The Boss Crush

“Yeah, I remember the job fair.”

She eyes me, tapping the rim of her glass as she tilts her head. “Did you fuck with my portfolio? And be honest with me, I really need to know the truth.”

“Dalia that was so long ago, I—”

“I need to know, Lyle. Please, just tell me.” Her voice pleads, her eyes begging.

I just don’t know what she’s expecting me to say. The answer is no. I’ve never done anything to hurt her. Why would I?

“No, I didn’t.” There’s no joking in my tone or in the look on my face. I want her to know I would never have done that.. “I don’t know how that stuff got in the trash, Dalia, I swear. I really did just find it there.”

Her eyes move rapidly trying to read my face, the bright green globes dark and wary. “You know what I think,” she says, folding her hands on the table, and resting her face on the back of her knuckles. “I think your sister did it. I think she purposely messed with my stuff just to screw me over, and you helped her cover it up.”

“Look, I didn’t cover up anything. And, yes, I know my sister wasn’t the nicest person back in school, and even now, she has some quirks that come off as bitchy, but my sister isn’t a complete asshole. I don’t think she had the opportunity to even do that. I mean, how would she? There were teachers and students everywhere. Don’t you think someone would have seen her?”

“I don’t know.” Her lips thin as she runs the pad of her finger in circles around the rim of her wineglass, her eyes squinting with thought. “I do know that someone messed with me that day, and the only person who had the chance, or the drive, was your sister.”

Holding up a single hand, I smile coyly. “Look, you don’t know my sister like I do. She’s got a hard shell, but she’s really not a bad person. I think she gets a bad rap, and the stories about her have followed her for years. You’d be a little bit standoffish too if everyone blamed you for all the bad shit that happened in their lives.”

“Yeah, maybe. But I also know I’ve never done anything to purposely ruin someone else’s life, and your sister got a kick out of fucking with mine.”

“We were kids back then. Sandy’s not like that anymore, Dalia.” My voice is getting firmer, harsher, and really defensive. She’s not perfect, but she’s my sister, it’s in my nature to protect her no matter what. Even if that means defending her when I know I might be wrong.

But I don’t see her the same as other people do, and maybe that’s because I’m too close to her.

“Lyle, you of all people should know who she truly is. You’re going to tell me you can’t see the ugly inside her? Come on, don’t be naive.”

“I’m not naive, Dalia. Maybe you were just too weak in school to handle her personality. It’s not her fault you couldn’t stand up for yourself. It’s easier to blame the bully than it is to accept any responsibility for it, isn’t it?”

Gritting her teeth, her nostrils flare. “Are you really going to sit there and act like she’s a fucking angel? Are you blaming me for what she did? Are you kidding me?”

“What do you want me to say, Dalia? Do you want me to sit here and rag on my sister? You want me to tell you what you want to hear just to make you feel better?” Holding out my arms, my brows jump to my hairline. “Because I won’t do that. Look, why are we even talking about this? Why are you still thinking about something that happened so many years ago? It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Scoffing, Dalia crumbles her napkin into a ball and throws onto the table. “You know what, forget I asked.” Standing up, she grabs her wineglass, and downs the rest of it.

She starts to turn and walk away, so I call out, “Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving.”

“Dalia, come on, come sit and finish lunch.”

“Yeah, I lost my appetite. Don’t worry about driving me back, I’ll grab a taxi.”

Slouching in my chair, I chug the rest of my drink and watch her leave.

Go after her! The voice in my head screams. I want to listen to it, it sounds like the right thing to do,

but I don’t move. I just sit in my chair, watching her disappear out the front door and onto the sidewalk. She throws her arm up, waves down a cab, and climbs inside.

You’re a fucking idiot, Lyle!

What the hell were you thinking?

Resting my elbows on the table, I rub my face. I feel like a fool.

Deep down I know who my sister is. I know how she treats others. But as her brother, I have the instinct to protect her no matter what.