Page 65 of The Truth About Love

I don’t answer, but motion with my hand for her to go ahead.

“I think it might be time to look at maybe going into inpatient care.”

“No.”

“Please, just hear me out,” she begs. “I know it’s not an idea you like the sound of, but I can’t be what you need, Sum. I’m trying, I am, but I’m not trained in this shit, I don’t know what I’m doing and you need someone who does.”

“I said no,” I say through gritted teeth. The last thing I want to do is snap at her right now, but rage at the suggestion flares within me.

“Summer, please, just think about it.”

“No,” I bite. “I get it, I can’t stay with you anymore, but I’m not gonna let you ship me off to some fucking nuthouse, okay? We’re done talking about it now.”

I shift myself in the bed to angle my body away from her and do my best to ignore the quiet sounds of her crying and the guilt gnawing at my heart.

***

Sometime after the door stopped revolving, I must have fallen asleep, because I wake to the sound of hushed voices. I know without looking that they belong to my sister and her husband, Ben. They’re whispering, but I can hear the hostility between them and the bite in their tone as loudly as if they were speaking at a normal volume.

They’re arguing.

Perhaps it isn’t the right thing to do, but at the sound of my name I keep my eyes closed and pretend to still be sleeping.

“Summer’s my sister, Ben.” Winter’s voice is shaky, like she’s whispering while crying. “I can’t just turn my back on her.”

“I’m not asking you to turn your back on her, Winter, but things have gone too far now. I don’t want her round the boys anymore. This shit is affecting them, you know that as well as I do.”

“So, you want me to just turn her out onto the streets?”

“Of course not, but the kids should be our priority and I’m putting my foot down. She can’t stay with us anymore.”

Winter chokes on a sob. “Where the fuck do you expect her to go?”

“I don’t know.” He scoffs, his exasperation evident. “Your parents? Rehab? Back to her own fucking apartment?”

“Christ, Ben. Our parents didn’t even look after her as a kid, they’re not going to be interested in helping her now. And rehab? You know I’ve spoken to her about it and she’s adamant that she won’t go. Not now. Not ever.”

“Her apartment then. It’s been sitting there unoccupied for months now, she may as well get her fucking money’s worth.”

“And who will look after her? The doctor says she can’t go home unless there’s someone around to keep an eye on her.”

“Fucking hell, Winter. Just hire some nurses or something. You’ve got all that trust fund money rotting in your bank account, it’s not like you’re using it for anything else.”

I hear Winter gasp. “Oh? Apart from the house that you live in and the car that you drive?”

“You fucking love throwing that in my face, don’t you?” He pauses. “She’s not staying with us anymore and that’s final.”

“God, you’re such an asshole.”

“Why? Because I want what’s best for my children?” Ben releases a dark laugh. “Fuck, maybe it would have been better for everyone if she’d actually died.”

The sound of the resulting slap is deafening and echoes hauntingly around the room.

“If you don’t want a divorce, then I suggest you never say anything like that about my sister again.”

Angry footsteps storm across the room, followed by the sound of the door slamming. And then silence.

But I know my sister is still there. I can feel the anger, sadness and frustration rolling off of her and my fingers twitch to reach out for her, but if I were to do so then she’d know I’ve been awake and listening this entire time. And it would break her heart if she knew that I’d overheard it all. Especially Ben’s parting words.

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