Between Sisters

Claire felt like a fool. “It does. ”

“Then I’ll win her over. Maybe I’ll write a song for her. ”

“It better go platinum. Meg doesn’t like second best. She should be here by early evening tomorrow. ”

“Should I go down to the army surplus and check out some Kevlar?”

“At the very least. ”

Bobby’s smile faded after a moment. “She won’t be able to change your mind about me, will she?”

She was moved by his vulnerability. “She’s never been able to change my mind about anything. It’s what makes her foam at the mouth. ”

“As long as you love me, I can take anything. ”

“Well, Bobby Austin,” she put her arms around him and leaned over for a kiss. Just before their lips touched, she whispered, “Then you can take anything. Even my sister. ”

ELEVEN

CLAIRE STOOD AT THE KITCHEN SINK, WASHING THE breakfast dishes. It was a gray, not-quite-rainy day, the kind where the sky was so low it seemed to bump you in the forehead when you dared to venture outside. Perfect weather for a visit with Meghann.

The thought made her head pound. She dried her hands and reached for the bottle of Excedrin on the windowsill.

“Mary Kay Acheson gets to have Cap’n Crunch for breakfast. ”

It was a common early-morning argument. “She’ll probably have false teeth in time for eighth grade. You don’t want to have to take your teeth out at bedtime, do you?”

Ali banged her feet rhythmically on the rungs at the base of her chair. “Willie has all his teeth and he’s gonna be in ninth grade. He’s practically a grown-up. ”

“That’s because Karen feeds him Raisin Bran for breakfast. If he ate Cap’n Crunch, it’d be a different story. ”

Ali frowned, thinking about that.

Claire washed down the aspirin.

“Do you have a headache again, Mommy?”

“Aunt Meg’s coming over tonight. She wants to meet Bobby. ”

Ali’s frown deepened. Obviously, she was trying to understand the connection between Mom’s headache and Aunt Meg’s visit. “I thought she was too busy to breathe. ”

Claire went to the table and sat down beside her daughter. “You know why Meghann wants to meet Bobby?”

Alison rolled her eyes. “Duh, Mommy. ”

“Duh?” Claire bit back a smile. At some point, she’d have to address the issue of respectful responses, but she’d better wait until she could do it without cracking up. She held out her hand instead. “You know what this ring means?”

“It’s not a ring. It’s foil. ”

“This kind of ring is a symbol. The ring isn’t what matters. The words that come with it are what matters. And Bobby asked me to marry him. ”

“I know that, Mommy. C’n I have some cheddar Goldfish?”

“Let’s eat in a second. I want to talk to you about this. No one is more important to me than you. No one. I’ll always love you, even if I’m married. ”

“Jeez, Mommy. I know that. Now c’n I have—”

“Forget the Goldfish. ” No wonder It’s like talking to a five year old was a common expression of frustration. “Do you mind if I marry Bobby?”