one-on-one time with my sis!
“Come on,” she said, squeezing me tightly with one arm. “Let’s go make a drink and get caught up. It’s been way too long, sister.”
We stepped into the kitchen, where she began mixing drinks.
“So, what happened?” she asked. “What did you mean when you said you’ve had a rough week?”
I sighed. I didn’t really want to talk about it, but I knew that she was going to pry me until I gave her an answer.
“It’s Justin,” I said. “He now has a major role in the church and he said that he didn’t want us to live together for fear of what people may think...because we aren’t married and all. So, he packed up my things and made me leave. He still says that we’re together, though, he just thinks we can’t live under the same roof right now.”
Janette shook her head in disbelief.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she said. “That’s absolutely insane.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“It is what it is,” I said. “But let’s have those drinks. I don’t really want to think about all of that stuff right now.”
Janette agreed and continued making the cocktails. I knew that she wanted to talk more about Justin and I’s situation, but luckily she respected my decision to avoid the topic.
“Well, I’m sorry that you won’t get to see Michael tonight. But he’ll be here in the morning when you wake up,” Janette said. “You are saying with us, right?”
I honestly hadn’t even thought about it until that point, but since I only had 5 blank checks in my pocket and no other money to speak of, I realized that it was probably the best choice.
“If that’s okay...” I said. “I can get a hotel or something tomorrow if you want me to.”
Janette shook her head.
“Nonsense. You’re staying with us. There’s no need to waste your money on a hotel. Plus, we have several guest rooms in our house,” she said.
I took a sip from my cocktail. Immediately, the flavor of vodka covered my tongue.
“Speaking of your house,” I said, as I set the glass down on the counter. “I had no idea you guys lived in such a nice place. I’ve never been in a home like this.”
Janette smiled and responded, “Well, Michael makes a lot of money. I haven’t had any of the family out here, because I know it would just make them feel bad about their own financial situations...that’s part of why we never invited you, Mom or Dad to come visit...”
As she spoke, she looked sad. It was almost like she felt ashamed about the money Michael and her enjoyed.
“I think Mom and Dad would be happy for you,” I said, trying to cheer her up. “They would want to know you have a great life out here.”
Then I held up my glass.
“Cheers,” I said. “To my amazing sister.”
We clinked our glasses together and took another sip.
Chapter 5
––––––––
L ater on that evening, after 3 cocktails and a lot of girl-talk and laughs, Janette went to bed, leaving me with free rein in the large house. Michael still wasn’t home and I found myself aimlessly walking around the hallways, trying to keep myself busy.
The excitement of being in a new place, combined with my ever-present thoughts of Justin back home, made it so that I was wide awake and I knew that sleep wouldn’t be an option for me any time soon.
With nothing to do, I laid in my bed in the guest room and started scrolling through the contact list in my phone. I scrolled over Justin’s name at least a dozen times, but never clicked on it. I’m sure that he was wondering where I was at that point, but I just didn’t feel quite ready to talk to him. He needed to see what it was like not having me around.
I let out a long sigh and then put my hands behind my head. Suddenly, a thought flashed in my mind.
I should go out. Maybe do some exploring.
There’s no way my sister would have approved of me driving around the city by myself, so I decided not to wake her to tell her that I was leaving.
“Come on,” she said, squeezing me tightly with one arm. “Let’s go make a drink and get caught up. It’s been way too long, sister.”
We stepped into the kitchen, where she began mixing drinks.
“So, what happened?” she asked. “What did you mean when you said you’ve had a rough week?”
I sighed. I didn’t really want to talk about it, but I knew that she was going to pry me until I gave her an answer.
“It’s Justin,” I said. “He now has a major role in the church and he said that he didn’t want us to live together for fear of what people may think...because we aren’t married and all. So, he packed up my things and made me leave. He still says that we’re together, though, he just thinks we can’t live under the same roof right now.”
Janette shook her head in disbelief.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she said. “That’s absolutely insane.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“It is what it is,” I said. “But let’s have those drinks. I don’t really want to think about all of that stuff right now.”
Janette agreed and continued making the cocktails. I knew that she wanted to talk more about Justin and I’s situation, but luckily she respected my decision to avoid the topic.
“Well, I’m sorry that you won’t get to see Michael tonight. But he’ll be here in the morning when you wake up,” Janette said. “You are saying with us, right?”
I honestly hadn’t even thought about it until that point, but since I only had 5 blank checks in my pocket and no other money to speak of, I realized that it was probably the best choice.
“If that’s okay...” I said. “I can get a hotel or something tomorrow if you want me to.”
Janette shook her head.
“Nonsense. You’re staying with us. There’s no need to waste your money on a hotel. Plus, we have several guest rooms in our house,” she said.
I took a sip from my cocktail. Immediately, the flavor of vodka covered my tongue.
“Speaking of your house,” I said, as I set the glass down on the counter. “I had no idea you guys lived in such a nice place. I’ve never been in a home like this.”
Janette smiled and responded, “Well, Michael makes a lot of money. I haven’t had any of the family out here, because I know it would just make them feel bad about their own financial situations...that’s part of why we never invited you, Mom or Dad to come visit...”
As she spoke, she looked sad. It was almost like she felt ashamed about the money Michael and her enjoyed.
“I think Mom and Dad would be happy for you,” I said, trying to cheer her up. “They would want to know you have a great life out here.”
Then I held up my glass.
“Cheers,” I said. “To my amazing sister.”
We clinked our glasses together and took another sip.
Chapter 5
––––––––
L ater on that evening, after 3 cocktails and a lot of girl-talk and laughs, Janette went to bed, leaving me with free rein in the large house. Michael still wasn’t home and I found myself aimlessly walking around the hallways, trying to keep myself busy.
The excitement of being in a new place, combined with my ever-present thoughts of Justin back home, made it so that I was wide awake and I knew that sleep wouldn’t be an option for me any time soon.
With nothing to do, I laid in my bed in the guest room and started scrolling through the contact list in my phone. I scrolled over Justin’s name at least a dozen times, but never clicked on it. I’m sure that he was wondering where I was at that point, but I just didn’t feel quite ready to talk to him. He needed to see what it was like not having me around.
I let out a long sigh and then put my hands behind my head. Suddenly, a thought flashed in my mind.
I should go out. Maybe do some exploring.
There’s no way my sister would have approved of me driving around the city by myself, so I decided not to wake her to tell her that I was leaving.
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