Eyes so hazel they were almost yellow peered at me. Pierced me with their intensity. Some might think that just because Ceci was also fighting with Melissa she might be happy that I was too. But my sister wasn’t like that. Sometimes the brashest of us all, she could also be the most feeling. And I think right now she felt how much this was mixing me up.
“What happened?” she asked. Not one to keep secrets, I told her everything about this terrible week in one big breath. A few moments later she was leaning back on her hands as she exhaled a sharp whistle. “I hate to say it, Al…”
I covered my face with my hands, readying myself for criticism I didn’t want to hear. “Say what?”
“You should talk to her,” Ceci finished. “She seemed like she was being genuine and you sort of shot her down.”
I frowned, feeling guilty. Sulking, I wrapped my arms around my legs and smashed my cheek onto my knees. “She was being genuine with you too. In her own way.”
“Agree to disagree,” she clipped.
“She’s poring over all the old shelter financials for you, you know?” I added. Watching her face, her eyes blinking a couple of times and her chin tilting slightly, I could tell she hadn’t known. “She’s trying to make it up to you.”
“Yes, but she hasn’t apologized,” Ceci finally said. Then she turned those exacting eyes over to me. “Not for what she did or what she thought of me. Wouldn’t it be hard for you too? If someone you trusted had you all wrong?”
It is! I wanted to scream.It really, truly is!
But instead, I thought of certain tattooed arms and a smiling face. I guess it hurt worse when expectations were involved.
“Well,” a soft voice interrupted. “As your older, wiser sister figure, I think you should both apologize. Ceci, you know what you did. And don’t even think about saying anything when Sylvie isstillfinding apple chunks lodged in places they should not be. And, Alta… All I can say is, she’s your sister. It’s hard sometimes with siblings but it’s even harder without them. So when you’re ready, approach her. It’ll probably be better than you think.”
I hummed half-heartedly. I guess she was right. I knew I needed to talk to Melissa. I hated leaving things badly between us, even though we had a tendency to fight often for one reason or another. But I think I needed to solve the root of the problem first.
Looking up, I took in the beautiful girl across from me. Her brown skin looked to be glowing under the flush of activity, her hairplaited back in a long curling braid she wore pretty much religiously and her toned limbs were packaged in only the best, courtesy of my totally swept up in love brother who couldn’t stop getting her gifts.
After two plus years in the family, she was starting to be like another sister, and I wouldn’t be shy to ask my real sisters for something…most of the time.
So, with a small readying breath for confidence, I asked. “Is Ox really busy with work lately?”
“Um…” Clementine hesitated, her chin tilting up as she thought about it. “We don’t talk about work much, but… Let’s see, he has the Sharper acquisition he’s been working on for years finally coming to a close. He’s got Q1 planning and Q4 implementation something or other…” she winced, obviously not confident in her delivery. I just nodded, understanding what she was trying to say just fine. Brightening up she added, “Oh, and he’s got Ceci’s event he’s helping with! Everything else has been business as usual.”
“Ah,” I said, biting my lip. If everything else was business as usual, why hadn’t I had time to speak with him recently? Instead, being thrown to the wolf that was Grace Ulburn.
“Why?” Clem asked, the two girls looking at me expectantly.
It was no use. I was as transparent as a piece of tape. I might as well just tell them. They both knew about my client work anyway, finally letting them in on the bigwhywouldn’t kill me. Especially since I’d already failed at it once.
“You should try him again,” Clementine said after I disclosed the details of my situation to them, immediately taking offense on my behalf.Yep, she was a real sister alright. “And you shouldn’t leave out what an asshole that Grace was to you either. I know he won’t stand for it.”
“No!” I said immediately. “I won’t be a tattletale. No way. Do you know how embarrassing it will be if I’m the girl who runs to her brother when she has a problem?”
“Melissa does it,” Ceci pointed out.
“That’s because Melissa only ever has important problems,” I said.
“Yours is important too, Alta,” Clem tried.
I shook my head. “I’m a secretary with a last name, Clementine. She’s the CFO. There’s a big difference. Huge, really.”
“Al…” Ceci trailed off. I could feel her eyes trained on me, but I refused to meet the pitying glance. That’s not why I divulged to them. I’d just needed to let some of this mounting frustration off my chest. Ceci sprang up. “I think you should try him again too. You’re good at being persistent and Ox is surprisingly good at listening, even when you’re not talking.”
I looked at her. That was uncharacteristically sweet of her. I wondered if they were bonding after spending so much time together working on her festival. She was actually pretty cute when she was being sweet. Her sparky eyes bright and her lips pulled up in a soft tilt.
It didn’t last long as she added. “But I agree. That Grace is a grade-Abitch. You should put her in her place.”
Clementine nodded vehemently and the two locked eyes as if they were communicating something silent and evil between them. I sprang up to my knees. “No, no, no, no,no! Neither of you can say or do anything about Grace. You hear me?”
No one spoke.
