Page 96 of Isolated
Once we were on the road, I’d reached out to Flora, but she hadn’t answered. I’d left a message asking her to call me back, and I hoped I’d hear from her before we arrived.
She no longer works here. Hasn’t been employed here for nearly three months now.
The words echoed in my head.
How was it possible that my sister had left her job months ago and hadn’t mentioned it to anyone? Why wouldn’t she?
“I know it’s going to be okay eventually, because I refuse to believe the worst. But I’m still so confused. This makes even less sense than her not wanting to talk to me at all.”
“She’s never done anything like this before?”
Though he was focused on the road, I looked over at him and countered, “Has my sister ever hidden the fact that she’s left a job she loves?”
He sent an apologetic look my way. “Right. Sorry. Well, we’re almost there, so you’ll be able to figure it all out soon.”
I was a nervous wreck, which made me feel a little bit insane. Because I had no reason to be this impacted by the news. Sure, Eleni was my sister, and a career change would come as a shock. But something about it just didn’t feel right.
Once we made it back to Grouse, I gave Landen directions, leading him through the streets of the town where I grew up. Ever since things had changed between us, I’d been thinking more and more about bringing him here, so he could meet the rest of my family and get to know all of them.
Obviously, that wouldn’t happen on this trip here, considering my parents were still on their vacation. But even if that hadn’t been the case, I got the feeling this visit to Grouse was going to be anything less than pleasant.
When we finally turned onto the street where Eleni lived, my nerves kicked into overdrive. My stomach was trembling, and my knees felt wobbly.
And that’s when everything that had already seemed horrible took a turn for the worse. Outside her house, drove into the grass at the end of the property closest to the road, was a ‘For Sale’ sign.
“What?” I whispered.
“I take it you had no idea she was selling her house.”
I shook my head slowly. “Not at all.” Tearing my attention from the house and the sign, I looked at Landen. “What have I missed?”
“I think now is the time you find out.”
“Yeah. Yeah, okay.”
I was in such a state of disbelief, but I had to pull myself together. Whatever was going on with my sister, it didn’t look good. Landen got out, rounded the front of the vehicle, and opened my door for me.
And with slow, unsteady steps, I moved toward the front door. I rang the bell and waited. Eleni’s car wasn’t in the driveway, but she had a one-car garage. I figured she’d pulled it inside.
I was wrong.
Because thirty seconds later, she pulled into her driveway and parked behind us.
I remained rooted to the spot and watched, waiting for her to get out and face me. No doubt my visit here came as a shock to her, so I tried not to be offended when she didn’t rush out and come running toward me with her arms outstretched.
Landen had placed his hand at the small of my back, and he kept it there while we waited. That simple touchprovided a level of comfort I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
And when my sister finally emerged from the car, I let out a long breath.
Her eyes were narrowed on me as she approached. Finally coming to a stop in front of me, she seethed, “Was me not answering your calls enough of an indication that I didn’t want to talk to you?”
“What’s going on?”
“None of your business. You need to leave.”
“And you need to tell me why you left your job? Why are you selling your house?”
As soon as I asked the questions, her face blanched. It hit me.
