Page 12 of Forever in the Country

I’d been dealt my hand and there was nothing I could do but try and do better, be better, find some sort of balance, and ride it until the next thing went wrong.

Shaking myself from the spiral, I drag my hands down my face and take a deep breath. It doesn’t matter what the world thinks of me. The only ones who matter are just my family—my sister.

And her.

Pulling out my phone, I tap out a message and hit send.

SORREN: Can I borrow your house?

SUNSHINE: Yes.

SUNSHINE: Wait—for what? You’re not hooking up with some tramp in my house

SORREN: I’m going to ignore the fact you think I entertain tramps.

SUNSHINE: Tramps are people too.

SORREN: Sunshine, can I borrow your house and have Marlee and Waylon over for dinner?

SUNSHINE: Of course

SUNSHINE: That’s really sweet

SORREN: I’ve been a shit brother and friend

SUNSHINE: We’ve talked about this

SORREN: Well I’m done making excuses

SUNSHINE: (gif of woman rubbing her temples looking irritated)

SUNSHINE: Okay so what do you need me to do? You already vacuumed…

SORREN: How do you know it was me?

SUNSHINE: Because that damn vacuum hasn’t worked for like three months and I’ve just been ignoring it

SORREN: Fine I fixed the vacuum and then used it

SUNSHINE: You’re sexy when you clean

SORREN: Hilarious

SUNSHINE: Not to the entire female population in Tennessee—probably most of the men too

SORREN: We’re getting off topic

SUNSHINE: Fiiiiiine.

SUNSHINE: Want me to be there or no?

SORREN: Always want you

SUNSHINE: Are you flirting with me, Sorren Mackay?

SORREN: That implies I know how to flirt

SUNSHINE: You’re impossible

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