Locked Up, I Left My Sister Behind

1
The golden boy they adopted said I stole his precious necklace. My sister, my own flesh and blood, went ballistic.
She didn't just drag me to court; she hired the best lawyer to make sure he won.
I got three years. Branded a thief.
Before they took me away, her lawyer tried to reason with her.
"Just scare him a little, that's enough," he'd said. "A real prison sentence will ruin your brother's life!"
My sisters face was a mask of stone. "Stealing isn't a small thing. He needs to learn a hard lesson."
"As for his future?" she added, her voice unwavering. "I'll be his safety net."
Three years later, I walked out of those gates. She was waiting, her eyes bloodshot as she reached for me.
"You see your mistake now, don't you?" she asked. "Come on. Let's go home."
But I just took a quiet step back, letting her hand fall through empty air.
I had a new sister now. I met her on the inside.
She told me she believed me.

My sister, Pathy, froze, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes as I dodged her touch.
But she didn't pull her hand back. Instead, it shot out again, faster this time, her fingers wrapping around my wrist with a grip of iron.
"Patrick, why are you avoiding me? Did someone hurt you in there?" Her voice was thick, like it was being pushed through cotton.
I tried to pull my hand away, once, twice, but her grip was too tight. I gave up. "No," I said, my voice flat.
She let out a breath shed been holding. "Good," she whispered, squeezing my hand tighter. "That's good. I read things online, that it's not a place for people. I'm so glad you weren't bullied"
Watching the relief flood her face, the way her eyes grew redder by the second, a bitter, mocking laugh echoed in my head.
The one who moved heaven and earth to put me in here wasn't that you, Pathy?
What good was this concern now?
She forced a bright smile, tugging me toward a sleek black car like a peace offering. "You always loved a good party, right? I've planned a huge welcome-home celebration for you."
"Come on," she said again. "Let's go home."
I glanced back at the prison, its grey walls stark against the sky.
Nina. That was my new sisters name. She'd been framed for financial fraud and had another month left on her sentence. Wed made a pact. In one month, Id be back here, waiting at this very gate to pick her up. We were going to build a life together.
But Dads old photos and his signet ring were still in that house. I needed them. So, I let Pathy lead me to the car.
On the drive, she ran her hand over my shaved head, a gesture that was half a caress, half a warning. "Patrick, no more stealing. You understand? This was your lesson."
My fingers curled into a fist.
For three years, Id used the prison guards to pass her countless messages.
I didn't steal Ethan's necklace. He framed me.
She never believed it.
So this time, I didn't bother explaining. I just nodded like a good boy and played along. "I know."
A satisfied smile spread across her face.
When she pushed open the front door, a party popper exploded with a loud BANG!, showering us in a blizzard of colored streamers.
Ethan, the boy I hadn't seen in three years, stood there holding the empty tube, his eyes crinkling with a joyful smile.
"Welcome home, big brother!"
He laid the affection on thick, his eyes practically overflowing with feigned adoration. He looked nothing like the boy whose face had been twisted with jealousy and venom when hed accused me of theft.
I ignored him, brushing past his shoulder as I walked inside.
His smile faltered. He looked to Pathy, a wounded, awkward plea in his eyes. "Why is he ignoring me? Is he is he still mad at me?"
Pathy patted his head, her voice dripping with indulgence. "Patrick just got out, he's probably not used to things yet. It's not your fault."
I was already in my old bedroom, pulling open the drawer under my bed.
Dad's photos and his ring were still there. A wave of relief washed over me.
Pathy appeared at the doorway. "Patrick," she called softly, "come out and eat. You're so thin I can see your ribs."
I slid the drawer shut and followed her out.
At dinner, Ethan kept prodding, his questions laced with a false innocence. "So, what was it like in there, bro? I heard its really rough, is that true?"
"Its not rough," I said, my voice monotone. "You read books and newspapers every day. After dinner, you go back to your dorm."
"Oh. Well, that sounds alright, then. Not as bad as I imagined." A shadow of disappointment flickered across his face.
Pathy placed a peeled shrimp on my plate. "Now that you're out, let's not talk about that place anymore," she said with a light laugh. "Just think of it as an experience. Put it behind you."
