“Don’t do that.”
“If I can joke about it, you should be able to as well.”
Nicole managed a smile. “Who are you and what have you done with my twin?” She decided to take her sister at her word and not sidestep the issues she was working so hard to overcome. “You sound great. You’re focused on things around you, me included. And you haven’t once talked about yourself. So now I’m giving you permission. Tell me how things are really going.”
Her sister’s sigh gave away more than her perky voice had. “It’s lonely here. But let’s face it, I’m not in this place to make friends, and I don’t want to. So I’m focused on getting better.”
“That’s a good thing. And I told you I’d come visit.” The institution was two hours away, but Nicole was more than willing to make the drive.
“No! I don’t want you to see me here.” Vicky’s voice rose in panic.
“Whatever you want,” Nicole quickly assured her.
It would have to be enough that they were talking weekly on the phone. Early on, Victoria wasn’t willing to even do that. Their more recent phone calls were proof that the medication-and-therapy combination were working.
“I have to get going,” Vicky said, before Nicole could ask if she’d been in contact with their parents.
Nicole already guessed the answer was no. In their eyes, Victoria was now a public embarrassment, so her parents would ignore her completely. At least they were paying for her lawyer and other expenses, hoping their daughter’s recovery would help their public perception, which was all they cared about.
“You make sure to fix things with the hot cop,” Vicky said. “I’ll talk to you next week.”
“Looking forward to it already,” Nicole said.
“Bye.”
“Love you.”
Vicky paused, then whispered “Good-bye” before disconnecting the call. She still found it hard to reach out, or to say things like I love you or I miss you, but today’s phone call had been the best so far.
With little things changing, Nicole felt the return of the bond she and her sister had shared when they were young. It also felt like a missing piece of herself was being returned to her—filled up slowly, like sand in an hourglass. And Nicole was grateful for each minuscule bit she received. She was also afraid to trust that it would last, having seen Victoria regress more times than she wanted to recall. Still, she reminded herself she’d never seen her at the low point she’d been at after her arrest, nor had she ever watched her try so intently for recovery.
Hope, Nicole thought, was a scary, elusive thing—no matter what kind of relationship was involved. For someone who’d been consistently rejected and ignored by her parents, the very people she should trust to be there for her, the fear of being hurt or rejected—by Sam especially—remained.
Pushing off those thoughts, she refocused on her most pressing problem: Her ex-fiancé.
Sam had the day off, so he agreed to meet Cara at The Family Restaurant for breakfast. He was in a pissed-off mood and his sister-in-law noticed immediately.
“Well? Are you going to answer me? What, or should I say who, has you in such a foul mood?”
Sam shoveled a mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth, ignoring Cara’s question for the second time.
“You’re not getting laid? Is that it?”
“God damn, you’re persistent. Would you talk about something else besides me?”
“Nope. You’re so much fun to annoy.” She pushed her uneaten breakfast away. “But the real reason is I hate to see you so worked up, so talk to me.”
“It’s Nicole,” Macy said, coming up from behind them and squeezing into the booth alongside Cara.
“Eavesdropping? Seriously, have you no shame?” Sam asked.
But knowing she’d met the ex last night, Sam was glad to have her here. Not that he’d give her the satisfaction of admitting as much.
Macy met Cara’s amused gaze. “No, none.” She glanced from Cara’s plate in the center of the table to Cara herself. “What’s wrong with the food?” she asked.
“Nothing. I’m just not hungry,” Cara said.
Macy frowned. “Can I get you something else?”