Page 47 of Back to Me

Sara's face falls and sensing her mood, Em’s face shifts along with it.

"What's wrong?” Em asks in a soft voice. She leans back against her patio chair, bending one leg and resting her chin against her knee. With her eyebrows dipped in confusion, she trades glances between me and Sara. I briefly close my eyes, reassuring Em that Sara will be okay and give her a moment to gather her thoughts.

With her forehead pressed against my shoulder, Sara groans and runs the palm of her hand across her face. Pressing my lips to her forehead, I whisper, "It's okay."

Looking back at my phone, Em flashes me a grin, despite her still visible worry for Sara. “I know it's weird to say because you're my brother and she's my best friend, but you guys are so cute together.” Scrunching her nose, the corners of Em's mouth curls into a grin. My chest warms thinking of how happy my sister is for us.

Keeping her head still resting against my shoulder, Sara turns to face Em. With a relieved sigh, she manages a weak smile. "Thanks."

A couple of weeks ago, Sara and I decided we didn't want to keep our relationship a secret from our families. We had already kept our feelings from each other so long, we didn't want to do that to the ones we loved. We started with the people we mutually loved the most. So, the next time we spoke to Cam and Em, we told them everything that had happened between us the past few years. To my surprise, they both seemed unfazed and unsurprised by our confession.

We had video called them while they were walking alongside the white sandy beaches of Oahu, down the street from their house. Their black lab, Chloe, was seen off to the side of the screen, jumping in and out of the small waves crashing against the shoreline. Pushing aside my geographical envy, I had taken a deep breath, readying myself for what I was about to say.

"We have something to tell you guys." I paused, gauging Cam and Em for their reaction. Their faces remained lit up with unwavering anticipation until I continued. "Sara and I are dating. We love each other.”

Sara gripped both hands around my arm, leaning into my shoulder. I could feel her fingers grip through my arm with heightened nerves. Several seconds passed without a sound or movement on the other end. Confused, I asked, "Guys, are you still there?"

I leaned back in shock when they suddenly began moving again as their laughter filled the speaker of my phone. Cam ran his fingers through the top of his hair as Em stared straight through the screen, grinning ear to ear. Waving us off, in between giggles, she shrugged.

"Oh, we already knew that."

Snapping my head toward Sara, I looked at her quizzically. Unsure herself, she turned back to Cam and Em.

"What do you mean, you already knew?” Sara asked, stunned.

With a smirk, Em said, "Come on. You're my brother and my best friend. I've known for years you loved each other. I was wondering when you would stop torturing each other and admit it."

"Yeah," Cam laughed. "We almost took bets on how much longer it would take you."

Curious, I asked Cam, "How long did you think it would take?"

"Honestly, I told Em probably not for another two years,” he sheepishly admitted.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence, man," I muttered.

"What's important is you love each other and are together now,” he winked.

"I guess you're right." With a smile, I turned toward Sara and kissed her on the lips for the first time in front of my sister and brother-in-law.

The sound of Sara's soft voice brings me back to the conversation with my sister. Adjusting myself on the bench, I quietly listen as Sara explains to Em how she quit her job today. If my heart wasn't already breaking for her, hearing her story a second time crushes it to nothing but a fine, residual powder.

When Sara finishes, she solemnly looks down at the wooden table and loudly taps her fingernail against the top.

"Sara," Em says. Slowly and with hesitation, Sara looks up from the table, her eyes still filled with sadness. "I'm so sorry it turned out that way. I wish I were there with you."

Taking a deep breath, Sara nods and whispers, "Me too."

"I know this job was important to you," Em adds, "but I want you to remember something. This isn't your fault. She was in the wrong, not you."

Feeling the weight of Em's words fall between them, I close my mouth and swallow, realizing how I had never thought Sara could somehow feel this was her fault. I guess that's the difference between your boyfriend and your best friend. They may both love you, but they have insight into things the other wouldn't. This is why Sara needs my sister.

"Maybe you can sell some of your drawings like Graham does," Em suggests. "You make decent money doing that, don't you Graham?"

"I do," I nod. My stomach twists, remembering how I had never mentioned to Em about my job offer with the exhibit. Right now, she thinks the only way I'm making money is by selling my pieces on the side. Shit.

"Wait, Graham didn't tell you about the job offer he got a while back?” Sara asks, trading glances between me and Em.

Banging my knee against Sara's under the table, I grit my teeth and attempt a half-ass smile at Em. She knows it's fake, but I watch as her face contorts from confusion to disbelief to annoyance.

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