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“Yeah, it should be. Rob said he'd have someone come out this morning. Electricity is good, too,” I say, reaching out and flipping the switch for the overhead lights.
“Perfect,” she smiles one of the first real smiles I've seen on her in ages. “I'll get these sheets in the wash and then we can get to work.”
I help her remove the sheets before starting on the front windows. The glass is so cloudy, it’s a wonder any light manages to get in.
I'm about halfway through the windows along the front of the house when I notice my cousin’s blue Lexus pulling up the driveway. I wasn't aware that she was going to be coming out today, but I'm thankful for it. I haven't had the opportunity to talk to Madelyn since the night I found everything out.
I toss down the soddened crumple of newspaper and make my way out front.
Mads steps out, hair in a high pony and dressed in a black and white baseball tee and an old pair of blue jeans.
She bites the inside of her cheek as she approaches me, her eyes downcast.
“Hey, I didn't know you were coming out today,” I say.
“Yeah, my dad may have mentioned a little of what's been going on this last week,” she says sheepishly.
I have no idea what’s going on in her head right now, but if it's anything close to what I felt like after finding out my whole childhood was practically a lie, then I want to try to ease her discomfort.
“Listen, I know that everything has been really crazy, since…” I gesture widely, as if to encompass everything.
“Since you found out my dad is also your dad, which makes us a hell of a lot closer than we ever thought we were?” she says, effectively breaking the tension.
“Yeah, that. Hope you’re cool with having a brother. I think it’s a little late for any returns, not to mention I doubt very seriously anyone kept a receipt,” I say, and she laughs.
A warmth spreads through my chest, and it feels good to know that even without voicing it, Maddie and I are going to survive this chaos. Hell, we may get even closer because of it.
“Even if they did, you know you’d have thrown it out the second you found one,” she shoves me in the shoulder and I reach out, looping an arm around her neck and pulling her in, scrubbing my hand over the top of her head.
“Bodhi,” she yells from beneath my arm, and I release her, smiling brightly.
“Get used to it,” I say, and she glares up at me.
“Ugh, is this a brother thing?” she sighs, but the twinkle in her eye is enough to tell me she secretly loves this, despite the secrets and lies that were kept from us all this time.
“Pretty much,” I shrug.
She pulls the elastic from her hair, smoothing all the fly aways down before securing it atop her head.
“But seriously, I know we both just found this out, and I’m glad you aren’t mad at me over any of it, but please don’t take any of this out on my mom,” I request.
She sobers then, and I can see in her eyes that this is a sore spot for her.
“Is she here?” Maddie asks.
“Yes, and I understand if you don’t want to see her right now, but somehow I think this has all been just as hard on her,” I say.
Her head snaps back, looking at me like I’m crazy for defending my mom, but I know that she doesn’t have the whole story, so I let it slide.
“You’re defending her?”
“Yes, I am. Maddie… everything happened years before your parents met, so really, she didn’t do anything wrong,” I say, but her stern expression says she doesn’t feel that way.
“I get it. If you brush it off, it feels like a betrayal to your mom,” I say. Her expression softens and I know I’ve got it right. “But it’s in the past, and I think that’s where we need to leave it. It sucks that they lied to us, but being mad won’t change anything.”
Her eyes start to water, and I pull her into a big bear hug. “You’re still my favorite cousin, only now you’ve been upgraded to the sister package,” I say.
She shakes with laughter against my chest, and I rub a soothing circle over her back before leaning her back to smile at her.
