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“I had a protein shake when I got home from the gym,” she muttered.
“That’s it? All day? How about if I go make some popcorn? Will you share it with me? You can tell me about your finals today,” I offered hopefully.
She whipped the covers down so I could see her entire face and admitted, “I didn’t go.”
“Didn’t you have chem today?” I asked, knowing damn well she did. Like always, I memorized her schedule and mine the moment we got them. These twin habits were hard to break, no matter how much I complained about them.
“Yeah, I’ll talk to the professor and see if I can do a makeup. The guy hates me and gives me shitty grades no matter how hard I try. It’s a waste of time. All of it is.”
I went over to her side of the room and lifted her blankets. “Move over,” I announced while lifting a leg to the mattress to climb in beside her. She would bitch at first, but we always snuggled together when something was wrong, and I never wanted that to stop.
“No. Get in your own bed. I’m sleeping.”
So I switched on the whiny voice she hated. “Let me in. I want to snuggle.”
“No, Maye,” she huffed and pushed my hip. “Get.” But then, just like the last time, and the time before that, she moved to the center of her mattress and made room for me beside her. “You’re such a pain in the ass,” she griped.
I smiled into the pillow. “Am not.”
“Are too. And I thought you were making popcorn?” she asked.
That made me sit up. “Do you want some?” I asked hopefully.
She shrugged like she wasn’t truly starving. “I’d eat a few pieces.”
I was on my feet in a second and grabbing my robe off the hook on the back of our door. “I’ll be right back. Don’t fall asleep, or I’ll just wake you,” I warned before I turned and hustled out to the kitchen.
It was just us and our youngest sister, Clemson, at home with our parents now. Our oldest sister, Hannah, married and was expecting her first baby. Any day now, actually. I missed having her around the house but was so happy she found true love and was starting a family. That little girl was going to be the most spoiled baby ever born!
Our second-oldest sister, Agatha, was also newly married and living with her husband. What a story that relationship was! But that man was so good for her, and they were adorable together. She had been on a self-destructive path when they’d met, so I was silently thankful he came into her life when he did.
And not that she needed a man to save her, but she did need someone to get through her stubborn, beautiful, blond head that she was worthy of all the good things in life. We all were.
If I could somehow get that same message through to my twin, I’d be the family hero. That wasn’t a role I actively sought out, but everyone was concerned about Shepperd for one reason or another. I knew the truth, though. Most of her bitterness was an act to keep people at arm’s length. But this starving bullshit had to stop.
Back in our room with a delightfully buttery, salty bowl of goodness, I proclaimed, “I’m back! Sit up, and I’ll brush your hair.”
“I don’t want my hair brushed,” she grumbled from her nest.
“Too bad. Up.” I pulled on the blankets, and she gripped the edge tighter.
“I’m freezing. It’s always so damn cold in this house. Between Mother’s hot flashes and Dad’s general insanity, they keep it way too cold. I swear I can see my breath in the morning.”
Shep sat up, and I placed the bowl in her lap before crawling onto her bed and settling in behind her. Her hair was as long as mine but even thicker. Lately, though, it always looked lifeless and stringy, and I knew it was because of her bad nutrition habits.
I found her brush on her nightstand and started working through the mass one section at a time. “You shouldn’t go to bed with it wet. Look at all these knots,” I advised as I worked.
“Maye. I’m serious. Stop nagging me about, well, shit, about everything. I was exhausted from my workout and just wanted to lie down.”
“Toss me a piece. Let’s see if I can catch it,” I told her instead of agreeing to stop mothering her. She threw a piece in my direction before I could prepare, and the kernel bounced off my cheek and landed on the blanket.
I giggled. “Wait till I’m ready, at least.”
“So how was class for you? Glad to be out for the summer?” she asked, and I smiled behind her. I knew she’d start chatting eventually. I just didn’t understand why she always made me fight through her defenses first.
“Definitely glad I didn’t enroll in anything for the summer session. I’m anxious to find out more about the internship, though. I have a one-on-one with Professor Chaplin tomorrow morning. Now that I got rid of Joel too, I feel so light. So free.”
“I can’t imagine what that would feel like,” she muttered under her breath, but I caught every word. I’d play dumb for a little and see if she’d open up more.
