The key turned uselessly in the lock while the smart device glowed with a calm blue light that signaled it was still securely engaged. Brandon stepped in to try the handle and leaned his shoulder into the door, but he achieved exactly nothing despite his physical efforts.
“Are we absolutely sure that this is the correct unit number?” Arthur asked while looking around the dim hallway with a confused expression. Tiffany snapped at him that she knew where her own brother lived before jamming the key into the lock one more time.
My phone lit up with another text from her telling me to open the door because she thought the entire situation was ridiculous. For years, I had tried to explain my feelings through long paragraphs and phone calls, but I had always ended up softening my stance to avoid a fight.
This time, I decided that I would not offer any further explanations, so I hit the share button on the doorbell feed and selected the family group chat. Within seconds, the viewer count ticked up as my mother, father, and various cousins logged in to watch the drama unfold.