Janet (2 page)

I was so annoyed with her. “If you don’t get it by now, I suspect you never will.”

“Get what?”

“Nothing…” I was angry with my sister but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings either. We shared our drinks in silence. I had more than I normally would because I wanted to make this time with my sister more bearable. When we got back to the apartment, I went straight to bed, not bothering to ask if she needed anything before I locked my bedroom door.

2

I had plans to go out with Cassie and Layla tonight and I really didn’t want to invite my sister. My friends didn’t like her much either
, and they had a hard time putting up with her. I couldn’t blame them. But I felt bad leaving her all alone tonight. She said she came to visit me this weekend and I was pretty much ditching her.

“Why are you all dressed up?” she asked when I came into the room.

I was wearing a plain black dress with silver heels. My handbag was the same color, shining from the rhinestones on it. “Just going out,” I said evasively.

“Oh…I thought we’d stay home and watch a movie.”

“Well, I already made these plans,” I said. “You did just drop in with no announcement.”

She sighed. “You’re right. Have a good night.” She opened the refrigerator and made a sad face.

I sighed to myself, knowing I was going to regret this. “Do you want to come?”

She closed the refrigerator and smiled. “I’ll get dressed.” She walked into the bedroom and took half an hour to get ready.

“Hurry up!”

She came out wearing a very short pink dress. Her goodies were practically popping out.

“Are you going to be able to sit down…?”

“I’m fine,” she said, checking her hair in the mirror. “Let’s go.”

I eyed her again before we left. “The city isn’t like Connecticut.”

She rolled her eyes. “Just shut up and let’s go.”

“Okay.”

We left and walked to the bar and grill where I was meeting my friends. When I walked inside, Cassie stood up and waved. But then her smile disappeared when she saw Beatriz. Cassie leaned down an
d whispered to Layla. Her smile disappeared as well.

When we reached the table, both of my friends looked like the night had been ruined. “I’m sorry. She just dropped in on me.” When I looked at Layla, I realized Kyle was sitting beside her
. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders protectively.

“Why are you bringing her
here?” Cassie. “There are people here.”

I rolled my eyes. “She cornered me.”

Layla sighed. “If she weren’t your sister, I’d kick her ass.”

“And I’d help,” Cassie said.

“Be quiet,” I said. “She’s coming.”

“Hello again.”

I turned at the sound of the voice. It was Scott, Kyle’s brother. I met him once when we were moving Layla’s stuff from her apartment. In light of the catastrophe, we hadn’t spoken, just acknowledged each other silently. Now that he was across the table, I had the opportunity to see the beautiful blue eyes that Kyle shared. They reminded me of the light blue ocean on a summer day. Flecks of white and gray were filtered inside the iris, making them flawed, but more perfect at the same time. His skin was fair, but dark enough to indicate he was outdoors a great deal of time. Just like Kyle, he had a large body. Through his t-shirt, I noticed the lines and grooves of his chest. When we were moving Layla’s bed, I caught a glimpse of the muscles in his arms and back. If he was a professional mover, I’d hire him in a heartbeat just so I could stare.

I shook my head, realizing I hadn’t responded for several seconds. “Hi,” I said quietly.

Cassie caught the look but didn’t say anything. I thought Scott was beautiful the second I saw him, but I never expressed that. Judging by his looks and exceptional physique, there was no way he’d ever be interested in me. I decided to abandon the attempt before it even began.

“My girls!” Beatriz said when she reached the table.

“My girls?” Cassie asked incredulously.

“Just go with it,” I whispered.

Beatriz hugged Cassie, and Cassie looked like she was trying not to vomit.

When Beatriz hugged Layla, Layla patted her on the back awkwardly, glaring at me.

“Nice dress,” Layla looked down at it. “But good luck sitting down.”

Beatriz laughed then ignored her. She turned to Kyle to hug him, which was totally inappropriate since she’d never met him, but Kyle extended his hand to shake hers instead. Layla looked pleased by his reaction.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Kyle said “Janet is a very awesome lady. You must be as well.”

“Actually, I’m the cooler and hotter sister,” Beatriz said with a laugh.

I clenched my fists. I hated it when Beatriz pointed out my lesser beauty, especially in public. Beatriz had a smaller waist, smaller boobs, and thinner legs. Even though she had a baby, she kept a tight figure. I had more curves in obvious places.

Cassie placed her hand on my shoulder and comforted me, silently calming me down. “It’s just the weekend,” she reminded me.

I sighed then took a seat.

“And who are you?” Beatriz said when she reached Scott.

“Scott, Kyle’s brother.”

“Ooh,” she said. “I see the resemblance. You’re really hot.”

I covered my face, morbidly embarrassed.

Scott nodded but didn’t say anything. He turned toward everyone at the table. “What’s everyone ordering?”

