Where the Wounds Bloom

Chapter Seventeen: Alright.

Skye sat beside Kari on the cold bathroom floor, her heart pounding in her chest. She held Kari’s trembling hand tightly, trying to steady her own breath as she waited. Kari’s face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were distant, like she was staring into a place far away. Skye had never seen her sister look so fragile.

“Kari, please,” Skye urged gently, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Tell me what happened. I’m right here.”

Kari swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she gripped Skye’s hand tighter, like she was trying to anchor herself. She took a shuddering breath, struggling to find her voice. “It... it was when we lived in Mom’s old apartment. You remember how she always had people over? How the place was always full of strangers?”

Skye nodded, her stomach tightening. She remembered those nights vividly—how she and Kari would retreat to their shared room, trying to block out the noise, the clinking of bottles, and the raucous laughter. But she never knew just how much Kari had endured in those moments.

Kari’s voice broke as she continued, her words coming out in jagged breaths. “One night, there was this guy. He... he walked in on me while I was in the bathroom. I told him to leave, but he wouldn’t. He... he touched me, Skye. I managed to run out, but... I was so scared. And I—I couldn’t find Mom anywhere, and no one else even noticed.”

The words hit Skye like a punch to the gut, leaving her reeling. She felt the blood drain from her face as the weight of what Kari had said sank in, each word cutting through her like a knife. For a moment, all she could do was stare at her sister, the world narrowing to the pain and fear in Kari’s eyes.

“Kari... oh my God,” Skye breathed, her voice barely audible as her hands flew to her mouth. “I... I had no idea.”

Kari’s shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and she buried her face in her hands. “I never wanted you to know. I thought... I thought I could just forget it, but it’s been eating me alive, Skye. I... I can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen.”

A surge of emotion welled up in Skye, so powerful it left her gasping for air. Anger, guilt, and sorrow twisted together inside her, making her chest feel like it was about to burst. She felt like she was drowning in it, choking on the rage that burned inside her. How could this have happened? How could someone have hurt her sister like that, and no one—not even Skye—had been there to protect her?

The memories started flooding back, one after another, like a dam breaking. She saw their mother, too absorbed in her card games and gambling to care where her daughters were. She remembered the strangers who drifted in and out of their lives, treating their home like a playground while she and Kari tried to stay out of sight.

Suddenly, her stomach lurched. The bile rose in her throat, and she scrambled to the toilet bowl, retching violently. She clutched the cold porcelain, her entire body heaving as she vomited, the pain and fury twisting her insides. It felt like every awful memory, every moment of neglect and fear, was pouring out of her, leaving her hollow and raw.

Kari watched from the floor, her face pale and tear-streaked, her own expression twisted with guilt and sorrow. “I’m so sorry, Skye,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I never wanted you to feel this—”

“Stop,” Skye cut in, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she turned to face her sister. Her eyes were red-rimmed and filled with a fierce, uncontainable rage. “Don’t apologize to me, Kari. This... this isn’t your fault. None of it is. It’s... it’s her fault—Mom’s fault. And that... that sick bastard’s fault.”

Skye’s breath came in ragged bursts as she tried to steady herself, but the anger kept flaring up, white-hot and uncontrollable. “How could she have left us like that? How could she have been so... so selfish, so careless? We were just kids, Kari. We were supposed to be safe.”

Kari’s face crumpled, and she reached out, grasping Skye’s hand with desperate strength. “I know, Skye. I know. But... she’s all we had back then. I thought if I could just be good enough, stay out of trouble, maybe things would get better. But they never did.”

Skye squeezed Kari’s hand, feeling the tremor in her sister’s grip. Her mind whirled, thoughts colliding in a chaotic rush. Suddenly, it all made sense—the way Kari had always gravitated towards men, seeking attention, but never letting them too close. The way she kept herself guarded, like she was bracing for something bad to happen at any moment.

And now, Skye understood why. She understood that it wasn’t just about the past they had shared, but about the unspoken pain Kari had carried all these years.

Tears filled Skye’s eyes again, but this time they weren’t just for herself. They were for Kari, for the little girl who had been so afraid, so alone, even when Skye thought she was there beside her. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Kari, pulling her sister close as they both broke down in each other’s embrace.

“I’m here now, Kari,” Skye whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. We’re gonna get through this. Together.”

Kari nodded against her shoulder, clinging to Skye like she was a lifeline, and for the first time in a long time, Skye felt like maybe—just maybe—they could begin to heal the wounds that had been buried for so long.