Page 70 of Opposites (Never) Attract
Folks?
When did I start using words like folks, again?
I didn’t know what to expect, so when she tackled me with her little body into a full-body hug, some of that nervousness I’d felt earlier vanished. But, Amity was always the easier and sweeter of my two youngest sisters.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be at the house last night to welcome you home, but I was up all night smoking brisket,” Amity said, pushing her deep red hair away from her green eyes. She smelled a little like that brisket. Delicious.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Mom and I needed to talk anyway.”
“Good talk?” she asked, her face bright with hope and understanding. I felt, in that moment, more connection with her than I ever had, and it seemed like there might be a way forward for all of us.
“Good talk,” I said, honestly.
She let out a sigh of relief and squeezed my hands. “None of this changes anything,” she whispered. “You know that, don’t you?”
I nodded. But some things needed to change. “I haven’t been the best older sister,” I confessed.
“Don’t be silly,” she said, wrapping her arm through mine. “You’ve always been there when we needed you.”
“Financially,” I added. I’d always been there financially. Which seemed cold, and frankly had been the easiest option.
“People express their love in the best way they can,” she said, so much wiser than her years. She gave me some serious side-eye. “You do love me, right?”
“Of course I love you!” I cried, sick she would think my distance was about anything other than my own bullshit.
Then she leaned in toward me, her eyes sparkling. “More than Bliss though, right?”
Oh! She was messing with me. I pulled her into my arms and squeezed her as hard as I could. “I love you both equally.”
“But she can be so difficult,” Amity chuckled. “You’ll need to see her after you leave here. She’s going to want to know that everything is settled with you and Mom. Bliss has a hide-until-the-coast-is-clear mentality.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” I said, and Amity looked at me like I couldn’t be more wrong. She opened her mouth like we were about to engage in some top shelf sister gossipright here, in the middle of her café, with every customer watching us.
That was something I did not need.
“We can talk about our sister later. You have some customers waiting.”
“I’ll wait forever for Amity’s smoked brisket,” one man said. I didn’t recognize him, but there weren’t a lot of people here I would recognize.
“Why, if it isn’t Sunshine Calloway. I swear, I never thought I’d see the day.” The older woman’s voice echoed in the café as Amity went back to taking orders and my mother got in line behind two cowboys.
I turned to see someone I would recognize, no matter what. She looked exactly the same. Same dark hair laced through with, perhaps, a bit more silver. Same bright, intelligent eyes and friendly, welcoming smile.
“Hello, Mrs. Diaz,” I said, as my former math teacher approached me.
She’d been the first to understand me and champion me picking and choosing math courses that would challenge me. She’d also encouraged me to graduate early and head out into the world to see what I could accomplish.
She wrapped me up in her arms and squeezed me tight. Tears, hot and unexpected, burned behind my eyes.
“You know you can call me Fanny now that you’ve graduated. I tell that to all my former students.”
Mrs. Diaz might have been older, but her energy made her seem larger than life.
“And how many former students take you up on that?” I asked her.
“Now, that I think about it, none. But, you’re a big deal city girl whose come to save the day, so you can buck the trend.”
“Save the day?” I repeated. Did everyone know? That stupid wanted sign.
