“I’ll pass.”
Her face scrunches, but before she can say anything, the waitress joins us and takes our order. Once we’re alone again, Julia shifts in her seat. “Heather said you’re getting in trouble with Alexander. Dad will have a coronary if he hears you’re doing anything improper.”
Oh, fuck. I’m going to die.My face fills with heat. There’s no way she knows anything about Alexander and me. We were careful. And we’ve not given anything away during class. Have we?
“I don’t know what she means?” I straighten in my seat until my back is stiff as a board and place my hands in my lap. If I give my sister any visual cues, she’ll know I’m lying. In law school, they’re taught to search for non-verbal signals that someone is hiding something. And…. she’s my sister. We’ve spent years watching each other. I inhale and ease the tension in my body.
“She means that you’ve been held over after class. She said she thinks you’re failing the class.”
Thank God.My shoulders sag in relief. I’d rather she thought I was a fuck up than the truth. “Professor Taylor wanted to ensure I knew how to get help if I needed it.” I lick my lips. “As a favor to you since you married his cousin. Anyway, he explained how to access the tutoring lab, but I’ve understood the concepts so far. He’s a good instructor.”
His teaching skills are superior to anyone else’s. I’d do anything he told me to and say, ‘Yes, sir,’ in the process. I shiver and throw up a thank you that the room is dark, and Julia can’t read my subtle cues.
“Here, you go.” The waitress deposits our drinks and flips over the bar tab.
“Thank you.” I take a sip of the Blue Hawaiian and frown. How did this become about me? She was the one caught cheating on Wyatt. How dare she make me feel like I’m the one that’s done something wrong. At least I’m not cheating on anyone. “How could you cheat on Wyatt? He’s a great guy. And the week before the wedding? That’s horrible. What were you thinking?”
“I knew it was too much for Heather to keep her big mouth shut. She said she didn’t tell you, and I figured that was the truth. It’s not like the two of you get along.”
“We don’t.” I suck down a reinforcer drink. “She didn’t tell me. Hell, she doesn’t talk to me unless it’s to hurl insults.”
“She’s not that mean to you. The two of you just don’t mix.” She taps her fingernails on the glass, making a clinking sound. Of course, she’s ready to defend the enemy instead of her sister.
“That’s bullshit.” My teeth gnash together. “At the wedding, she implied I’m fat, multiple times, and repeatedly insulted me.”
“I didn’t see it that way.”
“Well, you should have. It would be nice to get some sister loyalty occasionally. I’ve been taking care of you for years.” What has gotten into me? I don’t confront my sister.
“What?” Her mouth drops open as she stares at me like I’m an amoeba on a Petri dish. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Daisy, grab my shoes. I can’t reach them. Daisy, hang my veil up. Daisy, hold the back of my dress while we cut the cake.”
“It was my wedding day.” She throws her hands into the air. “It was my special day. If it was your wedding day, I’d do the same for you.” She has the audacity to appear incensed.
“No.” I shake my head. “You do it all the time. You told me to write theThank Youcards. YourThank Youcards for the gifts you received. And I was sick. But I stayed up until the middle of the night to get them all done and drove them to the mailbox so they could go out when you wanted them to.”
She rolls her eyes. “Still wedding based.”
I suck down half my drink, letting the cool liquid chill my insides. “When you were ten, I got your puke bowl and held it while you threw up.”
“I was sick.”
Always an excuse. Too bad I’m tired of it. I’m not doing her bidding anymore. She’s married and out on her own. With a husband. Who will want a divorce when he finds out about the bartender.
“When you lived at home, I got your food for you.”
Her face reddens, and she tips her head back, draining the alcohol. “Fine.” She sets the glass down with a thump. “I’m used to you following me around, and I encouraged you to help me. I didn’t want you to feel left out because mom and dad focused on me. They were always watching me.” She looks away and at the table of guys beside us. “They were always watching me to see if I sniffled or coughed. So, I learned to move as little as possible. I was terrified I was going to die. So, it was easier….”
She returns her attention to me and clears her throat. “To let you do everything. That way, they were watching you.”
I tap my fingertips on the tabletop. Besides my fingers are the initials JB and DB written inside a heart. There are numerous etchings on the tables.
Is she telling the truth? Does it matter? Not really. “Well, I’m not doing it anymore. I’m not bending over backward to do things for you. You’re a grown woman who’s married.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “At least for now.”
“Daisy.” She grabs my hand. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you. It was wrong.”
“Okay.” I blink. I’ve entered an alternate universe. My sister admitted she was wrong, and while she didn’t say the words, the implication was clear. “Thank you.”