mine. It belongs to them.”

I shift in my seat. “You don’t?”

She looks at me with a small shake of her head. “No. What am I going to do with all that money? I would feel awful.”

“Of course she wants the money,” Jack mutters, angrily. “She’s playing you! Sean, help me out here. Why am I the fucking bad guy? We’re talking fifty million dollars. Who the fuck turns that down. Open your eyes!”

My eyes are open, because now with the money taken out of the picture, I’m suddenly aware of the humanity behind all of this. That what Tom said, is true. She’s just had her entire world turned upside down. The father she thought she had doesn’t exist. The father she never got to know is dead, but obviously cared about her. She now has us judging the fuck out of her. And of course then there’s the mom who lied to her, and who isn’t around to answer any questions.

We need to give her some space. It’s the right thing to do.

I grab the thick arms of the leather-bound chair and rise up. She flinches like she thinks I might blow up or hit her or something. That was Jack’s doing, and as usual, I have to undo it. Holding up my hands like I’m unarmed, I say in my most reassuring voice, “Whoa. It’s okay. Look. This is a hideous situation. You probably have a lot of questions and you don’t need us hovering over you while you ask them. We’ll be outside.”

Jack growls, “I’m not going anywhere.”

I give him a look. “Jack, think about it. She’s seen her father…”

“Our father!” he snaps.

“On the news her entire life, and now that she knows who he is, she can’t get to know him for real.”

“Like that’s a big loss,” Jack grumbles.

I exhale, getting nowhere. “Rue, I want to speak for both of us when I say it’s a credit to you that you don’t want to keep the money. You’re a bigger person than I. Jack...let’s go. We’ll be in the reception area.”

I rarely put my foot down like I’m doing now.

Begrudgingly, he stands and follows me, but before we make it to the door, Rue stands up, adjusting the hem of her dress quickly.

“No! This is about you, too. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to find out what you did. Please stay.” She looks at Henderson and says with determination. “I don’t want the money! I’m doing fine without it.”

“Oh please!” Jack explodes. “Nobody turns down fifty million bucks when they work at fucking Ralphs! What are you going to do, stay there hoping to make it to manager so you can stop living in a shoebox?!”

“Jack. Go easy…” He cuts me off.

“What!!! I mean, come on! Don’t you see the act she’s playing? So sweet and so good and soooooooooo bullshit. Sean, wake the fuck up. Stop being the hero. What about being on our team? Mine and mom’s? You just met this girl! Why are you defending her? How can you possibly believe she would turn down the golden ticket?”

Rue is staring at Jack like she just realized she hates him. She takes a step toward him with her finger pointed up. “Now look, you spoiled jerk. Not everyone believes the world revolves around money! And you can knock my job, but I’ve got dreams just like everyone else. Why do you think I work graveyard? I work it so I can audition and train during the day! Do you think it’s easy to do that? It’s hard work! Something I bet you know nothing about! And here I was feeling sorry for you for finding out your father was a cheater and did this behind your back. You know what I’m sorry for now? That my mother had to quit raising you, because had she stayed, you would’ve turned out a nicer person!”

A shocked laugh escapes me.

Jack glares at her, and without another word, storms out. She hit home.

Henderson is the only one seated.

I look to him, not surprised to find him sporting a small, satisfied smile. “Well now. I bet he doesn’t get that kind of set down very often.”

Rue’s still locked on the door that seems to be vibrating from when he slammed it. “God! What a jerk!” She plops back in the chair and mutters to herself, “He deserved a slap is what he deserved.” Picking up the letters from where they fell, she runs her thumb across them for comfort. “My mom would’ve been good for him,” she whispers.

She must have loved her mother very much.

I love mine, but not like this.

We were raised by one nanny after another, and my mom was barely around. She said she loved us and told anyone who’d listen, They’re the best thing I’ve ever done, but she accepted every chance to get away from us she could. Every invitation. Every vacation getaway. Always leaving us behind, or cared for by a virtual stranger who often envied us and wasn’t nice.

I step away from the desk and bow my head out of respect. “I’m going to go, Rue. You must have questions for Henderson. We’ll wait for you outside. I’d like to ask you… never mind. It can wait.”

Without looking up, she gives a small, helpless nod. Her bravada has melted, and now sits a girl who is melting my heart. I believe her that she doesn’t want Dad’s money. I believe her that she feels badly for all of this. And I have a strong, growing desire to protect her from Jack.

I walk to the door, quietly open it, glancing back before I leave. I have to admit it; I’ve fallen in love with the girl. Who knew I wanted a sister?