[Dawn]
“Never,” he utters. “You were just…” but he doesn’t finish. He sighs. “Nevermind.”
“No, tell me,” I push. “I’m sick of being the little sister of Andre. At least treat me like the adult version of me you decided to have sex with.” I’ve poked the bear now. His eyes flash, and I can tell his temper will flare. But I don’t care. A week of silences and excuses, a life of waiting for him to just run away.
“It’s not that,” he finally says with a level voice. “It’s that…” but he still can’t find the words.
I’m too frustrated at him to even wait around and hear them. I’m too hurt. I’ve got my answer anyway.
He lets me walk past, and I flee the office. I feel like the biggest idiot. I feel like a selfish brat for acting like the way I am, yet in the same heartbeat, I don’t care. I feel like he led me on with all that flirting and talking. We were hot and dirty in the pantry one moment, now I just feel stale and stupid.
I go to the bathroom and cool down for a few minutes before going back outside to the pool. Luca isn’t there, and he’s taken the cocktail with him. Sophie is by herself and laying by the pool. I sit silently beside her and put my hat on. She’s got her eyes closed, and I’m grateful that we lie in silence for the next half an hour.
Finally, Sophie makes a noise, and I realize she’s been asleep the whole time.
Having calmed down since speaking to Aldo, I laugh at her wake up. “Now I know your secret for keeping energy with Michael. All this mother’s superpowers bull crap, you’re just napping,” I tease and flick her arm.
She smiles and wipes some drool from the corner of her mouth. She turns over onto her front. “Yes, yes, the secret is out.” She reaches up and takes a sip of her warm drink. “So how was chatting with Aldo?”
My lips tighten, and I feel a flare of betrayal again. “Nothing out of the usual.”
“Really?” Sophie looks at me over her sunglasses. “I’m not blind. You were trailing after him and those big muscles quite eagerly.”
“Well, it’s nothing,” I grunt and sit up. I search for more drink, but I’ve finished my cocktail; swishing the glass around won’t make any magically appear either. I sigh. “It’s just stupid stuff.”
“I saw you guys talking at the party,” Sophie says. “You guys had a bit of chemistry.”
“Whatever chemistry you may have seen,” I roll onto my front too. “Is dead. He was pretty clear on his thoughts about me being there.” I don’t mention the fact that while Sophie was asleep, Aldo passed back by with Luca and looked like he was longing to come and speak with me but was unable to do so.
“I dunno,” she says. “He’s just-Aldo is a cautious man. He might just need time with you?”
“And you’re the dating expert?” I say, glancing at her.
Sophie grins and laughs. “Well, no, but you know what I mean. He’s just got out of a big relationship and-”
“I’m Andre’ little sister.” I cut in. “Apparently, that’s the problem…”
Sophie nods, either not noticing or ignoring my jab at the end. “True too. I’m sure he’s got a different image of you than you do of him. He’s always been friends with Andre first. You second.”
I look away; the sudden spike of truth pierces my heart, and I don’t like it. I don’t like how wise Sophie has become with motherhood. Like she’s practicing or something by fixing people like me. “I just hoped that maybe after all the years we’ve all hung out, he saw me differently.”
Sophie reaches over and squeezes my hand.
“I just feel stupid,” I say. “I feel angry. I feel like I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Sophie props herself up on her elbows and scratches her lower back. “How about a road trip then?”
“Huh?” I look at her in surprise. “A road trip where?”
“Up north,” Sophie points to the sky. “Luca was gonna have some men drive a van up to New York for the family up there. They are doing an exchange with some Bratva boys,” she says in a Russian accent. “Extending branches of peace or something. It’ll be pretty easy. We could do it.”
“I dunno,” I say. I do know, though, that it sounds amazing. The last place I now want to be is in the house, in sight of the very pantry I had my heart broken.
“It’ll be quick and fun. A few days on the road. No men.”
“No men?” I ask.
Sophie nods. “Just us.”
I squint my eyes at her. “This isn’t a trick? I know you and your ways now, woman.”
Sophie laughs and crosses her heart. “No tricks. Just something good and fun for you.”
“Fine,” I say.
Secretly, I’m happy. The sun feels too cheerful for how I’m feeling. I’ve just been heartbroken because I’m someone’s sister. Maybe up north they’ll have rain to cheer me up.