“Wine,” I said immediately.

“More wine,” Cassie added.

Layla sighed. “I need some vodka.”

Kyle smiled at her but didn’t comment.

Beatriz took her seat next to Scott, leaning close to him. “So, what do you do for a living?” Her breasts were practically popping out of the pink dress. If Scott looked down, he’d be able to catch a full view. He never glanced.

“I’m a la
wyer.”

“I like that,” she said with a smile. “You must be well off.”

My sister was driving me insane. She was clearly flirting with him.

Layla cleared her throat. “How’s your husband?”

Beatriz glanced at her. “He’s working.”

I noticed the odd response. She didn’t even answer the question.

Cassie turned to me. “So, have you talked to Ryan?”

Scott watched my face while I spoke.

“No,” I said. “I’ll see what he says next time I see him.”

Scott looked at
me then ordered his drink when the waitress came over. We ordered a few appetizers to have while we drowned in alcohol. When I looked at my sister, she was still looking at Scott, ignoring the rest of us.

“A handsome guy like you must have a girlfriend,” she said.

He didn’t look at her. “Actually, I don’t.”

“Interesting…”

Cassie glared at her but kept her mouth shut. I knew the only reason my best friend was being so quiet was out of respect for me.

Layla turned to me. “Sorry I’ve been ditching our gym routine. I’ve been going with Kyle.”

“It’s fine,” I said with a smile. “I’d ditch you guys to go with my boyfriend if I had one.”

Scott turned to me, his eyes looking into my face.

Cassie nodded. “Me too. I want a man that does boxing or street fighting. That would be so hot.”

Layla shook her head. “I would hate it
if Kyle did that. I’d be worried about him all the time.”

“You would probably beat up his opponents,” I said with a laugh.

Kyle brushed her hair with his lips. “That’s why I keep her around—protection.”

“Not many girls can survive a bar fight,” I said.

“My girl is a badass,” Kyle said. “That’s exactly how I like her.”

Beatriz was still chattering in Scott’s ear. I was starting to feel really bad for the guy. She was leaning close to him
, practically touching her arm with his. Scott drank from his glass then stared at the TV, seeming unaffected by her forward approach. I’d never been more embarrassed of my sister. Maybe she was drunk, but there was no way she was that far gone. We just got there.

When the food arrived, we
dug in. I grabbed a fried cheese stick from the plate.

“You shouldn’t be eating that,” Beatriz said as she looked at me. “If you want your body to look better, you have to eat better.”

Cassie gripped her glass, almost shattering it.

“Beatriz, just stop talking,” I snapped.

“Excuse me?” she asked, offended. “You’re the one that’s always trying different diets and crying about how much weight you’ve gained over the years.”

I glared at her, feeling my hands form fists. “That’s not true at all. I’ve never cried over my weight. And I’m not even fat! I’m just not a stick like you
. So I’ll eat all the damn fried cheese sticks I want, all the pizza, the hot wings, and the beers. Now shut up before I lose my temper and slap you.”

Beatriz rolled her eyes then turned away.

Scott smiled at me, liking my response.

“If you didn’t say something, I was going to deck this bitch,” Cassie whispered.

“I was really close to letting you,” I said. I grabbed a cheese stick and put it in my mouth, glaring my sister while I did it.

She rolled her eyes again.

The conversation died down in light of the uncomfortable argument. Layla ate most of the appetizers, but she’s always been a garbage disposal. Cassie had two glasses of wine because she could handle more alcohol than we could, despite her petite size. Somehow, my sister got hammered.

Scott left and went to the bathroom when we were leaving. When I saw Beatriz follow him into the
restroom, I felt my heart fall. I was slightly jealous that Scott wanted to hook up with my sister, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I was more pissed that my sister would cheat on her husband. I didn’t have a high opinion of Beatriz, but that was even low for her, especially when they had a child together.

“Poor Scott,” Layla said.

“That’s an all time low for my brother,” Kyle said.

“I seriously hate her,” Cassie said. “I want to punch her in the face. I hate her.”

I sighed. “I hate her too.”

Layla gave me a sympathetic look. “Should we wait for them?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m tired of taking care of my sister. If she wants to ruin her life, let her.”

3

The next morning, I was making coffee when there was a loud knock on the door. I assumed my sister returned from her one night stand with Scott. Just thinking about it made me want to vomit.

I opened the door and saw her leaning against the wall,
looking like a mess.  Her makeup was smeared, her dress was wrinkled, and she looked like she hadn’t slept. Scott stood beside her, his hands in his pockets.

“Have a good time?” I hissed.

“Muh,” she said. She reached for the door and stumbled inside. She immediately dashed for the bathroom. When the sound of her gagging hit my ears, I knew she was totally hung over.

