Page 79 of Pity Present
I watch as my sister moves her suitcase next to mine before kicking off her shoes and climbing onto my bed. “I’ll share withyou if you want,” she hesitantly offers before patting the mattress next to herself.
I join her and surprise myself by saying, “Thank you.”
“For what?” she goads.
“For your gift,” I tell her. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m offended to the core by it, but I’m grateful. If I wasn’t here, I would have never met Blake.”
“Which is why I want my money back!” Ick. Actual spittle hits my cheek when she yells this.
Shaking my head, I ask, “Are you really this prejudiced against hard working people?”
“I’m not at all prejudiced,” she says. “I don’t care what people do as long as they’re gainfully employed and not making moves on my sister.”
“So, my happiness doesn’t enter into this at all?” I ask.
“Of course it does, but being that I’m the one paying, my happiness matters too.”
“Then go back home and tell Henry you love him. Take care of your own stupid life and stop meddling in mine.” I have never talked to my sister like this before and I’m feeling mighty powerful right now.
“My stupid life?”
“Yes, Ellen. You have your own life to mess up; quit interfering in mine.”
“Well!” she huffs. “How’s that for gratitude?”
I take one of the pillows off the bed and throw it across the room like I’m having a tantrum. “I’d be grateful if you’d leave well enough alone and let me enjoy my gift.”
“I want to meet thiscoffeeman,” Ellen declares. She says the word coffee like it’s a slang term for heroin.
“No.”
“What do you mean, no? You can’t tell me no. I’ll meet him if I want to.”
I know she can make that happen. Especially if she confrontsTrina to get a refund. I suddenly have an idea. “I’ll introduce you to Blake, but first you have to do something for me.”
“What?”
“You have to come into town with me. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Are you high?”
“Don’t be insulting, Ellen,” I tell her. “Come into town with me, and when we get back, I’ll introduce you to Blake.”
My sister exhales like she’s trying to hurl a wad of gum across the room. Then she gets up from the bed and grabs her shoes. “Fine, let’s go.”
I slide into my loafers and take my coat off the hanger. On the way downstairs, I tell Ellen, “Elk Lake is adorable. You’ll love it.” She simply grumbles and huffs alongside me.
When we get to the lobby, I discover that the shuttle is waiting out front. We get in and it’s Paul from my first couple of rides. “Hey, Paul,” I tell him. “My sister and I are going to Bride’s Paradise on Main Street.”
He smiles kindly. “Sounds good. Will you need more than an hour?”
“Probably not,” I tell him. “But I’ll call the lodge if we do.”
Ellen doesn’t say a word to me as we drive into town, so I jabber on like I’m her personal tour guide. “Elk Lake decorates like it’s the North Pole. They seriously outdo themselves. Dad would love it!”
Ellen doesn’t deign to speak until Paul pulls over in front of the store. “So, you’ve decided to marry this coffee maker?”
“What? No!” She is truly acting ridiculous.
