"A music school in the city," she said grudgingly, not sure why it was such an issue to actually tell him. Maybe a part of her was wondering why he suddenly cared. But there was another part of her, a younger part from back before they'd grown even more apart than she'd always been from them, that had a question to ask.

"You could always come with me? Audition and everything. You're as good as I am." She could almost imagine it. An actual brother who gave a damn about her for longer than ten minute intervals. They'd both be free from their dad and able to do whatever they wanted.

Maybe that, starting over with someone she knew, someone she loved, that was the freedom he thought wrongly that she'd have out in the world on her own.