‘I’m not watching the new series with you if that’s what you’re asking. It’s Tyrone’s turn this year.’ I hate it. She knows this.
‘I finally got accepted,’ Lois laughs.
I have misheard her.
‘Sorry, what?’
She sucks in her lips and raises her eyebrows. ‘I’ve been picked as a contestant!’
I continue to stare at her. It’s like looking in a mirror, except her features are expertly highlighted and contoured. She looks sophisticated while, with my drab work clothes and tangled hair, I look like a woman who gave up long ago.
‘What do you mean? When did you apply? What about Tyrone?’
‘I applied to go on the show last year before I met Ty. Then I fell head over heels and forgot all about it.’ Lois practically has sparkles coming out of her eyes every time she mentions Tyrone’s name. I’ve never seen a couple more in love.
‘They emailed me out of the blue to see if I was still interested, saying I’d signed some contract. You know I always click the terms and conditions without reading. Who has time to read the small print?’
‘Hmmm.’ I do. I always read the small print. But now is not the time to remind her. ‘So, have you replied? What did they say?’
‘Not yet. I’ll do it tomorrow when…’
At that moment, the door opens, and Tyrone fills the frame. He may as well live with us the amount of time he spends here.
‘Have you told her the good news?’ he says chirpily.
‘You know aboutLove on the Island?’ I say surprised.
‘Love on the Island? No. I mean me moving in. Yikes. All three of us cramped into this poky flat.’ He laughs. ‘Living the dream, eh?’
I look at his bags. He has two massive holdalls. ‘You’re moving in… today?’ I glance over at Lois.
‘Sorry, I meant to tell you but with everything going on…’
Tyrone drops the bags at the door, takes two giant steps towards us and swoops my sister up into a loving embrace. He is huge compared to her petite frame. He collapses onto the sofa, pulling her down to sit on his knee before giving her an adoring look.
‘So, what’s this aboutLove on the Island?’ he asks.
Lois is lit up like a Christmas tree in his arms. ‘Just that the producers ofLove on the Islandreached out to me today. They want me on the show. Because I’m crazy hot and gorgeous.’
Tyrone is visibly distraught. ‘Babe, no way. I don’t want to see you kiss some random muscle-mountain. They’ll be all over you. I couldn’t take it.’
He’s right. He is insanely in love with my sister. It would crucify him to see her flirting up a storm with other guys.
‘Oh, God, no, honey. I wouldn’t dream of going on the show. I did the video entry before we even met. You’re the only muscle-mountain for me. I don’t have eyes for anyone but you.’
They exchange the same dreamy expression. It causes me to look away as a brief pang of longing jabs at me. I’ve never had that with any of my previous boyfriends. Never.
‘Just because I signed a contract doesn’t mean Ihaveto go on the show,’ Lois tells him.
‘You’ve signed a contract,’ he says in a worried voice because he is an up-and-coming lawyer. ‘Seriously? You haven’t signed an agreement, have you? Those things with TV companies can be watertight.’
She nods meekly and hugs him tight. ‘But I don’t want to go on the show. They can’t force me.’
‘What if you’re contractually obliged?’ I ask. This would be awful for them.
‘I’ll withdraw. If the worst comes to the worst, they can sue me.’ Lois gazes up at Ty. ‘There’s no way I’m leaving you for the whole summer. I couldn’t bear it.’
He lifts her chin towards him and places a gentle, reassuring kiss on her lips.
