They Stole My Name and My Life

3: 3

The next day, Aunt Denise Dickerson came by to ask about college applications.

She sat on the couch cracking sunflower seeds while my cousin, Ryan Dickerson, slouched beside her with his eyes on his phone.

Gwyneth had a tablet out, scrolling through schools for him.

"With Ryan's scores he'll get into Seaport City U no problem. Their pre-med program is really strong. Ryan, you want to do medicine, right?"

Ryan didn't even look up. He gave a flat little grunt.

The smile froze on Gwyneth's face.

"Gwynnie's just so sharp. I knew coming to ask you was the right call."

Aunt Denise jumped in at once, then turned her head toward me where I sat on the stool.

"That one—you—"

She paused, trying to place my name, and couldn't.

"Never mind. How's the job search going?"

I was used to it by now.

"Aunt Denise, I—"

"Her name's Kayla Sullivan."

Ryan put down his phone and lifted his head.

"I really don't get what's so unspeakable about a name. Gwyneth, are you seriously this dramatic?"

The moment the words left him, the living room went dead silent.

Gwyneth shot to her feet and bolted into the kitchen like something had snapped in her, came back with a knife, and held it to her own throat.

"You all want me dead, don't you? So she can take my identity, take my parents?"

Her voice was ragged from screaming.

"Why did you switch me at birth in the first place? Do you know how much I've suffered?"

"I spent my whole life thinking I was a child nobody wanted, and now you tell me someone else was out there living my life, while I paid the price for her?"

"Why should I be the one to carry your mistake?"

Mom went white with fear. Dad held his hands out, begging her to calm down.

Ivor James, who must have gotten a message, came rushing in.

"Gwynnie, you're the only daughter Uncle and Auntie have. And you've got me. Haven't I been right here beside you this whole time?"

He moved toward her, one step at a time.

"Good girl. Listen to me. Give me the knife."

The instant before Ivor could take the knife from her hand—

Gwyneth suddenly lunged at me with it, and the tip dragged a line of blood down my arm.

"Gwynnie! Are you okay?"

"You scared me half to death."

"The only one your dad and I love is you!"

Mom, Dad, and Ivor all crowded in around Gwyneth.

Nobody saw the blood running down my arm.

"Kayla, you're bleeding! We need to get to a hospital!"

Ryan grabbed Aunt Denise and hurried me to the emergency room.

The whole way there, he kept apologizing.

"Kayla, I didn't think Gwyneth would actually lose it and hurt you. I'm sorry."

He was the only one in that house who still remembered my name.

I told him I didn't blame him.

Gwyneth had done it on purpose. She wasn't crazy at all. It was just a way to drive me out.

I didn't say any of that out loud.

Because even if I did, no one would believe me.

It wasn't until my wound was bandaged and I'd left the hospital that three texts came through on my phone.

The first was from Mom.

"Don't say anything when you get home. Gwynnie can't take any more upset."

The second was from Dad.

"Don't hold today against Gwynnie."

The last one was from Ivor.

"You enjoyed watching Gwynnie fall apart because of you, didn't you?"

Not one person asked about my injury.

I carried the plastic bag of medicine home.

I pushed open the attic door and found my suitcase flung open on the floor, everything inside torn through and scattered.

All of my ID documents were gone.

Ivor's voice was flat.

"Gwynnie won't have anything in this house that has your name on it."

"To calm her down, I threw it all out right in front of her."