Best Man for the Bridesmaid

* * *

What was up now?

Jules followed Lizzie to one of the hotel’s terraces with a marble statue and a beautiful view of the city. With no other people around, they could talk openly for the first time since she’d arrived in Italy. But what did her sister want to talk about privately?

“Lizzie, what’s going on?”

Her sister moved to the stone rail and stared out at the lights of Rome. They twinkled like rare jewels. But there was something more pressing on Jules’s mind—Lizzie. The longer her sister remained quiet, the more worried Jules became.

At last, Lizzie turned to her. “I just want you to know that nothing between us is going to change—”

“What? Of course they’re going to change. They have to.” Jules took a deep breath. It was time for a healthy dose of reality. “It’s time we both make lives of our own. Yours is here in Italy. Mine...well, I’m not sure where mine will be—”

“Yes, you do. Your future is in New York, getting your master’s degree. Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?” Without waiting for a response, Lizzie continued, “I’ve been telling everyone who would listen what a smart sister I have. I even mentioned it on an upcoming television segment.”

“You didn’t?” Jules’s stomach sank. Now the whole world would know when she dropped out. They’d all realize she was a failure.

Lizzie smiled and nodded. “I want everyone to know how proud I am of you.”

Jules knew she should tell Lizzie the truth right now, but as she looked into her sister’s eyes, her courage failed her. She just couldn’t formulate the words to tell Lizzie that she was never going to live up to those dreams. Everything was different now. She wasn’t the same girl with thoughts of changing the world.

“Don’t look so sad.” Lizzie squeezed her hand. “We’ll stay in close contact. We can get an international phone plan.” She smiled as though she’d just discovered the solution to world peace. “And we can text, email, chat on social media. It’ll be just like nothing changed.”

Jules pressed her lips firmly together as she sent her sister an I-don’t-believe-you look. Change was the only way either of them was going to be able to truly be happy. It was scary; that was for sure. But big changes always were unsettling. Right at this moment, Jules had to be the strong one.

“The truth is—” Lizzie’s eyes glistened with unshed tears “—I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Are you getting cold feet?” Whatever the problem was, they’d deal with it together, just like they’d been doing most of their lives.

Lizzie shook her head. “I love Dante. I love him more than I ever thought was possible.”

“Then what is it?”

“It...it’s you and me.” Lizzie sniffled. “It’s always been us against the world, and now I’m destroying that. I feel like I’m abandoning you.”

Jules gave her what she hoped was a reassuring hug and then pulled back. “Our family isn’t breaking up. It’s expanding. I’m excited to be gaining a brother. You know I’ve never had one of those, and I think it’s about time I did.”

Lizzie sniffled again. “You’re really happy about this? You aren’t just saying that to make me feel better?”

Jules’s finger crossed over her heart. “I swear.”

Lizzie dried her eyes and smiled. “Thanks. Now what’s this about you taking in a kitten?”

Stefano had mentioned it at dinner, and she’d known by the look on Lizzie’s face that it had piqued her curiosity. “Apricot is adorable.” Except when she tried to steal her pillow at night. “I can’t wait for you to meet her. You’re going to love her.”

Lizzie’s forehead wrinkled. “I didn’t even know you wanted a cat.”

The truth was she’d always loved cats, but with getting bounced around from home to home pets were out of the question—unless they were the plush stuffed ones. She was certain she’d mentioned wanting a cat in the past, but she hadn’t gone on and on about something that couldn’t be. What would be the point?

Jules shrugged. “I guess I’m full of surprises.”

“I guess we both are. Who’d have ever dreamed I’d be getting married and moving to Rome?” Lizzie sent her a hesitant look. “Are you sure about this? I mean, I could put the wedding off. You know...until you finish grad school.”

And the truth was that Lizzie would do that if Jules asked her to make the sacrifice. She just hated how insistent Lizzie was on her going to grad school. Maybe now was the time to tell her that she’d changed her mind. That she wasn’t up for any more school at this point in her life, and that after doing an internship at the social services office, she knew that she wasn’t cut out to be a social worker. She just couldn’t stuff her feelings in a box and do what was expected of her.