Denial (13 page)
Celeste
was aware her sister was finding it increasingly difficult to hide the fact that the boys and the pups were getting on her nerves. By midweek, the entire family was exhausted with trying to engage Sophie who was in the throes of completing her fifth novel, and only seemed to lift her head from her laptop to complain about the boys or the dogs.
Somehow, the boys seemed to sense her animosity and instinctively tried hard to annoy her.
At twenty-seven, Sophie still lived at home. She told Celeste she didn’t see the need to move out as she had 24-7 service from their folks. Their mother, Celeste realized, did everything for Sophie, and her sister good-naturedly milked it to the fullest.
Sophie was definitely a nocturnal creature. It was, according to Sophie, more conducive to support two of her favorite habits—booze and cigarettes. Since she could only get Camille to agree to one part of the day when she could indulge in both wholeheartedly, evenings it seemed suited them both.
Celeste
knew their mother was relieved that it was more cigarettes than booze, but it didn’t stop her worrying about Sophie’s lifestyle.
That night when everyone retired, Sophie encouraged her sister to a nightcap on the beach.
Celeste
took a bottle of tequila, and Sophie took a pack of cigarettes along with a notepad in case an inspirational moment should strike.
Bud trailed along with them.
They settled on the sand, lit their cigarettes, and took a few slugs of tequila in silence.
Sophie poured some into her hand and gave it to Bud. “I thought you didn’t smoke?”
The dog slurped enthusiastically.
“I just like the occasional one,” Celeste replied. She reached for the tequila bottle, and drank some. “I thought you hated tequila and why are you giving it to Bud?”
Sophie smirked. “He likes it.”
Looking at her sister,
Celeste
laughed heartily. “God, I’ve missed your wackiness,” she said, laying back.
Sophie lay back too and they watched the night sky.
After a while Sophie asked, “What’s going on with you and
Amy
?”
Surprised,
Celeste
lifted her head and looked at her sister. Realizing the tension between them was probably obvious, she replied, “Well. You know. We’re just not getting along right now.”
Sophie sat up. “No,” she said, taking the tequila bottle, she slugged some back. “I’m talking about the sexual tension thing.”
Celeste
sat bolt upright. “
What?
”
“Well,” Sophie replied as if stating the obvious, “I’ve seen the way you look at her, and it
isn’t
with sisterly love that’s for damn sure.”
“Sophie, what planet are you on?”
Celeste
retorted. She took the bottle and swallowed some tequila. “Somehow, you’re confusing real life with those goddamn seriously warped books you write.”
“They’re horror, Cel,” Sophie replied. She picked at the black polish on her fingernails. “Good old-fashioned, bloodcurdling horror books.” Lighting a cigarette, she added, reaching for the tequila bottle, “Healthy as hell if you ask me.”
Sophie drank as Bud hit her leg with his paw.
Celeste lay back down. Lifting her head, she watched Sophie pour tequila into her palm. Bud slurped it before settling down next to her. “This is crazy,” she said. She let her head fall back and laughed.
“I’ve just finished reading a book on incest,” Sophie said, drawing a heart in the sand.
Celeste
sat up. She looked at her sister in disbelief. “It isn’t incest.”
“Ah,” Sophie exclaimed as if unearthing the culprit in a murder mystery. “So, you admit that it’s not purely platonic?”
Irritated,
Celeste
frowned. “No!”
Sophie smirked with satisfaction then explained her deduction. “There is a palpable tension between you and Amy, and over the last few days she has done her best to ignore you. In recognition of her remoteness, you’ve removed yourself from the situation by spending most of your time exploring the beach a few miles off.”
“Ergo, Inspector Clouseau, there’s sexual tension in the air?”
Celeste
responded, her lips twitching.
Sophie eyed her sister for a moment, as if deciding something. Then dragging heavily on her cigarette, said in her best Garboesque voice, “No, dahling, because I saw you both romp on the beach the other day.”
Groaning,
Celeste
lay back and covering her eyes uttered, “Sophie, what has gotten into you? Lifting her hands from her eyes, she asked defensively, “Why are you spying on people?”
Ignoring
Celeste
’s accusation, Sophie responded, “No, Cel. What has gotten into
you
?” She ran an arrow through the heart shape. It pointed straight at
Celeste
. “This is Josh’s wife you’re messing with!”
Sitting up,
Celeste
watched Sophie inscribe her own and someone else’s initials in the heart shape.
“I’ve been having an affair,” Sophie confided.
Relieved that her sister had changed the subject,
Celeste
teased, “You must still be in therapy to reveal that?”
Sophie laughed. “Yes actually, I am, and guess what?” She leaned forward. “I’m having an affair with my therapist!”
