Heron Lake Plateau Hard time forgiving Even harder forgetting

Kiwi's sharp words stung and part of Bat wanted to say something in her own defense. But she also understood her sister's anger. She remembered thinking of this very thing when Tegan had gone missing. Much as she wanted to deflect, she couldn't blame her sister. Bat could remember all too well how worried, how bereft, she'd felt while Tegan was gone. Not to mention how shitty it'd felt when nomi had gone away.

"No," Bat admitted, "no, I didn't really think about it at all. I just did it." She paused to let out a shuddering breath. And I'm not sorry, she yelled in her mind but Bat didn't dare say that out loud. Instead, she added, "I'm sorry I just left the way I did. Mom wouldn't get off my back ever since you and me went missing the first time, so I had to make a run for it at the first opportunity." She finished on a long exhale.

Bat didn't know what to say in response to Kiwi's remark about sisterhood. She felt the hot sting of tears behind her silver eyes and blinked rapidly, willing them away. Just because she understood where Kiwi was coming from didn't mean the implication hurt her any less.