𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 | 𝐃. 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐙𝐎 |

CHAPTER 27.

Landon Lee DiVincenzo

Sometimes, when you're considered the forgotten one or not the most important in your family by outside sources and influences, it can mess up how you view yourself and cause you to resent those close to you all because they don't have to see and hear what you go through on a daily with other people and their opinions.

I know this because, I went through it. I lived it. And for a while...a long while, I truly believed it. I believed that I was the forgotten one in my family, I believed that I wasn't as important because I didn't choose to be like my father or my uncles and took it out on them because I allowed others to make me feel insecure about myself.

I realized that I was perfectly fine in my choice back when all of us kids or, in our parents' words "The Gremlin Bunch" had our long talk about what we all wanted to do in our lives and realized that all of us were struggling with branching out and other people accepting that we weren't going to follow in the footsteps of our parents.

I also realized it when my mother talked some sense into me, but we're not going to get into that...

Everything was going well in our family—for once—there was no drama (for now) and it seemed like everyone was focused on their own thing and being happy, which is something that I like seeing on all of us.

I guess the only one who was in a slump was London, but she always got this way when she was injured and I understood her. She's a very productive person. She likes to get things done and doesn't like any setbacks when it comes down to what she's achieving and how she's managing to achieve it.

I know that lately I haven't been the best older brother and definitely have been pushing my sister away, but I'm trying to fix my bond with her. I've gotten somewhere with the rest of my family, but with London it's much harder because she doesn't forgive easily.

She takes after our mother in more ways than one...

So, standing outside of her door right now was easier than going inside of her room. I knew she was going through a tough time in the moment, she had just come home from the hospital with my parents and truth be told, she wasn't handling it very well.

In fact, she had lashed out on our parents for hovering because that was something that she hated. She hated it when people hovered and treated her like she was a charity case or as someone who needed to be taken care of or someone who couldn't do things on her own. She felt enabled enough with the brace on her knee, but my parents' hovering didn't make it any better for her.

I think they understood, though, which made sense as to why neither my mother or my father went off on her. I could tell that this was also hard on our parents as well—hell, I had seen my father with tears in his eyes. I know that seems dramatic, but when it comes down to our parents, when we were hurting or having a hard time, they felt that like it was their own emotions that they were dealing with.

"Landon, what do you want." London said from inside her room.

What the heck. "How did you—."

"I can hear you breathing," London says with a laugh. "Plus, I'm sitting by the door and I can see the shadow of your feet."

Oh.

Suddenly, I decided against going inside. Instead, I sat down with my back against the door and my knees pulled up to my chest. I don't know why, but this felt better and almost easier when it came to talking to her. Probably because I suck at admitting my feelings face-to-face, but I digress.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, resting my head against the door.

London sighed. "Umm...honestly, I don't know. I got surgery in six weeks and won't be fully healed until next year, so..."