"What?" Came the reply.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Yeah, it’s open." He replied.

Isabel opened the door and walked in. Max was laying across his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Are you mad at me?" Isabel asked, sitting down beside him.

Max pushed himself up on the bed. "Iz," he began. "I could never be mad at you."

"But Max, I killed our father." Isabel cried.

"But you had to. Isabel, he’d have killed you if you and Maria hadn’t have killed him first." Max looked at his sister. "I didn’t understand how evil he was. I know it has to be hard on you and Maria. You will live with the memory of killing your own father the rest of your life. That is such a burden to carry. I just wish…I just wish I’d have listened to you earlier. Izzy, you were right. Maria is our sister and Tess was lying to us. I just think that if I’d have listened, none of this would have happened."

"It’s not your fault Max." Isabel said. "I could have easily given up on Maria too. Don’t think I didn’t question it. But when everyone insisted that Maria was with you Max at the motel, I knew something was wrong. I had been with Maria all morning. I’m just glad that we’re all ok."

"Me too." Max said. He pulled Isabel into a hug. "I’m not mad at you and I don’t hold you or Maria responsible for our fathers death. He had to die. I’m sorry for not believing you."

No matter what anyone ever said, Isabel would always feel responsible for her fathers death. They had been the ones to kill him. "Let’s not ever fight again, ok?" she asked.