Page 38 of Waiting Game

“Yes,” Rome blurted before Zarina could, and we laughed.

“Does it get to you?” I asked her.

“Nah,” she shrugged, still laughing, “I figure that if he was going to have a go at her, he would have done it by now. I kind of just feel bad for her. It did annoy me a little at the wedding though,” she rolled her eyes.

“Don’t worry, she was just as bad when we were kids. I just thought she would have gotten over it by now. Ren used to get so annoyed, because they couldn’t do anything without his little sister tagging along. I guess I was just as bad though, because I made Antoni take me everywhere as well.”

“I don’t know,” Rome smiled, “he always talks about your antics when you were teens. From the stories that I’ve heard, it sounds like you were just as involved in the mischief as they were.”

“I got them in trouble a lot,” I chuckled, “I kind of feel bad about it now though. They were both just always trying to protect me, because I copped enough shit at home.”

“Yeah, why is that?” Rome shook her head, “I’ve always heard Vera complain but I didn’t realise that it wasthisbad.”

I shrugged again, “who knows? It’s always been that way. I was a pretty naughty kid, but it definitely escalated once I hit my teens. Dad involved me in some stuff I shouldn’t have been involved in, and I guess it stuck with me. I was always outspoken about how much I hated how they lived, and hated that they dragged us kids into it. Mum and I used to fight, and then Dad would punish me for arguing back to her, and then I’d get angrier at Mum. It was just a cycle. No one was ever on my side, that’s why I knew I had to leave.”

Zarina looked away, and I reached for her hand, “Zarina, there was nothing you could’ve done to help me, okay? You can’t keep beating yourself up about it.”

I could read her mind.

She was always trying to protect me too. Even though she was the baby, it didn’t stop her from getting in trouble while sticking up for me. I knew that she was worried that I resented her because she was treated so differently by Mum and Dad - with love and affection. But I knew that it had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with our parents.

It was starting to get late, and I was surprised by how much time had passed. It felt nice to be able to chat with my sister again, especially without my mother present which put a strain on all of our relationships.

Antoni strode in eventually, kissing Rome on the cheek before wandering to the kitchen counter to pour himself some coffee. I smiled at him, and was happy for only a minute being surrounded by my siblings - until I noticed his swollen knuckles and the splatters of blood on his shirt.

That whipped me back into reality.

How could I look up to, admire, and love my older brother so much when he did what he did for a living? How could I respect him, or the life he lived?

I suddenly noticed just how much he was beginning to look like our father.

“Did you want to go book those tickets?” Rome asked me, sensing my change in demeanour.

“Tickets?” Antoni asked over his shoulder.

“Tickets home,” I said.

“I thought you were here for a few more days?” he frowned at me.

“I was, but I need to get out of here.”

That was an understatement.

He frowned again, staring at me as he sipped his coffee, “not yet.”

I returned his expression, folding my arms, “yes.”

He spluttered laughing, “no.”

Rome laughed and I rolled my eyes, sitting back in my chair.

“Just a few more days,” he groaned, “I was planning on taking Rome camping at our old spot.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Well we’re not having a proper honeymoon until things settle down, and I figured that it would be better than nothing.”

“Fine,” I said, “and then I’m leaving.”

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