‘When?’ asked Violetta, horrified.
‘When I was in Spain. When I was fourteen. He raped me, he got me drunk and raped me. He’s my brother. I had sex with my own brother.’ She looked at Violetta with an intensity that she had never seen before in any person.
Violetta took a deep breath. Keep it together, she reminded herself, and kissed Grace on the forehead. ‘We will work it out. We can work anything out. I haven’t met a problem yet that I can’t find an answer to,’ she said.
Grace smiled at her. ‘You were always the strong one, Mommy used to say.’ She closed her eyes.
Walking back into the lounge room, Violetta saw Carlotta and Jeff sitting on the sofa, having cleared a spot from the debris that Grace had created.
‘She OK?’ asked Carlotta.
Violetta sunk into the chair. ‘I guess, under the circumstances.’ She thought about Grace and what she had said. She didn’t know if she should tell Carlotta or not, knowing how Carlotta would respond, she decided to wait until Grace was sober and then talk to her.
‘Does she drink like that often?’ Jeff asked.
Violetta looked at him and decided to tell him a little of the truth. ‘My sister is an alcoholic. She has drunk on and off since she was about fifteen. She attends therapy and can usually control it, but sometimes things set her off.’
Carlotta’s phone rang, ‘I have to take this,’ she said and walked into the next room.
Jeff started to pick up shards of glass from the rug. Violetta helped him. ‘What did you say to her? To bring her down?’
Jeff shrugged. ‘I just said there wasn’t a problem in the world that didn’t have a solution and whatever happened we could all work it out.’
Violetta laughed. ‘That’s what I said!’ she exclaimed.
‘Do you believe it?’ asked Jeff, as he took the rubbish bag that Violetta handed him.
‘I didn’t used to, but I am beginning to. You don’t have to stay and do this. I am so grateful you could come and help. I didn’t want to call an ambulance and run the risk of more drama.’
‘It’s fine. I’m not in today,’ said Jeff.
‘Oh shit, did I call you on your day off?’ asked Violetta, as she moved about the kitchen, binning the broken items.
‘All good, wasn’t doing anything,’ he said easily.
When he saw Violetta’s number come up on his phone he answered it instantly. While they may not have been able to be together he would have done anything for her, and he hoped this showed her his feelings.
Carlotta walked into the room. ‘I have to go and meet Spencer. Do these stupid tests.’
‘OK, I’ll let you know how she is,’ said Violetta, holding a dustpan and brush.
Carlotta walked over to Jeff and kissed him on the cheek. ‘You are a lifesaver, Dr Carson.’
Jeff blushed, which Violetta found endearing.
‘Anytime,’ he said.
As Violetta walked Carlotta out to the elevator, Carlotta turned to her sister.
‘He likes you.’
‘Well, it’s not that easy.’
‘Nothing’s impossible,’ said Carlotta, repeating Chris’s words to her as she disappeared behind the elevator doors.
Within an hour Jeff and Violetta had cleaned up the apartment. Grace was sleeping so soundly that not even the sound of the vacuum woke her. Violetta and Jeff stood surveying their work.
‘We did good work, doctor.’
