Robert gave the order at Astro, turned to Carmen, and then took a deep breath. Despite the risk, it appeared to be simpler than having their conversation.” Can your big brain help me with something?”
“Maybe… Depends, though,” Carmen said. “What is it?”
“You talk to Katie about guys… You know boys?”
“Huh? You asking me if I talk to her about boys?” Carmen’s temple angled and her eye squinted. “Mom probably already dealt with that.”
“Not that talk, jeez, I’m referring to…”
“Are you embarrassed that she has a crush on you?”
“No.” His sister was chiding herself. She’s old enough not to sleep in the same bed with me. Like, I mean, She is big now. Why’d she be having countless wet dreams.”
Carmen hesitated for a moment, appearing to have a good response, before responding, “I don’t know.”
“I don’t believe that. Check your brain for some answers.” He tried not to sound so desperate.
“I know you think she shouldn’t ever be interested in boys or grow up, but it’s too late for that, and I already told you that it’s not a big deal. Just let it, she’ll move past you in a flash, then you’ll be miserable she doesn’t give a fuck about you anymore.”
“I suppose.” If Carmen had known what had transpired that morning, would she say that?
“She’s, um, growing up too quickly.”
“Happened a while ago, and you were ignoring it,” she said.
He dug his hand into his pocket to pay when their order arrived.
“Amazing, you’re stacked,” Carmen said.
“No, not really, but Miss Rose paid me today,” he replied.
“That’s amazing. That’d pleased Dad when you no longer take money from him.”
“I doubt it.”
Carmen turned around in her seat and placed her parfait on the dashboard before holding the plastic dish in front of her. “Well, I’m glad for you and appreciate your purchase.”
“I didn’t say I was actually paying.” He said to himself.
He was glad that Carmen hadn’t eaten a banana split because her lips had pulled fudge from an ice cream scoop. “Carm, we’ve to talk, if you don’t mind.”
Carmen stated, “We should…Why did you not inform me that you were going to see Patty?
Why did he think he could keep something from his sister who read minds? “How did you know? You read my mind or mom told you?”
“You didn’t want me to know, and why? You’re the only person who missed her?”
“I would think you’d not like to hang out at the race shop, plus, you weren’t anywhere near.”
“Where did I go?”
Before responding, he waited for her pink tongue to stop licking the vanilla that was melting from the container’s edge. “I don’t recall.”
“You recalled my absence, and you are aware that I would have desired to see her. What’s happening?”
Even if he thought he could get away with it, Robert didn’t want to lie to his sister. “It’s a lengthy tale.”
Behind her ear, his sister hid loose strands of hair. “I still had plenty of ice cream.”
He said, “You could be sisters.”
“What?”
He wanted to tell Carmen that they were both beautiful. “You and Patty of course. You help me to remember her when you do that with your hair.”
“I know, it’s sort of strange when I see her.”
“When did you see her?”
“Now stop stalling; she came over and drove me to Erica’s. What’s happening? Why isn’t mom aware of it?
“For the same reason you don’t.”
“Well it’s past the point of no return for that, you know, you will tell me. I’ll learn anyway.”
“You’ll read my mind, I know.”
“You suck at lying, but I don’t read your mind.”
“You want to show me how to improve.”
“First let me know what’s the deal with Patty.”
“Assuming I need to,” he said and moaned. “It’s awful, really awful. Are you certain you want to know?”
“Show me!”
“We are in love. We’ve been concealing it for such an extremely long time, now we would like to break out to be hitched and live together.”
“Mm, you’d make a decent couple, if only you weren’t lying. Com’on, tell me I need to know.”
“Please don’t ever ask me to give it to you,” he wanted to scream. “It isn’t something you need to be engaged with. You might also be in trouble if you know.”
“I’ll take my chances.” She stated.
The entire time he talked to her about racing, his sister simply nodded her head. At the point when he got done, she had an immense grin put all over.
She stated, “That’s fantastic. If you didn’t want me to know that, why not? You have to be happy. How in the world did you remain quiet about it so for this long?”
By fucking Ella, Felicia, Miss Rose, and nearly both of my sisters.
“I needed to. If Patty hadn’t ruined it, I’d still be staying quiet about it. You must now tell lies about knowing if I get caught.”
“I’ll get away with lying, and I have no problem lying to you, but you can’t get away with this. Ultimately, he will find out.”
“It’s better to find out after, not before. Who even cares.”
“When you’re grounded for life or death, you’ll care.”
“He might reconsider if I do the right thing.”
“Your father never changes his mind or admits he is mistaken, even when he is. He’s delusional, a liar even.”
Robert gazed at Carmen until she said, “Sorry, I didn’t really intend that. It’s simply not right that he won’t allow you to race.”
Although she may not have intended what she said, his sister meant it, and he felt it even more. “Did he irritate you?”
“No, nothing; it’s probably everything, I suppose. You know, you’re the person who needs to race, presently you need to lie and stow away. That is awful.”
“Definitely,” he said and ate his frozen yogurt, sitting tight for the rest.
Carmen stayed quiet and tried not to maintain eye contact. More needed to be there.
Carmen said, “You should talk to mom, get her on your side. She always took care of us, as you know. Remember how she used to…”
“That was before he married Dad.” He hoped that he didn’t sound as enraged as he did. “What happened?”
“He thinks he owns her.” She said. “I’m sorry, but I shouldn’t have said that. If they hadn’t tied the knot, she wouldn’t be around anymore.”
“Do you think she’s happy?” He inquired. “Do you think she’s doing well?”
“She would leave if she wasn’t…right. Why are we discussing this? We’re not very knowledgeable about marriage.”
“You’re correct, it’s nothing of us should be concerned about.” That was a prevaricating statement. If someone he loved wasn’t happy, why wouldn’t he care? “I really don’t want to involve my mother in this.”
“In any case, you know she will find out. She probably knows something is going on already. She only needs to look at you. Why not leave it up to her to decide if she wants to be a part of it? She’ll be more drastic if you lie to her.”
“I suppose, I’m not certain. I’m glad we were able to speak.”
“Me too.” She said, “We should return home, I really want a rest.”
“Mm, and for what reason didn’t you and Erica rest?”
“Apologies, that is for us to know and for you to never find out.”
What might be more terrible, understanding what they did or envisioning it? In any case, it made him feel uneasy, just like thinking about his father with Orva.
“I don’t want to know, but I’m sure it was a bunch of chick flicks and boring stuff,” Robert said with a smile.