Page 84 of Home Tears

And just then, the door opened. Jake walked outside with Julia in tow.

“Jake!” Bubba lifted his arms, but couldn’t shake or hug him. He was holding his drink. “You need some coconut juice?” Before Jake could respond, Bubba clamped him on the shoulder with his free hand and moved around. “I’ll get you coconut juice. You, too, Julia. You look like you need to get buzzed.”

Julia opened her mouth, but closed it as Bubba was already through the door.

“He’s on orders to get everyone drunk and to get their car keys.” The ends of Kate’s mouth tugged upward in a grin, but it slipped as she nodded to Julia. “Julia.”

“Kate.”

Dani chuckled. She shouldn’t, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was saying before she completely realized what was going to come out of her mouth, “Man—two people you hate, Julia. You’re stuck out here with us. And you have to play nice.” She whistled. “That’s gotta burn in a special place.”

Jake’s head tipped upwards. “Oh, my God.”

Kate looked away. Her shoulders shook a tiny bit.

Julia sighed. “Nice, Dani. That’s real classy.”

“I’ve already gone three rounds with our grandmother. You remember her? She’s alive, and she hates my guts right now. I can handle going a round with you.”

Julia frowned. “Our grandmother?”

“Sandra O’Hara is alive and kicking, although I guess it could be debated on how ‘alive’ she actually is. She’s not real big on being accountable for anything, but hey. I know where the ‘running’ trait came from. Did you know how fucked up our family is? Some of it came from her. Shocker.”

Julia went unnaturally still. “I don’t believe you. You’re just trying to play games because you’re hoping that I won’t press charges against you for burglary.”

“You already tried.” Dani gestured to Jake and Kate. “But we do have two police officers right here. Feel free to try again.”

“It’s mine, and I want it back.”

Jake cleared his throat. His voice rose in volume. “I thought we were here for poker.” He put his arm around Julia’s shoulder, turning her back inside. “Let’s play some poker.”

“I have as much right to Mother’s picture as you, Dani.”

“No, you don’t!”

“How can you say that?” Julia cried out. “You don’t know anything about our family—”

“Your family!” Dani interrupted, holding on to her drink for dear life. This wasn’t the place, but whom was she kidding? Julia would never meet with her one-on-one. It was here and now. She was tired of avoiding. It was time to fight. “It’s been your family from day one after Mother was buried. Kathryn took you and Erica in and I was pushed out.”

“Bullshit. You got Mae. I got Kathryn.” Julia couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice.

“Has that been building up over the years?” Dani taunted. “What? Are you bothered you didn’t get both aunts?”

“This is ridiculous!” Julia hissed. “We are adults, and we are above this.”

“No, we’re not. We’re sisters.”

“You’re irrational—” Julia started to chide her sister, but Dani cut her off, “Kinda like needing to leave a party so you can obsessively mop the kitchen floor at midnight because it wasn’t mopped enough earlier in the day? Irrational like that?”

Julia sucked in her breath—again.

Jake groaned. “Oh no.”

Julia’s eyes flashed a warning. “Excuse me?”

Dani shook her head. “I’m not going to excuse you. You have to have everything in perfect order. You have to feel needed, all the time. You were like that growing up. I’ve no doubt you’re like that now. I bet Kathryn doesn’t need you to remind her to take her pills. She’s got her own alarms set to remind herself to take those pills.”

“Dani.”

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