“It’s the anniversary of my sister’s passing. I don’t celebrate it.”
Her face drops, and I think every person stops chewing because the room becomes eerily quiet. I knew that would get them to leave me alone, so I don’t care about how bad they all suddenly look for bugging me.
Sage gives my hand a soft squeeze, and I turn back to my plate.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” August voices first, and I only nod in response as I finish eating, and I’m glad they don’t talk to me anymore.I should’ve led with that. I know it’s bad to pull the dead sister card, but Sire was being annoying, and Shanti would’ve found it funny. She always laughed in awkward situations… her humor as just a toddler always amazed me.
Sage and I offer to help clean once we finish eating, but Sire and Vidia tell us they got it, and it’s really just Sire who cleans everything for his girl.
I get up to go to the bathroom, and when I hear Sage’s heels clicking after me, I slow down for her. She walks into the bathroom with me, and a smirk grows on my face as I turn to her.
“Your brother will be pissed if we have sex in here.” I take a step forward. “Are you going to let me have that satisfaction?”
A smirk grows on her face as she shakes her head at me. As I reach for her, she pushes my hand away. “You know that’s not going to happen.”
“I had to try.” I shrug before leaning against the sink, and I see the sympathy in her eyes as her smile fades. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, lost in thought before closing the distance between us and wrapping her arms around my neck. “I’m sorry about your sister.”
I don't say anything and simply wrap my arms around her waist and bury my face in her neck.
“How old was she?”
I let my eyes fall shut and hold her a bit closer. “Three.” I feel her go still, but I give her a squeeze, and she holds me tighter.
“I’m so sorry, Liam.”
“Stop saying that.” I kiss her neck before pulling away, and the sad look in her eyes is the reason I didn’t want to tell her about my sister. “Don’t cry. Your makeup took way too long to ruin so soon.”
She laughs softly before blinking up to the ceiling and I kiss her cheek softly. My phone starts buzzing and I let out a breath at the ringtone. I ignore every call besides Capri and Sage, so I gave them separate ringtones and as my phone keeps ringing, I’m only a bit happy about the possibility of needing to leave.
“Are you gonna get that?” Sage pulls away, and I grab my phone. It’s a Facetime call, which is weird, but I answer, and Capri’s face appears on the screen.
“In case you also have Alzheimer’s and forgot what tomorrow means, it’s the day after today.”
I briefly close my eyes as I realize my mistake. “Shit, my bad, Pri. I swear I forgot I even told you I’d be there today. I needed to come to this dinner for my girlfriend and–”
“This is why I told you to add it to your calendar.”
“I don’t have one.”
“Which is why I told you to make one. Do you listen to anything I say?”
I almost tell her no, I, in fact, do not, but then there’s a high shriek, and the phone is snatched out of her hand.
“Liam!” My mom looks beyond ecstatic to see me, and I feel ten times worse than I was for not going to see her for today's family night. After my month in Italy, I saw her as soon as I could and spent the day with her, but she keeps calling and saying she misses me, which is weird because she never cares to call me.
“How are you, my sweet boy?”
I glance up at Sage when she laughs quietly, and I roll my eyes at her.
“Oh, are you with someone?” My mom tries to look around as if that would change her perspective through thephone.
“No, I just–”
“Please tell me Sage is with you!”
A smile pulls at my lips, and I genuinely can’t grasp how she constantly remembers her.
