spoon, and headed to the table for some cereal and milk. My sister, Jessie, watched me from the kitchen counter. I felt her eyes on me the entire time. She grabbed a cup of coffee for me and settled it next to hers on the table, and then plopped down next to me like a carefree teenaged girl. Jack ate his oatmeal and played with his trucks on the other side of me, making a point to show me every truck that was in front of him.
“What happened?” Jessie’s voice pulled me from my fog. Little Jasmine smiled at me and then blew me a kiss.
“She left , just like she said she would. I am just surprised.” I faced her straight-on, locking our matching green eyes. “She told me she loved me two days ago, and now she’s gone.”
My sister’s compassion for me gradually marred every feature of her face, and a tear escaped. “Did you tell her how you felt and what you wanted?” she said, distracting herself with stirring her coffee. Her focus fell, and I listened to the clanking sound of the spoon inside the ceramic mug before she delicately picked it up, blew on it, and took a sip.
I broke my hypnotic state and answered , “No, I couldn’t.” My wrist tilted, holding the big, blue box, and the frosted cornflakes fell into my bowl. “I thought it was too soon; I was pacing myself. I wanted her to feel how much I loved her before I said it. Jenny came over that same night after she told me, and I felt guilty. I also skipped this important information about me knowing her. I thought it would spook her and she’d run.”
My sister put her cup down and leaned into me like we were sharing a secret. “What information?” she whispered, and it made me laugh. The only two people around us were Jack and Jasmine, who were under the age of four.
“Katarina’s grandfather was there the night Jacy died . He was actually in the other vehicle.” I took a sip of my coffee, and my headache hit me hard. “Hey, Jessie, do you have an aspirin?” Or six . She looked annoyed, but got up and retrieved the bottle for me. I tossed back a couple and chased them with hot coffee; it burned like hell, but it was a different ache to focus on. She waited patiently, so I told her the story of the car accident and Katarina’s grandfather. It was the first time I had told anyone. I ended with when I met her at the coffeehouse. She was silent for too long. I knew how she thought, and she was trying to think of a way to get me out of this mess. You know the saying, ‘you’ve dug your grave’? Well, Jessie was always finding loopholes, saving me from myself. If you asked me, she’s the real lawyer in the family. She could convince anyone of my innocence…even me.
“Does she know any of it?”
Her question surprised me a little. “I think she thought something was going on between Jenny and me, and Jacy’s brother, William, mentioned I had a vendetta against her grandfather. So, I am guessing she knows.”
Her eyes brightened . “So then, you find her and tell her there’s no silly vendetta. Right now, she just thinks you’re not sure if you love her and you may have a thing for Jenny. All you have to do is come straight out with it.” I stared at my coffee as she spoke, soaking in every word. Then, I set my cup down and met her glare.
“I may have done one more thing …something she might be really pissed off about.” I watched as more confusion hit her perfect features. “I took the safe out of safe sex. I know it was foolish, but I was caught up in the moment. She had already told me no babies, but I…” I paused—or stalled, depending on how you looked at it—and took a long drink of my coffee, wishing it was something stronger. Her eyes called me every bad name in the book. I clarified, “She’s not, but I thought for sure I nailed it.” I smiled at my choice of words and glanced at her.
She got up from her seat next to me , stormed out of the room, and yelled, “ You dumbass! ”
I traveled to work after
“What happened?” Jessie’s voice pulled me from my fog. Little Jasmine smiled at me and then blew me a kiss.
“She left , just like she said she would. I am just surprised.” I faced her straight-on, locking our matching green eyes. “She told me she loved me two days ago, and now she’s gone.”
My sister’s compassion for me gradually marred every feature of her face, and a tear escaped. “Did you tell her how you felt and what you wanted?” she said, distracting herself with stirring her coffee. Her focus fell, and I listened to the clanking sound of the spoon inside the ceramic mug before she delicately picked it up, blew on it, and took a sip.
I broke my hypnotic state and answered , “No, I couldn’t.” My wrist tilted, holding the big, blue box, and the frosted cornflakes fell into my bowl. “I thought it was too soon; I was pacing myself. I wanted her to feel how much I loved her before I said it. Jenny came over that same night after she told me, and I felt guilty. I also skipped this important information about me knowing her. I thought it would spook her and she’d run.”
My sister put her cup down and leaned into me like we were sharing a secret. “What information?” she whispered, and it made me laugh. The only two people around us were Jack and Jasmine, who were under the age of four.
“Katarina’s grandfather was there the night Jacy died . He was actually in the other vehicle.” I took a sip of my coffee, and my headache hit me hard. “Hey, Jessie, do you have an aspirin?” Or six . She looked annoyed, but got up and retrieved the bottle for me. I tossed back a couple and chased them with hot coffee; it burned like hell, but it was a different ache to focus on. She waited patiently, so I told her the story of the car accident and Katarina’s grandfather. It was the first time I had told anyone. I ended with when I met her at the coffeehouse. She was silent for too long. I knew how she thought, and she was trying to think of a way to get me out of this mess. You know the saying, ‘you’ve dug your grave’? Well, Jessie was always finding loopholes, saving me from myself. If you asked me, she’s the real lawyer in the family. She could convince anyone of my innocence…even me.
“Does she know any of it?”
Her question surprised me a little. “I think she thought something was going on between Jenny and me, and Jacy’s brother, William, mentioned I had a vendetta against her grandfather. So, I am guessing she knows.”
Her eyes brightened . “So then, you find her and tell her there’s no silly vendetta. Right now, she just thinks you’re not sure if you love her and you may have a thing for Jenny. All you have to do is come straight out with it.” I stared at my coffee as she spoke, soaking in every word. Then, I set my cup down and met her glare.
“I may have done one more thing …something she might be really pissed off about.” I watched as more confusion hit her perfect features. “I took the safe out of safe sex. I know it was foolish, but I was caught up in the moment. She had already told me no babies, but I…” I paused—or stalled, depending on how you looked at it—and took a long drink of my coffee, wishing it was something stronger. Her eyes called me every bad name in the book. I clarified, “She’s not, but I thought for sure I nailed it.” I smiled at my choice of words and glanced at her.
She got up from her seat next to me , stormed out of the room, and yelled, “ You dumbass! ”
I traveled to work after
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