AllFreeNovel
Share Us
4
Alexis
“Spill it.”
I’ve been staring at the wedding dress design for the past hour, but instead of working on it, my mind has been all over the place.
“I’m trying to figure out how to get this dress more, and I quote, “poufy,” the bride’s words, not mine. If I add more “poufiness,” which I know, isn’t even a word, the groom won’t be able to get close enough to even hold her hand.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. What’s going on?”
I finally look up. Lillian's staring at me with narrowed eyes. Her eyes are so much like mine, just a shade darker.
I’ve deliberately been avoiding her gaze all morning because I can’t hide anything from her, and I know if I say something, she won’t stop until she’s pulled every last detail out of me. Sometimes, having a sister who’s also your best friend and knows you like the back of her hand is a pain in the ass.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I keep my voice bland, hoping she’ll let it go, but I should’ve known better.
“You’ve been off all day, and I haven’t said anything. I know you’re not on your period, so what gives?”
Her phone rings and I think I’m off the hook, but she ignores it, keeping her eyes on me.
“Shouldn’t you get that?”
“Nope. Not important. You’re avoiding my question.”
“I’m older than you. You should show me some respect.” I mock glare at her, trying to stare her down.
“Respect flew out the window the day you rubbed dog poop all over my face.” The glare she gives me is a real one, especially when I laugh.
“Ah, fond memories,” I say, wiping the tears from my eyes. It’s been twenty years, and I can still remember the look on her face and her shrieks when she realized it was poop, not mud.
“For you, maybe,” she mutters, gagging slightly. “Enough trying to avoid the question.”
“How do you know I’m not on my period? Are you tracking me or something? That’s creepy, even for you.”
She rolls her eyes and leans forward. “Just shut up and tell me what’s wrong. I can’t take it anymore. Come on, tell me.”
I sigh what feels like my hundredth sigh of the day and throw my pencil down. It’s useless anyway, seeing that I can’t concentrate. Glancing down, I rub my smudged fingers together, avoiding Lillian’s stare.
“You should have been a lawyer instead of a designer,” I mumble.
I contemplate picking up my bag and just leaving. If it wasn’t for my meeting, I would. Lillian and I talk about anything and everything, but I don’t want to talk about this. I’m not ready. At the moment, it feels like I’m balancing on a tightrope miles up in the air, and talking about it will be the one wrong step that plummets me down to the ground.
I’m not ready yet for that fall, for the pain it will bring, and I don’t know if I will ever be ready, but I know that day is not today.
Maybe I'm being over dramatic. One can hope, right?
Lucas lying to me doesn’t have to mean that he’s cheating. There could be another reason. Maybe he just wanted to cut loose and went on a bender with Eric. His bloodshot eyes on Saturday would prove something like that. Maybe he lied about it because he felt guilty not coming straight home after the flight and his trip away. But wouldn’t Eric have mentioned it on Saturday if they did?
Go on, Alexis, deny, deny, deny, my snarky inner voice whispers.
Lucky for me the door to our little kitchen that doubles as a workspace opens, and June sticks her head through. “Sorry to interrupt, but the bridal party’s arrived for their four o’clock.”
“Thanks, June. You can send them to the lounge. I’ll be there in a minute.” Standing up, I give her a grateful smile, keeping my gaze firmly off Lillian.
When I was younger, it was my dream to go to fashion school. Dad refused to pay for my tuition unless I got a “real degree,” so I studied marketing instead. That was where I met Lucas, so I suppose it wasn’t all bad.
I never gave up on my dream, always sketching designs on whatever paper was available.
