Page 79 of Steadfast

“You should be proud of her.”

“Oh sure, lots to be proud of,” she smirked. “My daughter, the barista.”

Maeve considered how far Oakleigh had come over the last year. Despite her recent failures, she was proud of her.

“She’s not a problem, Harp,” Maeve replied. “She actually reminds me so much of you when we were young.” The moment the words left her, Maeve knew it was a mistake. She had gotten too comfortable and overstepped a boundary of familiarity that should have never been crossed.

“Don’t do that.” Harper flushed red. She stood to her feet and pointed her finger squarely at Maeve. “Don’t youdaredo that.”

“Have a seat, Harper,” Maeve responded in a gentle but assertive tone, attempting to regain the paper thin line of civility between them. “Please, have a seat.”

Harper conceded, twirling the mug between her fingers as she stared off through the wall of windows that overlooked the green pastures and slate gray sky. “My weather app says this will be clear by tomorrow. Delia will just be over the moon to have Mia home again.”

“I’ll be sorry to see them go,” Maeve admitted. “I’ve enjoyed having them here.”

Taking a long drink from her mug, Harper clanged it down on the counter as she articulated slowly with a knowing glance. “I’m sure you have.”

Maeve felt her own anger rising at what she assumed was another calculated jab. “And what does that mean?”

“I don’t know if you realize it,” Harper stated as if she were giving a lesson on good manners, “but words hurt, Maeve.”

Maeve gulped her coffee down, fearing she might spit it out. “Oh, do they now?”

“Yes, they do, and I don’t appreciate being laughed at.” Harper narrowed her eyes with an accusatory glance. “That’s right. I saw you laugh at me.” She straightened in her chair. “Here I am, simply trying to salvage whatever shreds are left of my image after Oakleigh threw a grenade into our lives, and you have the audacity to make fun of me. You’re a bully, Maeve. You always have been.”

“On that note—” Maeve knew it was time to step away. Pushing off the kitchen counter, she made her exit to the living room. She bristled as she felt Harper follow closely on her heels. Her sister was an expert in the art of antagonism, justlike when they were teens. Nothing had changed after all those years.

She sat down on the sofa, and much to her dismay, Harper took a seat across from her. Her smug expression conveyed that she was loaded with ammunition.

Without skipping a beat, Harper started right where she had left off. “I mean, the way you just broke Mom’s heart without even a second thought.” She tilted her head to the side with a feigned look of empathy, even though they both knew she wasn’t capable of it. “An absolute pity, Maeve. I’m sure you have a lot of regrets.”

“Stop it, Harper.” Maeve slammed her mug down on the coffee table with a loud crack. Coffee began to seep from the bottom of the mug and pool on the table. Maeve thought she would have been a little more emotionally prepared for this moment between them, but she was wrong. She had allowed her sister’s words to creep under her skin.

“What did we ever do to you?” Harper’s satisfied gleam conveyed that she had Maeve right where she wanted her. “You know it’s like Daddy always said,everything happens for a reason.”

“I’m very aware of everything Dad always said,” Maeve hurled back. She remembered his words vividly. She had heard them echo up the staircase the night she decided to leave home.

Harper shrugged, suppressing a little smile as she twisted the knife. “I know you think I’m somehow responsible for the worst day of your life, Maeve, but I’m not.”

Maeve couldn’t help but throw her hand over her mouth as a burst of laughter threatened to escape. It was the irony that after all those years, she was still finding herself dodging her sister’s hateful barbs.

Harper’s eyes widened, realizing her cruel tactic had seemed to backfire. “You’ve really lost it, Maeve.”

“No, Harper. That was mean. You should be proud of yourself,” Maeve put her hand over her mouth to stifle her outburst while she swiped a tear from under her eye with her thumb. “You’re right. That certainly wasoneof the hardest days of my life. Don’t give yourself all the credit, though. Lord knows you don’t deserve it.”

Harper sat speechless.

The temptation was strong to relish in finally having the upper hand against her sister’s attack.

It must have been the Lord because, in that moment, Maeve no longer saw the hardened, bitter woman who sat before her. She remembered Harper before she had let trauma and poor decisions shape her into the woman she had become. Maeve didn’t need to wound her sister. Harper was already full of wounds and hiding behind the high walls she had built around herself.

She considered, knowing full well that her vulnerability would come at a high cost.

“If you’d really like to know,” Maeve went on. “I’ll tell you all about myworst day.”

Chapter 25

Black and Blue

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