I looked at Scott, who met my gaze with a serious expression. He was wearing a different outfit, dark jeans and a gray t-shirt. His appetizing physique was noticeable in the material. I understood why any single person would want to spend the night with him. “Thanks for taking her home.”

He nodded. “It’s like trying to watch Bambi walk.”

I laughed despite the seriousness of the moment.

“And I didn’t sleep with her.”

I wasn’t sure why he said that. He continued to gaze into my eyes, like he was reading my mind. “Oh. I just assumed…”

“Well, I didn’t,” he said quickly.

“Then what did you do?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, making his chest more noticeable. “I put her to sleep in my bed and I crashed on the couch.”

“She married,” I said.

“I wouldn’t have slept with her if she was single.”

What was that supposed to mean?
“Okay…”

“She isn’t my type.”

“Well, my sister is the most annoying person in the world. She isn’t anyone’s type.”

Scott smiled. “You’re really cool.”

“I’m cool?” I asked incredulously.

“You seem surprised.”

“I’m usually teased because I’m the most serious person in the world. My friends will be the first ones to tell you that I’m very uncool.”

“They seem to love you.”

I rolled my eyes. “They have to. That’s why.”

“No, you’re getting confused with family. Family has to love you because of your genetic relationship. I think your friends love you because you’re awesome.”

“Awesome?” I laughed. “I’m not going to be awesome when I give my sister a beating of a lifetime.”

He smirked then leaned against the door. “What’s going on with her and her husband?”

“I have no idea.”

“She made it very clear that she wanted me to join her in the bedroom.”

I shook my head, feeling my anger “I’m so sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize,” he said quickly. “That’s not why I’m telling you this.”

“Then why are you?”

“So it’s clear that she wanted me but I rejected her.”

“Okay…”

“I think you should have a talk with your sister. There’s probably more going on under the surface.”

My sister barfed again. I sighed. “I should go,” I said as I closed the door.

“Wait.”

I locked it then walked away. I felt bad for shutting Scott out, but my sister sounded like she was heaving her guts. I pulled her hair out of her face and watched her empty her bowels into the toilet. She was breathing heavily, sweating, and I rubbed her back as she finished. When she was done, I cleaned her face and got her into the shower, washing away all the grime from the evening before. After she was done, I led her to the couch and tucked a blanket around her. She moaned incoherently, gripping her head. I knew she was in pain but a part of me didn’t care.

I went to her purse and grabbed her cell phone. There was no way she’d be able to make it home today, so I decided to call Hank to give him a heads up.

He answered on the third ring. “Yeah?”

I thought that was an odd way to greet his wife. “Hey, it’s Janet.”

“Oh.” He paused for a long time. “Why are you calling me from Beatriz’s phone?”

“She’s too wasted to come home today,” I said. “We got a little crazy last night and I don’t think she’ll make it until tomorrow.”

The line was silent for a long time. “She didn’t tell you.”

I felt my heart race. “Tell me what?”

“Beatriz and I are no longer together. We are legally separated. I’ve been trying to get divorced but she’s made it as difficult as possible. I’ve asked her to sign the papers repeatedly but she shreds them instead.”

I sat down
so I wouldn’t fall to the floor. “What? When? How? What?”

He sighed. “I’m sorry you found out this way. I didn’t realize you were in the dark. I suspect no one in your family knows, then.”

“What happened?”

“Beatriz…she just wasn’t being a good wife and mother. I grew frustrated with the way she was treating me and our son. I didn’t feel like it was safe for him. She’s a raging alcoholic and she needs help. When she refused to seek treatment, I left her.”

“Oh my god…”

“I’m suing for full custody of Joey. With her erratic behavior, I suspect I’ll win.”

I was speechless.

“And I want you to know that I would never keep him away from you or your family. But I have to protect my son. Beatriz isn’t in her right mind.”

I started to pace across the floor.

“She was terminated from the school for drinking on the job. Her career in education is over.”

“I can’t believe this…I had no idea.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

He sighed. “We’ll get through it.”

“Are you living at the house?”

“No, I’m living with my sister until I get my own place. She babysits Joey while I’m at work.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “I’m assuming Beatriz has nowhere to go.”

“Yeah. She has the house, but it’s under my name so I’m selling it. It’s in foreclosure now.”

“That’s a lot to take in.”

“I’m sorry I dropped it on you like that.”

“Well, I guess I should go…”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry about all of this.”

“Me too.”

“You’ve always been family to me, Hank. That won’t change.”

“I know, Janet. You’re a good sister. Joey is lucky to have you.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

When we hung up, I stood in the kitchen, still processing what just happened.

My sister stumbled to the couch and lied down, her face as white as a ghost. I wanted to yell at her, tell her how disappointed I was, but I held it back. She obviously hit rock bottom and was clearly aware of it. I’ll let her come to me when she’s ready.