By now, I felt like I was walking through a minefield. "It is?"
"Yes." Her eyes flashed with new annoyance. "It wasn't a question."
If Gwen were anyone else, including my sister, I'd be snapping back with a vengeance. But this was Gwen, and I had never seen her so agitated.
With growing desperation, I asked, "You know what you need?"
She sighed. "What?"
"Hot chocolate." I summoned up a smile. "Can I make you some?"
When Gwen's only reply was a stony look, I added, "I'll even add whipped cream." I glanced toward the kitchen. "I just mean…because I think we're out of marshmallows."
Gwen got to her feet. "You know what Ireallywant?"
"What?"
"To be left alone." She glowered down at me. "So if you're done with the drama, I'll be heading to bed."
My drama?Suddenly I was standing, too. "Hey,Iwasn't the one outside in my bathrobe." The words had barely left my mouth when I wanted to take them back, especially when I saw the stricken look on Gwen's face.
I winced. "Sorry. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."
"Oh, like you're comparing me to my mom?" Her mouth tightened. "Well that's rich, consideringyou'rethe one who hid his coat."
The accusation stung. "I didn't 'hide' it. I borrowed it. You told him so yourself. You remember, right?"
She didn't look thrilled with the reminder. "Yeah, well maybe I was sticking up for you."
"I know," I said. "And Ireallyappreciate it, but Iama little curious." I snuck another glance at the cats. "What was he doing here? And with his dog, too. Like…have they been spending a lot of time in the house? With the cats, I mean?"
"So what if they were?" she said. "In case you forgot, Aunt Celia said she was fine with guests – even overnight."
"I know, but—"
"But what?" she said. "He would've left just fine ifsomeonehadn't taken his coat."
Yeah, a coat with a condom in its hood.What wasthatabout? I wanted to ask, but from the look on Gwen's face, I didn't quite dare, so all I said was, "Sorry, I didn't know it was his."
"Yeah, well you don't know a lot of things." And with that, she turned and stomped away, heading toward her bedroom.
Silently, I stared after her, wondering what on Earth had just happened. When she disappeared around the corner, I took several steps to follow, but then stopped short when I heard the slamming of her bedroom door.
Desperately, I wanted to help, but the more we'd talked, the more upset I'd made her. Plus, she'd made it perfectly clear that she wanted to be left alone.
If I couldn’t respect her wishes, I didn't deserve to have her as a friend. And wewerefriends even though we were cousins, too.
I stood there for a long time in the quiet living room, clutching Cole's winter coat tighter around my body as my resolve to respect Gwen's wishes warred with my nearly uncontrollable urge to barge into her bedroom with freshly made hot chocolate and words of comfort.
In the end, I split the difference – leaving a covered tray of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies outside Gwen's bedroom door along with a hand-written note telling her that I was sorry for causing her any trouble.
I even added a P.S."You're still my favorite cousin."
Would it help?I had no idea, but I felt better for doing it, if only to be doing something to help Gwen feel better, too.
But then, just a few hours later, my own mood took a serious turn for the worse thanks to something I learned about you-know-who.
Chapter 30
