Page 31 of Hotwife

“Yep. Been trying to tell you for weeks now-”

“I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone? For god’s sake I didn’t even know you were interested in women!”

She giggled between sips of her latte. “Neither did I, honestly.”

How was she so calm? I’d never seen my sister so at ease. Anxiety plagued her so constantly, it had embedded itself into her personality. Witnessing her leaning back, casually noticing the rain out my kitchen window, smiling wistfully, was sweet but unnerving.

“Odie, I mean- wow.” Jumping from my chair, I hugged her tight. “If you’re happy I’m happy. I’m just so sad I wasn’t there to be a part of it.”

Returning my tight embrace she nuzzled my messy hair. “It’s okay, Dolly. It happened so fast. I’m really very happy. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

“What did Mom and Dad say?”

She gave an awkward laugh, sitting her mug down. “Well, uh, that’s the thing…”

“I mean, you may have usurped me as the heathen daughter. You really didn’t have to try so hard by marrying a woman. I mean, a tattoo would have sufficed.”

“They caught us… together… on the roof. Dad had an absolute fit and kicked me out. Mom ran crying and locked herself in her room. She didn’t even come out to say goodbye.”

“Jesus, Odie… Wait, the roof?”

She shrugged. “You’re not the only one with secret sexcapades. Wasn’t yours and Cedric’s spot the shed?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, whatever. So you’re what, living with her now?”

“Ah… technically we’re living at Seattle Suites Hotel at the moment…”

“Odette!” I screeched. “I don’t check in constantly for a month and you off and get married, have roof sex, and move to a hotel across the country?”

“Not too different from what you did,” she muttered and a shot of guilt panged my ribcage.

Cedric’s words from the night before played through my mind. “I abandoned you.”

“I’m sorry, Odette. I shouldn’t have bailed on you like that.”

My sister’s hand reached across the table and found mine. “I wanted you to, and I understood. I just miss you.” She took a deep inhale. “But we’re close now. No more Georgia. So, any good fried chicken in Washington State? The gas station clerk looked at me like I had four heads when I asked if they had sweet tea.”

My mind was clattering with way too much to process. “Odie, are you sure about all this? Leaving home isn’t as easy as it looks. I’ve- well, Cedric and I both, have had a pretty hard time adjusting. It’s a lot on a new relationship.” I trailed off, forking at my pancakes. “We didn’t get everything right, that’s for sure.”

“Is that why you opened your marriage up?” she asked, her pale green eyes searching mine. Something about her looked older, and it was strange. In my heart, she’d always be sixteen.

“Yeah, I guess so. And the court stuff Cedric went through… I think it was all too much for him and he just couldn’t show up for me in that way. Maybe I should have stuck it out with him, I don’t know. But now it just feels too late.”

“Too late for what? You can always stop and re-commit to him, right?”

“That’s what he wants. And it’s what I’ve wanted, too.”

My sister raised an eyebrow. “Wanted? As in past tense?”

I groaned. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“It’s the motorcycle guy, isn’t it?”

“So, what’s sex with a woman like? I’ve always wanted to try it-”

Our laughter echoed through the house.

“Oh my God, Dolly! You’re so inappropriate!”

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