Wayward Dreams by Gail McFarland

her.
    Swiping her hands across her face, trying to stem the tears, Bianca had a moment of panic. Now she would have to admit that she was wrong, that her way didn’t work, that she needed her help. And hope Julia was a bigger and better woman than she had ever been.
    What if she pities me? Or shakes her finger in my face and says, ‘I told you so’? What if she treats me like a charity case? Her shoulders drooped and the tears dried. If she offers to help me, I’ll take it, whatever the cost—and I’ll be grateful for it. I need her.
    Dressing, rehearsing, Bianca hoped she could sound natural when she picked up her phone and scrolled through the phone book. Stopping at Julia’s name, she chose the office number and hit SEND.
    â€œGood morning, thank you for calling Coltrane Realty. How may I direct your call?”
    The voice was feminine, cool, and genteelly Southern, and it made Bianca’s flesh crawl. She fought the urge to hang up, but took a deep breath instead and said, “Good morning. May I speak with Julia Coltrane, please?”
    â€œMay I ask who is calling?”
    Knowing that the woman was only doing her job didn’t make Bianca feel any better. “This is Bianca Coltrane, her sister.”
    â€œHer sister ?”
    â€œYes.” Now let me speak to my sister.
    â€œPlease hold.”
    Bianca imagined the woman running through the office and shouting the news to the other staffers: Julia’s got a sister! Her stomach curled when she imagined Julia hearing her name and refusing the call. If she did…
    Julia stared at the phone on her desk and tried to rise above her mixed feelings. Part of her, the hurt little girl part, wanted to run to a corner of her office and bury her face. Another part, the stiffly grown-up woman who handled her own successful business on a daily basis, stared at the phone for another second and finally lifted the receiver. “Hello, Bianca.”
    â€œHello, Julia. How are you?”
    â€œI’m well, and you?”
    â€œFine.”
    Hearing her sister’s voice was strange for both women. She sounds like Mom , they thought at the same time.
    â€œI called because…” Embarrassed, Bianca stalled. “I don’t know if you’ve seen the news lately, but I—I need your help. I need somewhere to stay.”
    Damned if this wasn’t a bolt from the blue!
    â€œI see.” Julia’s eyes went to her watch. It was nearly nine o’clock in the morning, and, if memory served, her sister was hardly a morning person. Cupping the phone in both hands, Julia held it close to her mouth, hoping her tone wouldn’t betray her surprise. “What’s going on, Bianca?”
    â€œI’d rather not talk about it over the phone. Can we meet?”
    Wondering why her sister had decided to call her, Julia decided to satisfy her curiosity. “If you’d like to come in at ten-thirty, I can see you then.”
    â€œI’ll be there.”
    Julia parked her elbow on her desk and stared at the phone, thinking back to a time when she’d adored her sister, would have cut off her right foot for her. Then she’d come to learn that Bianca would have probably taken the foot and hopped away with it. She reached for the phone and tapped in her assistant’s code.
    â€œAkusai wa hyaku-nen no fusaku,” she murmured to herself, knowing the truth in the Japanese proverb: Don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. Knowing her sister for who she was didn’t mean she wouldn’t help her, but…
    â€œBianca Coltrane has a ten-thirty appointment. When she arrives, please have her complete a tenant’s application and run a credit check.” There was no point in going into this without all available information.
    Twenty minutes later, Bianca had completed the requested paperwork and the credit information had returned. Julia was almost sorry she’d asked for it. She