Their Festive Island Escape

A sensation of warmth blossomed in her chest. She and Tara had their differences...what siblings didn’t? But they somehow always knew how to read each other and tried to cheer each other up when it was called for.

“Nothing. And everything,” she admitted.

“Does ‘everything’ include Ma?”

“So, you heard huh?”

“Yeah, she called here right after you told her. She knows it’s the right thing to do. For what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing, too.”

Celeste sat upright on the bed. “You do?”

“Yeah. She’s gotten bad. Doesn’t pay attention to how much she’s spending or what she’s spending it on. She needs someone else to take charge of her finances. It might curb her drinking, too. Which also seems way out of hand lately.”

“I set up an annuity for her,” Celeste explained. “She’ll get a certain amount every month as spending money. But I’ll be the one in charge of her expenditures. And she has to agree to register for an addiction counseling service.”

“I think that’s wise.” Tara hesitated before continuing. “Along those same lines, I’ve also been meaning to thank you. For setting up that trust for the baby. You know I appreciate it, right? And she will, too.”

“I know, Tara.”

This conversation was getting way too heavy. Celeste decided to change the subject. Though the next topic wasn’t such a light one either. “How’s the job search going?” she asked, knowing there couldn’t be much of one.

Tara audibly sobbed into the phone. “Tara? Are you crying?” Not Tara, too! What was it with her family and all the waterworks today?

She heard a sniffle. “Maybe.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I just can’t take it, sis. Those office buildings, sitting in those cubicles. It’s not me. I feel stifled and caged. But office work is the only thing I’m qualified for.”

Oh, dear. Celeste had no idea her sister felt that way. How had she never thought to ask? What kind of big sister did that make her?

None of which had anything to do with you.

Reid’s words echoed in her head. He’d been right. This was about Tara, not about herself. She needed to find a way to separate herself from the needs of her family.

“What do you want to be qualified for?”

Another sniffle. “I don’t know. But remember all those pictures I used to take before that camera Uncle Zed got us finally broke?”

The question invoked a vague memory in her mind. But apparently, the camera had meant a great deal to her sister. “Yes.”

“I really enjoyed taking those pictures.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did. And I was good at it, too. But you know how Ma is. She told me we didn’t have the money to replace the camera. And that it was a stupid waste of time anyway.”

That certainly sounded like their mother. Celeste had been so focused on her own treatment at her mother’s hands, she’d completely missed the negativity that Tara had grown up with.

The answer came to her without question. “Then it’s about time we replaced that camera, Tara.” She told her sister. “And maybe we can find you a class that can show you how to take even better photos.”

Her sister’s gratitude came through loud and clear in her cheer of delight. “That’s always been a dream of mine,” Tara squealed into the phone. Again, Celeste had to wonder why she was first hearing this now.

“Careful,” Celeste warned. “You’ll wake up the baby.”

Tara laughed. “I should probably go check on her. But just one more thing, sis.”

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know why you sound so sad, you’re on vacation in paradise, after all. But you deserve to have your dreams happen, too.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

YOU DESERVE TO have your dreams happen, too.

Tara’s voice still echoed in her mind the following morning. Celeste showered quickly then quickly got dressed and threw on her sandals. She fled out the door before she could change her mind. Step one in pursuing a dream was to have the courage to ask for what you wanted.