Page 123 of Finding Our Reality

Ry angles his body so the girls can’t hear him talking above their game of Marco Polo. “Kristie, what are you doing here?”

His tone is harsh, and she takes a step back in shock. Cocking my head, I scold him with my eyes. I try a nicer approach. “Are you okay? Did you need something?”

She reaches out, grabbing both my hands. My spine immediately stiffens and my breath traps inside of my body. I still don’t like people I don’t know touching me. And I don’t really know, Kristie. Not anymore. I didn’t see her for nearly twelve years, and when I did finally come home, I found out she’s a drunk who flashes her tits to the random public. In fact, I’m surprised Phillip didn’t fire her after that stunt. I mean, she is the front-office face for his practice. Not to mention, I think there’s a real possibility that she might have a drug problem.

I can’t have that around Laura or Anna or Ty.

I mean, Ry won’t even let Laura see her biological father for the exact same reason. Well, that and the fact that he’s a felon. A felon who is most likely still doing felonious things, despite his probation.

“I was hoping we could talk for a minute, Ella. Is that okay?”

The look in her eyes is heartbreaking. She looks like a long lost puppy at the pound, just waiting for the right owner to come along and point at her cage—‘I’ll take that one.’

I nod. “Sure.” I wave my hand at the sliding glass door, and she heads inside. I turn to Ry, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

His eyes flare. “Lulu,” he warns.

“It’ll be fine. What are you worried about? That she’ll flash me? That she’ll hit on me? That’s all her destructive behavior consists of.”

“Not funny.”

“Just keep Holt out of the house. You know she’s always had a thing for him.”

Holt’s voice startles me from behind. “You don’t have to worry about that. We all know I don’t mind a woman who’s been around the block, but she’s been to more neighborhoods than a census taker.”

I slap Holt across the chest. “Y’all shut up and wait here.”

I find Kristie waiting inside my bedroom. She’s sitting on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest. I sit down next to her. “Kristie, is something wrong? Are you okay?”

“I can’t imagine what you must think of me.”

I open my mouth to politely lie, but fortunately, she stops me.

“You don’t have to say anything. I know my past behavior at the bar was unacceptable.” She looks around my room, taking in the décor that hasn’t changed since my mother had it professionally decorated all those years ago. “I miss the way things used to be. With me, you, and Carrie. It was so much simpler when we were younger. I loved coming here. I used to wish y’all were my sisters. I would lie awake at night and think about what my life could have been like… you had a mom.”

I shake my head. “Our lives were far from perfect, Kristie. You’re viewing the past through rose-colored glasses. Ournanny, Janine, was more of a mother figure to us than my mom ever was. You know that.”

She sighs. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.”

She fiddles with the fringe on the pillow. “I know what they all say about me, that I’m a slut who goes home with tons of men.”

“Who cares what anyone says about you. You’re a grown woman. You can go home with whomever you want. My only hope is that you’re smart about it.” I bend my head, catching her eye. “But from what I’ve seen, you’re not being smart about it. The times I’ve seen you at the bar, you’ve been drunk. Too drunk to decide if you really wanna hop in bed with someone. Plus, you have your professional reputation to think about. You see a lot of patients at the practice.”

She narrows her eyes. “Crutch sleeps with women all the time. From what I hear, his reputation is nearly as big as his dick. Have you given him this same speech?”

Excuse me? For someone who wanted to talk to me, she’s rolling in here uninvited and being a bitch.

Anger vibrates so deep in my body that it rattles my teeth. “I am well aware of his reputation, thank you. And that is something we’ll work through together. Our relationship is far more complicated than you know. If you want to have some tit-for-tat comparison of the indiscretions you and he have both experienced over the past decade, you need to find somewhere else to do it. And someone else to do it with. Because I won’t listen to it.”

Her eyes well up with tears. “I’m sorry, Ella. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m glad things seem to be working out for the two of you. You deserve to be happy.”

“And you deserve that too.”

She wipes her runny nose. “I got into a fight with my dad.”

“About what?” I ask.

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