Clean Up Your Own Mess

Summary

Before my parents filed for divorce, they sat my younger sister down and asked her who she wanted to live with.

Evelyn burst into theatrical tears, pulling a color-coded scorecard from her pocket. "Whoever treats me best gets my vote."

To win her over, my parents decided on a nesting arrangement—divorcing on paper, but remaining under the exact same roof. From that day on, our house became a relentless bidding war.

On the morning of my National Merit Scholarship finals, Mom was busy curling Evelyn’s hair into intricate braids, while Dad was frantically toasting artisanal pastries he had…