Page 92 of You Spin Me

She introduces her older sister Abigail and her father in a tone that manages to balance prim with bossy. She’s definitely cut from the same cloth as her auntie.

This performance seems to shake out the discomfort for everyone. When Mrs. Abraham announces that brunch is almost ready and I ask for directions to the bathroom so I can wash up, Jess shows me the way.

“I’m sorry, Cal. I told my parents about you, but I guess the message didn’t make it to the kids.”

“It’s okay. I’m bigger than Tami. I knew I could take her if I had to.”

She rolls her eyes but then adds, “I’m also sorry for ambushing you about the other thing. That you’re the first boyfriend I’ve brought home.”

I run a finger lightly across her lips. “Did you just call me your boyfriend?”

She raises her chin. “Yes, I believe I did.”

“Well, that makes it all worth it.” After checking to make sure we’re alone, I lean down to kiss her, to get a taste of the only thing I’m hungry for of late. But I have to keep it brief or I’ll never stop, so I pull back and murmur, “Thank you.”

Her brows arch in question as she meets my gaze.

“For”—my hands flap at my sides as I dig deep—“for all of it.”

When the smile that feels like it’s made for me takes over her face, she’s so beautiful my heart stops. Probably because all the blood in my body’s fled south. I need to be skin to skin with this woman. As soon as possible. “Will you come over tonight after your show?”

Somehow, her smile grows even wider. “I’d love to.” Then she gives me another quick kiss before skipping down the hall away from me.

Skipping.

This woman.

JESS

After Cal leaves my parents’ place, after a brunch that went relatively smoothly despite what could’ve been a disastrous start, my sister catches me on the way out the door.

“Are you doing okay, Jess?”

My dad already grilled me about my finances, and I was happy to be able to report that I’m mostly back on track. But my sister’s concern seems to be about something else. “Listen, I know Cal isn’t Jewish, but he is special to me, so please let’s not argue about that yet. It’s pretty new, and who knows where it’ll go. I mean, we did talk about it, and he did say something about how beautiful our kids would be?—”

Esther stops my babbling by circling my wrist with her thumb and forefinger. “I’m worried about your weight. Are you… getting into bad habits?”

Sometimes I feel like my family watches me like I’m some sort of zoo animal. It’s hard not to get defensive, so I count to five and paste on a smile before answering. “I’m fine, Es. I have to stay trim?—”

“But you’re not dancing professionally, Jess.”

“Not for that.” My tone comes out harsher than I meant it to, and I have to make an effort to soften it. “I know you don’t really watch TV, but if I want to land a national commercial or a guest spot on a movie or TV show shooting here, I have to be competitive. And that means being thin. The camera adds twenty pounds or something.”

Her frown says she’s not convinced.

“But I am eating healthily.”

When she sighs, she sounds like our mom.

“I promise. Now stop mothering me.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She pulls me into a pillowy, motherly hug. “You scared me when you were fifteen. A lot. I’m always afraid it’ll happen again.”

“It’s okay,” I whisper, to her and to myself. “I’m fine.”

If I didn’t feel like she’d haul me off to do a bunch of tests I’d confess to my sister that I have been feeling a bit under the weather. Anyway, my dressing room buddy Lanie was battling some sort of stomach bug last week, so it’s probably that. Losing weight because I’m too nauseous to eat does not mean I’m anorexic again.

For once in my life, I’m actually really happy. If only my family, and my body, would let me simply enjoy it.

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