“And didn't have time for your baby sister," Zofi finished for her.

Rachael pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.

“It's not my fault Mum and Dad spent Sam's formative years trying to challenge her by saying,

‘Well Rachael did this' or ‘When Rachael was your age, she could already do that'. I heard about all that stuff second-hand weeks or even months after they happened. And what, was I supposed to apologize for the things I'd accomplished when I was younger?"

“No, everyone should be proud of their accomplishments," I replied seriously. "But at the same time, was everything easy for you when you were younger? Did your parents challenge you too by saying, ‘When John was your age he could do this or that'? Did you ever struggle to measure up to their expectations?”

Rachael sighed. "This is the part where you tell me I could've at least let my baby sister know things weren't always easy for me, either. Let her know that I had my own fears and insecurities I had to get past in order to achieve what I did."

I shrugged.

“You said it, not me."

The prim blonde scoffed, “Nobody had to help me. I didn't have a big sister to reassure me when my parents were tough.”

“Apparently, neither did Sam," I shot back

Rachael scowled a bit, and I started to feel bad. Here was a young woman I'd only just met, and a guest in my home at that, and here Zofi and I were basically attacking her. So before she could respond, I held my hand up and apologized, “I'm sorry. It's not my place to get on your case like this. We've only just met."

“Well we haven't only just met," Zofi challenged, her gaze flinty.

"Zofi, please," I soothed, rubbing her hip. She gave me a confused look while I asked her to cool it with my eyes. And when I turned back to

Rachael, I stated firmly, “Regardless of your current relationship or lack thereof with Sam, you're here. That means you give a shit. At least, I hope you're not here only because your mom asked you to make an appearance and you'd be happy to leave now and tell her, ‘I tried.'"

Rachael eyed me curiously, her expression again quite familiar to one of Sam's expressions. It was as if she'd already formed her opinion of me as just another guy unworthy of her consideration, but my abrupt shift in tone was fucking with that opinion

"You, me, Zofi... even your mom who apparently sent you here to make peace," I continued, “we all care about Sam. We want her happy. And as much as I might selfishly want to keep my girlfriend under the same roof as me, I know how much it hurts her to feel estranged from her family like this. You asked me before if Sam would go home if your dad stopped being such a ‘stubborn arsehole’. I think the answer is: Yes she would. '"

Zoti frowned.

“But Sam loves it here! She loves being here with you.

She Loves being here with your mom. Why would she move back home?"

“Because it's ‘home’. You're right: she gets to be with me, she gets along great with Mother, and she doesn't have to put up with her parents comparing her to Rachael. But this place can never feel like home. Every morning, she wakes up in my arms not only because she enjoys waking up in my arms, but because the few times she wakes up in the spare bedroom, she's confronted with the fact that she's not Living under her own roof. This isn't where she belongs." I raised my eyebrows and gave Zofi a serious look.

“Have you noticed she never completely unpacked? So much of her stuff is still in suitcases or boxes, ready to move back to her REAL home when the coast is clear."

Rachael frowned.

“But why? When I was home, I couldn't WAIT to get out of the house and out from under my parents’ thumb. From my perspective, it seems Like Sam actually did something I could never do: break free of their expectations, move out while still in high school, and find a really nice situation for herself with you. If I were in her position

I'd stay here instead of going back into the lion's den.”

“Yeah, why not just stay here?" Zofi chimed in.