Page 75 of Unexpected Love
She does look like she needs to eat. She’s skin and bones. So, just like I did when she was little, I pull out a carton of eggs and cheese and start making her favorite breakfast.
While I scramble her up a meal, she fills me in on all the things she’s been doing over the last month. Which is mostly partying and getting wasted.
No mention of work. No mention of taking care of herself.
But the more she talks, the more she returns to the sister I knew before all this happened. And it takes some of the fire out of my fight and leaves me feeling less angry and more protective.
I slide the perfectly fluffy eggs that she loves in front of her. “Danielle. Where have you been?”
She pauses mid-mouthful. “I just told you.”
“No, where have you been living? Are you working? What are you doing with your days?” Somehow, this is what’s most important to me in this moment.
“Oh, I was living between Ritchie’s place and home. And Ritchie told me he didn’t want me to work. Wanted me available for quality time.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. Jesus.
“Are you pregnant?” I ask, afraid of the answer.
“Nah. I got my period while I was in jail. Good thing too. Coz once I got out, I went straight home for a shower. Found him in bed.With mom,” she says incredulously, eyes wide like she can’t believe things played out like they did. Then, in true Dani fashion, she shrugs and resumes her story. “She threw me out, but I would’ve left anyway. Because no way am I going back to that loser. Gross.”
There’s a lot to unpack in what she’s just told me, and I’m having trouble processing all that she’s said, except for one thing. “You’re not going back?”
She shovels the last bite of food in her mouth and pushes the plate away. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do next.”
“Do you have a place to stay?” That protective-older-brother side of me barrels back to life.
“Denise said I could couch surf with her for a little while, and her place is plenty big for Charlie’s playpen.”
The last I heard, Denise—our mom’s sister—lived in a single-wide trailer in the middle of a trailer park overrun with gang-related drug activity.
I frown at my sister. “Dani. Denise’s place isn’t safe. Besides that, Charlie can’t spend every night in a playpen. For a little while is fine. But it’s not a long-term solution.”
Dani looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Don’t be a snob. She’s just a kid.She’ll be fine.”
A knock at the door interrupts the scathing remark on my tongue. I remind myself that I’m trying to manage this relationship with my sister, and not too long ago, I also thought that the bare minimum was acceptable for parenting. Neither of us had a role model to learn from, but I didn’t realize she was so clueless. It’s like she has no maternal instinct whatsoever. No plan for providing for Charlie. It’s like she sees her as a thing and not a person.
I’m still unsettled as I open the door to a beaming Rosie, her mom and dad right behind her. “Hey, Cal! Where’s my little bestie-boo?”
I stand back as Rosie barrels into my apartment. I look at her, realizing she’s not that much younger than my sister. There are maybe four years that separate them, and yet the difference is sobering.
“Rosie. Nope.” Mac’s deep voice stops her in her tracks.
“Sorry, Cal. I got excited. Hi, how are you? Thanks for letting us stop by.” The words spill from her mouth in an endless stream, and then she looks at her dad. “Can I go see Charlie now, please?”
Mac nods, and Liv rolls her eyes, barely suppressing a smile. “Hi, Cal. We just thought we’d stop by really quick on the way to dinner. Check in on you after this morning.”
The lie falls smooth as silk from her lips, giving me an out with my sister. These two are showing me they are on my side. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so grateful.
“Yeah, sure. Come on in.”
Dani sidles in from the kitchen, eyes darting from Mac and Liv to where Rosie has pulled Charlie out of the baby play yard and placed her on the floor in a pile of toys.
Mac’s eyes fly to mine, down to my ribs, and back up. I jerk my head, letting him know I haven’t mentioned the accident to my sister.
“Wow,” she whispers as she takes in all of the changes since she was last here. “Where’d all that come from? I didn’t leave her with that much.”
It’s like the full meal and the time spent talking has had an impact on her. Like it’s opened her eyes or something.
