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“What am I supposed to do about it?” I asked, pouring splashy lemonade into a tumbler.

“Everything. You’re the only one of us who can fix it.” She said simply, drilling into me with doe-brown, pleading eyes. I sighed.

“Because I’m the only one with money.” The statement came out cold and flat, and harsher than I’d meant it to.

“You make me sound like a fortune hunter.” She laughed. There was an edge of nervousness in her shrill voice.

“Aren’t you?”

“No. You’re my brother.”

“But you want me to fix this?” I swore in disbelief. “Even now? What’s wrong with you anyway, Ilsa?” She looked hurt by my blunt words, but I didn’t care. I’d have done anything to get the point drummed into that thick skull of hers. She couldn’t see past her love for him. No matter what he did.

“I can’t help it.” She whispered, her face downcast, and hands clasped.

“Well, learn to help it.” I took a drink, savoring the sweet froth of lemonade.

“It’s not that simple,” She insisted indignantly, pink cheeks burning with resentment towards me. Me who she’d always looked up to and adored. I’d babied her too much and this was the result.

“You can’t expect me to fix everything in your life for all eternity.” I said in my best fatherly voice.

She stuck out a pouty lip and smiled drolly, with that small slash of manipulation peeking out of her eyes. It showed more and more these days and it made me uncomfortable. “Why not?” She said. “You always have. Why should I believe that anything will change?” She dropped the subtle pride and fell down into the seat next to me, pulling my drink from my hand with a puppy-like innocence that almost wiped out the memory of slyness I’d seen only a moment before.

“I love him.” Her eyes were haunting.

“Why?” I asked, unable to feel any pity for the man, however much I might feel for her.

“I don’t know.”

“That’s not true.”

“Alright. I do know.” She looked ashamed. “Because he loves me. No matter what he does or says, I know he loves me more than anyone else ever has. Maybe it’s shameful, but I can’t live without him now.”

“More than me? What’s he done for you that I haven’t?”

“Oh don’t be that way, Teddy. You know you never really loved anyone in your life.”

Flushing hotly at this cool accusation, I stood up, falling out of her grasp.

“That’s a terrible thing to say!”

“Why? It’s true isn’t it?”

For a moment I could only breathe and glare. Then—

“Goodnight, Ilsa.”

I slammed up the stairs.