Ethan's eyes darkened, and he fell silent.
A moment later, as if remembering something, he jumped up and ran to his room. He came back with a small, exquisitely wrapped box and held it out to me.
"This is for you, big brother. A welcome home present!"
I didn't take it. I just kept eating.
He didnt seem to mind. With a grin, he opened the box himself.
A luxury watch lay nestled on a velvet cushion, its face gleaming under the dining room lights.
I saw it, and my pupils shrank to pinpricks. The blood in my veins turned to ice. It felt like Id been plunged into a frozen lake.
Ethan pushed the box closer, his face twisting into a grotesque, chilling grin. "What's wrong, brother? Isn't this your favorite watch? You loved it so much you had to steal it."
"Now I'm giving it to you," he hissed, his voice a venomous whisper. "Aren't you happy?"
That watch. The "pearl necklace" was a lie to the press. It had been a watch. A gift from Pathy to Ethan.
And it was the very reason Id spent three years behind bars.

2
After Dad died on the battlefield, Mom took his survivor benefits and vanished, leaving me and Pathy to fend for ourselves.
She dropped out of high school, working God knows how many dead-end jobs before she finally scraped together enough to start her own company.
The moment she made real money, she adopted Ethan, another boy whod lost his father, and brought him into our home.
I was against it from the start, but Pathy pleaded with me.
"Ethan is just as lost as we were, Patrick. At least you have me. He has nothing."
"Just be generous," she'd said. "It's only one more plate at the table."
But it was never just one more plate. She treated him better than she'd ever treated me. It was like she was trying to raise a brother all over again, showering him with all the things she couldn't give me when we were poor.
Toys, designer clothes, luxury watches. Anything Ethan wanted, he got.
In just two years, shed spent millions on him.
That was the money she bled for. How many nights had she been forced to go to client dinners, drinking until she was sick, only to come back to the table and drink more?
I hated seeing her waste her hard-earned money like that. I was always telling her to cut back.
And for that, Ethan hated me.
He hid the watch under my pillow and then ran to Pathy, crying his eyes out, telling her I'd stolen it.
Pathy exploded. She made me kneel in the pouring rain, demanding I confess.
"How could Dad's son be a thief? He was a soldier! I've built my life on honesty!" she'd screamed, her voice raw with rage. "Who are you learning this from? That mother who took the money and ran?"
"Have I ever let you go hungry? Have you ever needed anything? Why would you steal?"
I was burning up with a fever, crying, swearing I didn't do it, but she wouldn't listen.
The next day, she hired the best lawyer in the city and took me to court.
My own sister. Standing on the witness stand, fighting for Ethan, testifying against me.
The verdict was three years. I was officially a thief.
Before the sentencing, friends, family, even her own lawyer, begged her not to go through with it. I was her brother. Three years in prison would destroy my future.
But she was relentless. She was willing to push everyone away to see me locked up.
"Patrick won't be destroyed," she'd insisted. "I work this hard for him. Even if he is ruined, I can support him for the rest of his life."
"But he stole," shed said, her voice like ice. "He has to learn his lesson."
Every month for three years, she came to visit me. Every month, shed ask if I was ready to admit I was wrong.
And every time, I refused to see her. Id just have the guard pass on the same message.
"I didn't steal anything."
After shed leave, the guard would shake his head with a sigh.
"Your sister doesn't believe you, kid."
Disappointment, repeated over and over, slowly curdled into a cold, hard despair. I felt like the entire world had abandoned me. I used to have Pathys love, at least. Now, I had nothing.
Seeing that watch again, something inside me snapped. I swept my arm across the table, sending the box flying. It hit the floor with a loud crack.
Ethan stared, stunned into silence. Pathys face instantly darkened.
"Ethan was being kind, giving you a gift! Hes forgiven you, and this is how you act?"
I sat there, trembling, my face pale as a ghost.
She grabbed my arm, trying to haul me to my feet. "You think because you're out you can throw a tantrum? Pick up that watch and apologize to Ethan, now!"
Apologize? Never.
I shoved her away, hard, and bolted out the door.
