Page 32 of Hot to Trot

Rayne dropped her arm. "Okay, I was angry. Dealing with you is like dealing with Henry. You don't think. You act-"

"But I'm not your child. I'm your very grown-up sister. Your family." Scarlet stepped into the parlor, where Aunt Frances sat, looking a bit shamefaced as she pretended to read a daily devotional book. "Thanks, Aunt Fran."

Aunt Frances looked up. '"Maybe you needed to think about what you did. Rayne is right. You have to start thinking about other people and how your actions affect them. Your sister has a lot riding on this show. The whole town does, and the audience who will tune into her lifestyle show is not the same audience who will overlook over-the-top antics."

Scarlet felt anger bubble inside her. "So it's the inn and the TV show you're worried about? Not me. Or the injustice that occurred yesterday. Just your reputation."

"Of course not. We care about you, but you have to reap the consequences of your actions. Besides, you were safe. Likely safer than if you'd come back here. We've had reporters camped out on the curb all night long."

Rayne appeared at her elbow. "We shouldn't have left you there. I shouldn't have let my anger get the best of me, but Aunt Frances is right. You were safe with Adam."

"You left me in jail! There is no excuse for that. Make up whatever you want, but that's the bottom line. I wouldn't have done that to you-" Scarlet pointed her finger at Aunt Frances before swinging it toward her sister "-or you."

Withthat, she turned and ran up the stairs, feeling a little childish but absolutely justified. Her sister and aunt were wrong. What she had done had not been that bad. She'd handcuffed herself to prove a point for a noble cause, not embarrass her family, not get attention. No, she hadn't thought things through, but that didn't make her a bad person. It didn't make her someone who should have spent a single night in a jail. No matter how clean it was. Or safe she was.

She flew into the pristine guest room that had once been her uncle Travis's trophy room for wild game. Once, it had been painted deep green with mounted deer head and boar snouts covering the walls. Now it was soft blue with antique china plates hanging by satin ribbons. The coverlet was chenille, draped with a soft woven throw. The pillows were fluffy, the curtains lace, and Scarlet Rose didn't belong here any more than the baby gazelle once had.

She pulled her suitcase from the closet. She was not staying. There was a cheap motel on the outskirts of town. She'd sleep there, even if there were bedbugs the size of Dallas. Then she'd show up for court, pay her lousy fine, and get the hell out of Oak Stand.

"Scarlet," Rayne pleaded from the open doorway. "Don't go.”

"Why the hell would I stay?"

Rayne entered the room. "I was wrong."

Scarlet wiped tears from her eyes. She reached for the gold slipper, which wasn't there. Somehow her missing necklace made everything worse. "Not good enough."

"Please, Scarlet, everyone makes mistakes."

She wadded a T-shirt into a ball and tossed it haphazardly onto the growing pile of clothing. "Yes, we all do."

"Don't leave. Please. I'll make you a grilled cheese sandwich."

Scarlet sat on the bed and wiped the dampness from her cheeks. The last time she'd cried real tears had been the afternoon John had told her they were through. She didn't cry real tears easily, though she was pretty decent at the actor kind. "I don't want a grilled cheese. I want a sister who doesn’t punish me like a child even when I screw up.”

Rayne sank beside her. “You deserve that. I’m so sorry. I got angry and sometimes when you’re a mother you forget it’s not your job to be the mother to everyone. I was very wrong.”

Scarlet didn't respond. She was too tired and didn't want to sleep on a lumpy hotel bed anyway. Especially if there were bedbugs. She sank down by her suitcase and hung her head. “You left me in jail."

Rayne pushed Scarlet’s hair behind her ear. “I’m a sucky sister."

"Not always," Scarlet said.

Rayne bit her lip and looked as though she, too, might cry. “Please don't go. Okay?"

“Fine. I’ll stay. I'm a big girl and I get it. We both allowed our passion to overcome logic."

Rayne opened her mouth, then clamped it shut. Instead she unfurled her arms. Scarlet curled into them and let her sister take away some of the pain. It felt good to have her sister stroke her hair, love her a little.

Finally after a few minutes of silence, Rayne murmured. “Sorry, Sum.”

Scarlet unfurled and straightened. “I accept your apology.”

Rayne gave her a small smile. “Thank you. So what’s next? Do you have to pay a fine or something?"

"I'll have to see what the judge says tomorrow. Adam said they do arraignments on Mondays. The last time I got arrested for a protest, it was a misdemeanor and I paid a fine. I figure it's the same here. After the arraignment, I'll head back to New York. Maybe the coverage of the protest will be enough to pressure the library board into changing their stance about the book."

Rayne took her hand. "Sure you won't stick around longer? Even though I'm filming the show, it would be good to have you here."

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