The Surprise (Single in Seattle 0.50)

“I’m sorry he was in an accident,” she replies and sips her tea.

Maddie will likely head to bed in a couple of hours, but my day is just getting started. Even on nights when I don’t go into work, I stay up because I don’t want to have to readjust my internal clock for three nights off.

“He’ll be okay,” I reply.

“I can see that it messed you up some.” My sister narrows her eyes at me.

“Damn twin senses,” I mutter and then shrug. “I was surprised to see him, and then I was mad at him, and then I felt bad for him and helped him. It was a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions. You know, until the day we broke up, we never fought. Not really. We argued sometimes, sure, but we didn’t have a fiery, tumultuous relationship.”

“Maybe it would have been easier when it was over if you had,” she suggests.

“Probably. Today, I was so mad at him. I would have been angry even if I hadn’t heard him on the radio, but that made me even madder. And he just smiled and told me I’m beautiful when I’m pissed off.”

“He’s right.” She smiles with satisfaction. “And I can say that because we look alike.”

“We had some of the best sex of our relationship after we argued,” I admit.

“You had sex with the patient today?” Maddie demands. “You should have led with that, Jose.”

“No.” I laugh. “I meant before. He did kiss me today, though. All soft and sweet and romantic. The big jerk.”

“Yeah, what a horrible man he is to softly and romantically kiss you.”

I raise a brow at her sarcasm. “Ha. Ha.”

“Listen, we all know that he’s your soul mate. Or one of them, anyway—if you believe in that sort of thing. And, yes, he did break your heart. If he tries to do it again, I’ll sic Dad and the uncles and cousins on him.”

“So, you’ll murder him?”

“Absolutely. But maybe he just wanted to try to make amends with you. Maybe his apology was sincere.”

“I think it was.” I sigh and drink my coffee. “Who knows, Mad? I might not even hear from him again once he comes to his senses. And that’s okay.”

In no universe is that okay with me. But it is what it is.

Now it’s my sister’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “Right. Uh-huh. Sure. Well, I’m going up to read for a while before I go to sleep. Come hang out if you need me. And don’t forget, we have cousins’ night at the Alki house tomorrow.”

“I haven’t forgotten. Goodnight.”

Every month, we get together with all our cousins old enough to drink for a fun night of games and chatting to spend time together.

Our family is tight, and as we grew older, we found we spent less time together. So, we all make sure to make it to the cousins’ nights.

I’ve just settled on the couch with coffee number two and my computer to pay some bills and be an adult for an hour when my phone signals an incoming text.

Brax: You left. Again.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter as I sigh and lean my head against the couch.

Me: I had to sleep, you know. How are you feeling?

The little dots dance on the screen as he types, and I sign into our mortgage company website so I can pay that bill. I’ve just hit Pay Now when his response comes through.

Brax: Like I was in an accident. Sore. I didn’t dream you, did I?

Okay, that makes me grin.

Me: No. You didn’t dream me.

I pay the cable and water bills as the three dots bounce on my screen.

Brax: Good. That would have been embarrassing. I’ve been taking the meds, and I ate the soup. Thx for that. Hit the spot.

Me: You’re welcome. You should go back to sleep.

I finish paying the rest of the bills and send Maddie an email with the amount of her half for the month, as usual. I do this part, and she runs the errands: goes to the grocery store and does the things that I can’t do because I work at night and sleep all day. It works out well for us.

If we end up as old spinster sisters who live together forever, I don’t think either of us would be heartbroken.

Just as I set the computer aside, another text from Brax comes through.

Brax: I’m wide-awake now. Come over, and we’ll watch a movie or something. We can talk.

Damn it, I’m too tempted.

Me: Do you think we can have a calm discussion?

His message comes faster than before.

Brax: Hell, yes. It hurts if I’m not calm.

Me: You really should go back to sleep.

Brax: You really should get your fine ass over here.

That makes me laugh.

Me: There in 30.

I hurry upstairs and knock on Maddie’s door.