Page 4 of Unmistakably Us

Two

The calm of January’s run was fouled yet again by a call from her mother. And as always, she let it go to voicemail. She knew she’d have to deal with it, and soon, but she just wasn’t ready for her taste of freedom to end. Nor was she as ready to end her time with her sister as she thought she’d be.

Her original plan would have had her heading back home to the fate and future the Thornes had planned for her within the week. But plans had changed. She had changed. The baby was with Andy and Marco full-time now. She visited, but she spent most of her time with her fathers.

Gus seemed to handle it all with grace, with John firmly by her side, so she didn’t exactly need January, but there was something keeping her here just a bit longer. She needed to convince Augusta she was fine and that the future her parents wanted for her, she wanted for herself. That’s a big, fat fucking lie.

Gus hadn’t exactly confided all her deepest darkest secrets about growing up, or her departure, but they had touched on the subject. Gus was a master at saying little and saying much at the same time. It was crystal clear she harbored way more guilt than any human soul was meant to bear, guilt that wasn’t even hers.

January’s mother had no problem trying to tarnish Gus in January’s eyes. Melody Thorne saw anything different as an unacceptable imperfection. When Gus was diagnosed bipolar, her mother treated her so differently and shamed her to the point that Gus felt less than and tried to hide that from everyone.

January had to make her see that moving on with her life wasn’t something to feel guilty about, not at all. She wasn’t less than and shouldn’t feel shame over being bipolar. Their parents wouldn’t have changed the way they saw either of their children, no matter what. Had Gus stayed and done exactly what they had wanted, they still would’ve turned to January when her time came. The only difference would be, Gus would be miserable, and they’d have more leverage because they’d use Gus to keep January in line and vice versa.

She was grateful Gus got out when she did. It was one less thing for them to use to pressure her, to control her. Whenever she tried to assert her own will, the pressure would become suffocating. “Well, dear, diamonds aren’t created under comfortable conditions.” Yep, her mother actually said shit like that. Usually while fluffing her hair and smoothing her suit.

Until recently, January never thought of her parents as abusive. Intense, controlling, snobbish, for sure, but never abusive. These last months of college and hanging with the Reids were starting to change the way she looked at things.

That line of thinking will only make things harder on yourself, chicky. Suck it up and do what needs to be done.“Nothing lasts forever. Do things their way for now, and in ten years, you’ll be free, and so will your sister.” She breathed the words aloud as she stretched to cool down. It was something she told herself often, and it usually put her back in the mindset to deal with life, but this time, it just irritated her—irritated her because Melody and Thomas Thorne would win yet again. And this time, they had effectively shut down her only escape plan. When she initially called her sister for this visit, she had a plan, one that would free her from the asshats who spawned her and the asshat they were forcing her to marry.

But in true manipulative Thorne fashion, her mother had shut that down. That bitch had a sixth sense for when she was losing control of her property. Couple that with a keen sense for what tool worked best for compliance, and here January was—ready to head back and marry that repulsive little snake and allow him to touch her and bear him a child so she could finally be free.

She was just going to ask for another month. Just one. Of course, knowing her mother, she would gladly give her a month to extend her commitment for another year. “God damn it, that woman is like a fucking loan shark with my life.” January seethed.

“What’s this about a loan shark?” John’s voice cut through her post-workout fog and pity-party noise. She realized she had spoken out loud when John asked the question, but Augusta looked pale.

Shit, how long had they been standing there?January extended her hands toward her sister’s bags in an effort to avoid the question. “Here, give me some of those.” As she took a few bags from her sister and proceeded up the steps, she glimpsed John over her shoulder.

He looked so much like his sister that her mind drifted to Stacy. In her heart, she kind of believed Stacy, with Andy’s help, could probably help solve her issues with her mother. Stacy could likely rip those contracts to shreds in court, eventually. But she didn’t have eventually and to go against her mother without victory in her grasp, well, there was foolish and then there was downright self-destructive. Gunning for Melody Thorne would make self-destructive look like a vacation in the Bahamas.

Plus, if she went against her, Augusta would find out everything, and she wouldn’t allow her sister to shoulder any more guilt. Not to mention their mother dragging Augusta’s personal business out in public. She deserved a happy life, one without the bullshit her mother would bring. Besides, what’s ten years and one child in the grand scheme of things? She’d still be young; she could have a full, rich life…after.

“You’re one of those people, I see,” January quipped, nodding toward the gazillion bags in John’s hands. “A one trip or death person. Respect.” Anyone who knew John could have guessed he’d never make two trips for groceries, but she enjoyed ribbing him every chance she got.

John set his considerable burden on the counter with a sound of relief. January busied herself with putting away groceries in hopes he wouldn’t further question what she had said outside. She knew it was a long shot, but it looked like it might pay off as he turned toward her sister. Wrong.

He quickly turned back. “What was that—" Her sister saved her from having to answer by wrapping her arms around him and informing him he was going to be late. A glance at his watch produced a frustrated sound and a suspicious glance between the two of them.

But January was devastated; Gus hadn’t saved her but condemned her. She was no fool, and if the look she cast outside at John’s mention of a loan shark was an indicator, Gus knew exactly what January had been mumbling about.

John said his goodbyes and headed right back out the door. “Where’s he off to in such a hurry?” Maybe a diversionary tactic will work.

Sweet as Francis’ pecan pie, she answered, “He is off to the airfield to meet with Logan and…” Gus glanced at the door. Once she saw whatever it was she was looking for, presumably John gone and the door closed, she turned back with a fury and horror January had never witnessed before. Well, that’s not exactly true, she had seen it once before.

“What the hell, Jan. Did you sign a contract with our parents? Did you learn nothing from me?” So much for diversionary tactics. Epic fail.

Gus was so upset, she was shaking and staring. January could see the sliver of hope in her sister’s eyes slowly narrowing, getting smaller and smaller waiting for an answer. When January cast her eyes down before taking a breath and looking back at her sister’s disappointment-riddled face, she saw that sliver wink out of existence.

This time, instead of anger, her sister’s voice was laden with resignation and disappointment. Defeat. “Dang it, Jan. Why? You were free. At most, you’d have to repay the college loans with a few years at the company. Why would you do that? What could they possibly have on you?”

“I…It’s just…” January hadn’t formulated a lie yet, and she would be damned if she would tell her what really happened. January would rather her sister think she was an idiot than to learn the truth. Even this trip had been negotiated. A goodbye, a kindness her mother tried to take credit for.

The famous Thorne family contracts. The white elephants no one discussed, not even among sisters. Perhaps it was shame; maybe it was fear or just a random combination of those things and more that kept their lips sealed. But one never asked, and the other never volunteered.

The girls had been made to sign contacts as far back as January could remember. Of course, those from under eighteen weren’t legally binding now, but they didn’t know that at the time. The newer ones, the ones after the age of legal consent that were through their family business and concerning college, those were.

January consulted a law student once, hypothetically of course. Under the guise of a thesis, she had learned that as unconventional as they were, they were still legally binding. And while any lawyer worth his weight in fees would be able to dismantle most of it, the rub was the cost.

That was part of the reason January had started earning money and socking it away, not just as a run fund, but a legal one too. Then she learned that with the money and time would also come information. Secrets and truths that would come out about their lives. Truths their parents would fight tooth and nail to bury and secrets she wouldn’t visit on herself or her sister.

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