The night air was bitingly cold, but it was nothing compared to the storm of grief and betrayal churning in my chest. I never should have come back. If it wasn't for Dad's things, I wouldn't have set foot in this house.
I was done being framed. I was done being hurt.
Pathy caught up to me in seconds, her fingers digging into my wrist. Her brows were knitted together in a tight, angry line.
"Where do you think you're going? You spent three years in prison and you still haven't learned to control your temper?"
I couldn't take it anymore. I ripped my arm from her grasp, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "That watch was that a peace offering or a poisoned arrow, Pathy? Can you honestly not see the difference?"
"I'm your brother!" I yelled, my voice cracking. "You already sent me to hell once, what more do you want from me?"
"I'm doing this for your own good!" she shot back, her voice turning cold. "If you do the crime, you do the time. How else are you going to learn? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch you throw your life away?"
Her words slammed into my heart like a sledgehammer, leaving a gaping hole.
When had I ever stolen anything? What reason could I possibly have to steal a watch from Ethan?
Why couldn't she just think for one damn second? Why wouldn't she ever, ever believe me?
Tears of frustration finally spilled over, hot against my cold cheeks. The despair of the last three years crashed over me like a tidal wave.
I gave up trying to explain.
She looked at my shaved head, and her voice softened, as if admitting defeat. "Patrick, everything I do, I do it with you in mind. Yes, you spent three years in jail, but Ive paved the way for you."
"My company it's all going to be yours one day. This was just a small punishment. It's nothing in the long run."
"Come home with me," she pleaded. "Stop running away."
She took my hand again, leading me back toward the house. I followed numbly, the fight gone out of me. I didn't say another word.
When we walked back in, Ethans eyes widened in surprise. He clearly hadn't expected Pathy to bring me back after all that.
I just felt drained, exhausted to my very soul. I retreated to my bedroom and didn't come out.
Late that night, my door creaked open. It was Ethan.
My eyes snapped open in the darkness, but I stayed perfectly still. He thought I was asleep.
I watched him feel around under my pillow, his movements furtive as he slipped something beneath it.
I didn't move. I didn't say a word.
He was so predictable, pulling the same trick the day I got back.
This time, I wanted to see. I had to know if Pathy would finally choose to believe me.
The next morning, just as I expected, he was in the living room, crying to Pathy that I had stolen his new watchthe replacement for the one Id supposedly taken before.
"Pathy, if he liked it, he just had to ask! I even offered him the old one yesterday, and he threw it on the floor!" he wailed. "Is he just a kleptomaniac?"
Pathys face was a thundercloud as she stared at me. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"
My heart plummeted into a black abyss.
Her words were a final, brutal sword stroke, severing the last thread of family that tied us together.
A humorless smile twisted my lips. "No," I said. "I guess I can't."
CRACK!
The sound of her hand connecting with my cheek echoed in the silent room. The anger and disappointment in her eyes were about to spill over.
"How could I have a brother like you!"
I was silent for a moment, my cheek stinging. Then, I let out a cold, hollow laugh. "I don't know," I said, my voice dripping with ice. "How could I have a sister like you?"
"You!"
She pointed a trembling finger at me, too furious to speak.
Before her second slap could land, I dropped to my knees. I bowed my head to the floor, one final gesture.
"Thank you for raising me after you dropped out of school," I said, my voice empty. "From now on, I don't have a sister."
With that, I stood up, pulled the box with Dads things from under the bed, and turned to leave.
Her face was grim as she snatched the box from my hands. "These were Dad's. You have no right to take them!"
Fine. Let her have them.
I just nodded, accepting my fate, and walked toward the door.
"You're an ex-con!" she yelled at my back, her voice tight with rage. "What can you do without me? Starve?"
I didn't stop. I didn't even slow down.
"Don't worry about me."

3
I left the house and sat on a bench in the neighborhood park all day.
This time, Pathy didn't come after me.
She must have finally washed her hands of me, disgusted and disappointed beyond repair.
I had no money, so I started looking for a job, any job that offered food and board. But the moment they heard Id been in prison, the answer was always no.
My only option was a construction site.
The foreman looked me up and down, his brow furrowed. "You're all skin and bones. This is hard labor. You sure you can handle it?"
