Page 101 of Just the Wrong Twin

He put his phone down, then went to change.

Sheba needed a walk before bed. He whistled and she bounded after him, running back to get her tennis ball.

* * *

Sonia wantedto call Nate after Tuesday’s session aired, but her phone rang before she could.

It was Katia.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed when Sonia answered. “I’m really sorry. When you told me, I thought you were making it up.”

“You apologized before. It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay and now—why did you have to do this now?”

“What was I supposed to do?” Sonia demanded. “Spend my entire life hiding from them? I wanted to do this podcast. I had the opportunity and I took it. It’s a risk but a small one. They don’t watch fitness shows.”

“But they’re coming this weekend. You could have waited a week or two.”

Sonia’s heart jumped. “I’ve waited twelve years, Katia.”

“I know! It just sucks.” Her sister sounded exasperated. “I’m trying to protect you, even though Bucky said I shouldn’t.”

“He did?”

“He said you were strong and that you didn’t need rescuing.” Katia cleared her throat. “He told me to respect you more.”

Sonia smiled that Nate was so resolutely in her corner.

“Are you going to?” Sonia asked, her tone teasing.

“Seriously, Thalia.” Katia spoke with ferocity and Sonia felt a jolt at the sound of her old name. “Seriously. I really blew it. I should have believed you. I thought you just liked cake. That was what Olivia said.”

Of course she had. Sonia felt anger spark at her mother’s betrayal.

“Did he hurt you?”

“Not in a way that many people would count,” Sonia said. “He touched me. He made me go down on him. He told me that no one would believe me if I told.”

“And he was right: I didn’t.” Katia swore. “How often?”

“At least once a week. Sometimes more. I cried a lot, but in hindsight, I think he liked that.”

“That’s why they gave us separate bedrooms,” her twin said. “All that crap about girls needing their own space was just a lie to facilitate him. I could rip his face off right now.” Then she caught her breath. “Do you think Olivia knew?”

They never called Olivia ‘Mom’ or even ‘Mother’ by mutual and silent agreement. The staff hired to watch them had shown more maternal inclinations.

“How could shenotknow?” Sonia asked the question that had haunted her for years.

“How could she look the other way if she did?” Katia demanded. “I should call her and chew her out about it.”

“If you did, she’d just say you were a liar looking for attention,” Sonia said wearily.

“Is that what she said to you?”

“I tried to tell her, way back then.” Sonia admitted. “She yelled and threw dishes and called me names. It was awful.”

“I remember that day,” Katia said. “I wondered what you’d done.”

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