Page 63 of Survival

Annie gave me a sympathetic look I didn’t deserve. “You didn’t know.”

“Yeah, because I was such a jerk to you when you came to pick me up.Andwith that comment at the party. I’ve been so stressed about my audition that it’s making me a monster. But that’s no excuse.” I shook my head, disgusted with myself. “If I’d just been a decent humanbeing, we could’ve talked on the way to the party. I am so sorry, sis.”

“Thank you.” Annie’s mouth pressed together in a small smile. “I know this audition is important to you, but it takes up all your time, and Tucker gets your nights. I miss you. I feel alone now, especially with Jet’s attention divided. I’m sick of Nic.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the disgusted look that covered her face at the end. “I’ll agree that yesterday was bad. I can see why you’re mad at him. At both of them. But, at least, you and Nic don’t fight like y’all did in the beginning.”

“Oh, the tension’s still there. Trust me. But yeah, it’s not Nic that I’m worried about right now. It’s my fight with Jet. Wedon’tfight, sis, but it feels like that’s all we’ve been doing since Nic got here. I can’t wait for him to leave. And then that Ruby chick. He’s so oblivious that she wants him. I could feel it the first time I met her.” Annie glared at her cup as she stabbed her straw up and down, her dejection palpable. I felt it pulsing in my chest like it was my own, it was so strong.

“Just a few more weeks for Nic.” I offered her a small smile. “Graduation’s just around the corner, and you know Jet would never leave you for Ruby. She’s like my Lisa. Delusional. Just ignore her. Jet will only be working at the shop a couple more weeks before starting football camp, anyway. Sorry. I know it’s just a lame bandaid and not the fix you’re really wanting,” I added when she sighed.

“No, but it does give perspective. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Is it bad that I’m hoping next year has way less drama?”

“No. I think we’re all hoping for that.”

“You know you could free up more time for dance if you’d just quit that daycare,” Annie hedged, and I raised a warning eyebrow. Not in the mood. “Alright. Alright. I’m sorry for trying. But really, thank you for the talk.” She gave me a smile, and my heart pulsed, enjoying our sister moment. “Now, all I need to do is fix things with Jet.”

It wasn’t much longer before we finished our coffee and left, and the absence of tension between us on the way home was like a giant breath of relief. I hated feeling at odds with my sister, and she was right. We weren’t getting enough time together. The last thing I wanted her to feel was alone.

I was about to suggest pushing off my practice with Leo for a couple of hours for us to go see a movie or head to the beach, even if it meant extra hours in the studio tonight, when I turned the corner onto our street and frowned.

“What’s Uncle Blake’s car doing here?” Annie voiced what I was thinking, and we exchanged a look.

Nerves now wracking my middle, we headed inside and found Uncle Blake sitting at the kitchen counter, reading over the stack of bills I knew Annie had planned to go through today, something she did every weekend. He looked up as we came in, and I immediately knew something was off.

I reached out automatically, my hand finding Annie’s as she searched for mine.

“Hey, girls. It’s good to see you. Looks like y’all are keeping on top of things pretty well.” He referred to the bills on the counter. “The house looks really good. I’m impressed.”

Annie’s chin went up. “Yeah, well, I’ve been handling most of the things around here ever since we lost Daddy. And when it wasn’t me, it was usually Izzy.”

Sadness flickered over Uncle Blake’s expression, and he walked towards us. We didn’t approach. “I wish y’all would have reached out to me. Or even your Nana. I know we’re across the state now, butoneof us would have found a way to be here for you.”

My face hardened, falling into some weird state of neutral mixed with bitch mode that didn’t feel like me. “You could have checked in more.”

“You’re right. I could have. Ishouldhave. I had just hoped for the best. My sister, your mom, has always been so strong, and when I didn’t hear from y’all, I let myself believe everything was okay. I called her several times, but she put on a really good show. I should have checked with you, too. I screwed up. Is there any way I can get y’all to forgive me?”

My breaths were short, my heart racing, so many emotions were pounding through me, through us, Annie’s like a mirror through our tether to mine. But the sincerity in our uncle’s apology was so intense that I wasn’t surprised when I felt my armor start to crumble.

Simultaneously, Annie and I rushed forward, throwing our arms around him and burying our heads into his chest. He wrapped his arms around us, holding us tight. So much tension leaving the room as I felt a tiny piece of me scabbing over to heal.

I brushed away a tear when we finally stepped back, but the relief was short-lived when Annie said, “Are you just here to check on us, or is there something else?”

Uncle Blake’s face shifted, and he ran a hand back through his dark hair. He looked so much like Mom in that moment that my heart jerked. He had a few more lines on his face, being a little older and with the stress of being a cop, but everything from the eyes up was like a carbon copy of our mother. I didn’t want to miss her. I was still too angry.

His next words did not hit well.

“I’m heading to the rehab center to pick up your mom today. She’s ready to come home. I was hoping y’all would like to come with me.”

A torrent of emotion flooded through me, knocking the wind from my body, but Annie blew up for us both.

“You’re kidding, right?” she hissed.

“No. She’s done the work. She’s ready.”

Annie shook her head, anger and denial splayed across her features. “I don’t give a fuck if she’sdone the work. She didn’t give a shit about what she was doing to us when she overdosed.”

Uncle Blake’s eyes narrowed. “You know the overdose was an accident. I’m so sorry that you were the one who found her. I can’t even imagine how that felt, but she’dneverdo that to you on purpose. She regrets it. It’s killing her not to see y’all. That y’all have pulled away. She deserves another chance.”

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