Chapter 44: Leadership

“I’m calling a family meeting, right now! Put that shit down, Ted. Nan, Abel, you’re excused. This is about Nia.”

“I’d like to stay; I promise to keep silent.”

“Me too,” added Fernanda.

“All right, all four of you come to the kitchen.”

“All of you Baileys have let Nia down, brutally. Not since our parents died have I seen her so, so bereft. Val, do you remember telling Nia how you wanted to ‘get rid of her’? I don’t care if you do or you don’t. SHE remembers it. And now, moving Abel in means that to her, you have finally succeeded. Not ONE of you thought about how she would see that you were pushing her out.

“Val, things whirl around inside your head and spill out.”

Abel took Val’s hand and squeezed it. That comment hit close to home.

“Leah, Nia saw that you cared first for Val’s wants without even thinking of her. Would Mom have so obviously favored Val over Nia? Yeah, you’re feeling it now. That’s the feeling I just had, holding a weeping girl in my arms. Not just my little sister, the girl I’ve taken responsibility for since Mom and Dad died.

“We’re going to make this right, even if it means going back to separate households. That means, Carolina, you have the twins, Fernanda, and Abel. In a different house Leah and I have Tim, Ted, Val, and Nia.”

Peter was thinking and decided he had a constructive idea.

“Andrew, I respect your feelings, but I don’t think going backwards will help. Nia will feel Val’s resentment for causing Abel to be taken away. Ted will resent being divided from Nan because of a situation he had nothing to do with. Your relationship with Leah will be damaged, maybe permanently.

“I think the better solution is to move Nia into Jared’s room, making it all hers. He isn’t using it much, and I think he would be happy to help her. He’s actually quite fond of her, I’ve noticed.”

“That’s brilliant!” exclaimed Leah.

“I guess then I won’t be the ogre that destroys everyone’s love life. Peter, will you ask Jared?”

“There’s no need, but I’ll ask him anyway. But now I’m going to go from hero to villain.”

“Uh-oh.”