Celeste’s mouth slackened. She stared at her sister. “
You’re kidding?
”
“There’s real chemistry.”
“Seriously, you’re kidding?”
Celeste
said then grimaced.
Sophie shook her head. “I’m serious.”
“I can’t believe it!”
Sophie threw up her arms. “Why?”
“
Why?
” Celeste stared at her sister then shivered. “Because banging old ladies is gross. Jesus, Sophie, isn’t she in her seventies?”
Sophie looked at her sister wickedly. “It’s not a she, it’s a he. A very young, fit he.”
Celeste
chuckled. “What happened with the woman?”
“She dumped me.”
“Why?”
Sophie grinned. “For consistently setting low personal standards and failing to achieve them.”
Feeling the tequila kick in,
Celeste
burst out laughing, Sophie followed. It was a few minutes before either caught their breath.
Celeste
lit the cigarette that Sophie passed her.
Sophie slurped from the bottle then wiped her hand over her mouth and asked, “When did you become a rug muncher?”
Shocked,
Celeste
gagged on the smoke she was inhaling and coughed furiously.
Sophie slapped Celeste hard on the back while holding the bottle to her mouth instructing her to swig.
Eventually,
Celeste
got her breath back. But, it took a few moments before her face returned to its normal color.
“I was only joking,” Sophie said. “I want you to tell me.” She leaned in earnestly. “I really want to know what’s happening between you and
Amy
.”
Red-eyed,
Celeste
looked at her sister and said hoarsely, “I thought your crystal ball would have told you that already?”
“No crystal ball needed. You just need to watch the way you look at her.”
Celeste slugged tequila and coughed slightly. For a moment, she thought about denying everything, but her sister was like a dog with a bone so she decided to be vague. “Something happened a while back, before they got married.” She waved a hand in the air. “It was…” her heart tightened. “It doesn’t matter.” Wanting to change the subject, she passed the bottle. “Your latest book is pretty horrific.”
Evidently pleased, Sophie chuckled. “Thanks.”
Propping herself on her elbows,
Celeste
fell into familiar territory. She teased her sister. “Is your shrink treating you because you’re a natural candidate for de-selection?”
Sophie smiled sweetly. “Nope.
It’s because I’m fuckable and tax returnable,” she said. “We agreed I was only billable for one of the two sessions a week. He says it makes the accounts look better or something.” She wrinkled her nose. “But I go along with it because I get a thrill knowing we go,” she bracketed her fingers, “dutch. You know women’s lib and all that.”
Celeste
frowned. “Is it serious?”
Sophie half-smiled and shrugged.
“It’s okay, Sophie,” Celeste said gently.
“I’ve been here before.” Sophie dragged on her cigarette. She frowned and rubbed out the heart shape in the sand. Sticking out her chin, she added with a note of defiance, “It won’t be long before he dumps me. Once it becomes too ordinary, or once he thinks he’s sorted out my many neuroses.” She looked at
Celeste
. “You know, he’s a man of integrity. He likes to think he’s on the job when he’s doing the job.” She winked. “If you know what I mean!”
“Are you okay with that?”
Sophie looked at
Celeste
. “It’ll end somehow.” She shrugged. “These things never work. He likes being married with a family. He gets his kicks out of fucking his patients.” She passed the tequila. “Back to you. So, when did you get the hots for
Amy
?”
“Sophie,”
Celeste
replied in exasperation. “There is nothing between
Amy
and me!”
“You bet your half-French froggie ass of there is!”
“No there isn’t,”
Celeste
retorted.
Sophie leaned back on her elbows. “Well, if that’s true, why have you kept your distance for so long? Why were you two practically making out on the beach like two teenagers in love?”
Looking hard at her sister,
Celeste
decided there was no point in denying it. “Doesn’t the idea of me being attracted to Josh’s wife freak you out a little, Sophie?”
Sophie shrugged, and said a touch philosophically, “Everyone’s on a journey, Cel. Yours just might be a little more convoluted than most!” She looked thoughtfully at her sister. “What do you think
Amy
will do?”
“Why
Amy
?”
Celeste
asked, raising her eyebrows. “Why not what I want to do?”
Sophie laughed then drawled, “I already know what you want to do, sugar!”
Impatiently,
Celeste
ran her fingers through her hair. “It doesn’t matter.”
Sophie said quietly, “I’m here for you.”
“Okay. I admit it,”
Celeste
said then sighed heavily. “The reason I stayed away is because of Josh and
Amy
. Because,” she hesitated, “of who she is.” She rested her chin on her knees. “How do they explain things away in the movies: a moment’s indiscretion, it finished before it began?”