Yesterday morning, I got a call from my dad. My sister (28F) was in urgent care after collapsing at home. She has a chronic illness that’s been getting worse, and apparently, she had no one around to help. My dad lives across the country, and I (26F) live just 25 minutes away.

He begged me to go check on her, said she needed help getting discharged and someone to drive her home. I said no. Not “I can’t.” Just no.

He went quiet, like he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. Then out of nowhere he said, “You are a very cruel person.” I didn’t answer. I hung up.

I sat with it for an hour. The guilt tried to crawl in, but so did the memories. I was 16. Our mom had late-stage cancer. I was the one cooking, cleaning, running between school and the hospital.

My sister was 18, an adult, and still left every night to party with her boyfriend. One night, I called her crying because Mom was bleeding, and I didn’t know what to do. She said, “Not my problem,” and hung up.

I never forgot that. Never got an apology. She spoke at the funeral like she’d been by Mom’s side every second. I wanted to throw up.

By afternoon yesterday, my phone was full of missed calls. My aunt, my dad, even my sister texted saying, “Please. I need help.”

I didn’t reply. I sat in my apartment, ordered takeout, and watched a movie.

It’s not that I want her to suffer. I just don’t want to be the one fixing her life while mine meant nothing to her back then. Can you help me out?