“Shh, hon,” He said, cradling me close. After I had totally screamed out my frustrations, I heard Lucy’s voice break through my comfort.

“Joe! How could you comfort her like that? She hit me!”

He looked torn. Sister or girlfriend? I could totally see the conflict going through his head. He let go of me momentarily to reach for his sister.

“Lucy, she’s just upset,” he said softly, obviously hoping I wouldn’t overhear. “She didn’t mean it.”

“Yes I did!” I screamed, and pulled back my fist again. However, Joe corralled me from behind before I could swing. “Let. Me. Go.” I said, my voice carefully controlled.

Joe looked pleadingly from me to Lucy. “You guys…can’t you please…just…I don’t know, work this out?”

Us two girls looked bitterly at one another. Joe’s arms loosened from around me, and he walked into the house, claiming he needed to “use the facilities.”

I knew he was really leaving us alone to sort it out. And there was absolutely nothing stopping me from taking another swing at that girl.