"Before you tell me to go home," Shenka said as I turned away to the pressure of air displacement at Applegate's departure, "you can just take that and shove it."

I knew this was going to be a fight. "I need you with the family," I said, aiming for reasonable and diplomatic. No use trying for bossy. Not with Shenka.

"You need me beside you," she snapped while Sunny joined us, Uncle Frank's smirk wiped clean as I glared at him.

"Listen to me." I gripped her upper ...