I put on my most eager smile. "Give me a shot, sir. I might be thin, but I'm stronger than I look."
He was still hesitant, but I didn't wait for permission. I grabbed a wheelbarrow and started working, moving with a speed and efficiency that surprised him.
Finally, he nodded. "Alright, you're on. Food and a bunk are included. Hundred bucks a day."
"One thing, though," he added. "This is a short-term project. We'll be done in a month."
I beamed. A month was perfect.
By then, Nina would be out, and Id have a place to go.
I worked on that site for over three weeks.
When Pathy found me, she was so shocked she almost didn't recognize me.
My hair had grown out into a messy, unkempt mop. My clothes were caked in a permanent layer of dust that puffed off me with every step.
She stood at a distance, just watching, her eyes slowly turning red.
Finally, she ran over and grabbed my wrist. "What are you doing here? Patrick, do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?"
"Come on, let's go home. You can't be doing this kind of work!"
I shook her off and hefted a stack of bricks onto my shoulder, pretending I didn't know her.
Her lips tightened into a thin line. She didn't try to persuade me again. Instead, she turned and marched over to the foreman. I couldn't hear what she said.
A few minutes later, the foreman walked over, his face grim.
"Patrick, why didn't you tell me you did time for theft? We can't have thieves on this site. You're fired."
"And don't expect any pay," he grunted. "Get lost."
Panic seized me. "Please, sir, give me a chance," I begged. "I was framed, I swear. I've never stolen anything in my life. I won't cause any trouble!"
"That's your sister, right?" he sneered, jerking his head toward Pathy. "You expect me to believe she'd lie about that?"
"We don't hire dishonest people. Now beat it!" he barked, giving me a hard shove.
I stumbled backward, losing my balance, and fell straight into Pathys arms. She held me steady.
A triumphant smile played on her lips as she pressed a phone into my hand. "See? You can't survive anywhere else. The only place for you is with me."
"Patrick, we're family. The path I've made for you is the only one that works."
She reached up and ruffled my messy hair, not even flinching at the dust that came off on her hand. Her smile was genuine now as she took my arm.
"Come on. Let's go home. And don't you ever make me look for you again."
I didn't move. She turned, confused by my resistance.
Her eyes met mine, and she saw the absolute, glacial coldness there.
"Pathy," I said, my voice dangerously quiet. "What do I have to do for you to just let me go?"
She didn't seem to grasp that she'd done anything wrong. Her smile vanished. "What are you talking about, 'let you go'? Haven't I been good to you?"
"I've spent the last three weeks searching for you! I've ignored my company, do you know how much money I've lost?"
Without another word, she yanked me toward her car.
I was bundled inside, taken back to that house one more time. On the way, she took a call, and after dropping me off, she raced to her office, ordering Ethan to make sure I didn't run off again.
The moment she was gone, Ethan's face transformed.
"You idiot!" he sneered. "I can't believe she brought you back again. After all that, she still cares about you?"
I fought the urge to punch him, my voice tight with a rage Id held in for three years. "Why? Why did you frame me? I was always decent to you, wasn't I?"
He let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with pure malice. "Because you told Pathy to stop spending money on me."
"She made it perfectly clear years ago. The company goes to you. Not me."
"You have this amazing sister to fall back on, and you couldn't even stand to see her spend a little money on me," he spat. "Why should you have everything?"
My hands clenched into fists. "Do you have any idea how she earned that money? She never went to college. The executives at her company look down on her. She has to work twice as hard just to stay afloat."
"Those old sharks force her into business dinners, and she has to drink until she's puking blood! And you? You ask for millions like it's nothing. She's my sister, of course I care! What's wrong with asking her to spend less on you?"
"So what? It's not like she's earning it for me," Ethan scoffed, admiring his expensive sneakers. "If she drinks herself to death, I still get nothing. The only way I get a piece of the pie is if you're out of the picture."
I stared at him, a chill spreading through my entire body. I always thought he framed me because he wanted Pathy all to himself.
I never imagined it was only ever about the money.
"You're a real snake," I bit out, heading for my room.
He laughed behind me. "I framed you once, I can do it again. And again."
"Just wait, Patrick," he called out. "I'll get you thrown out of here for good!"

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