Page 49 of Songs of Summer

“At this point, you will no longer stir the paella!”

When the rice was cooked, they added the seafood, topped the dish with peas, and cooked it for another five minutes or so.

And that was it! The house smelled delicious, like a savory memory.

When it was finally time to go upstairs to get ready, Bea admitted, “This was really nice, Veronica. Brace yourself: I’m going to say something sweet.” She took V’s hands in hersand declared, “I think it’s time we put the past behind us, and not just for Daddy’s sake. I’m glad you came this weekend. I’m even going to ask Renee to officially invite you to the wedding.”

As per usual, just when she let her in, Bea was quick to regret it. The floodgates opened and Veronica wept.

“I’m sorry,” she managed, snot now mixing with the tears running down her face. Bea couldn’t bring herself to comfort her. She knew one hug would do wonders for her sobbing sister, but Veronica playing the victim card was number one on the list of traits that Bea detested in her sister. She couldn’t give in to it.

“I’ve waited so long for you to forgive me,” Veronica continued. “You have no idea how I have dreamed of this moment.”

Beatrix let loose an eye roll—not one of her bigger ones, but it did not escape her sister’s notice.

“Go ahead, Bea, roll your eyes, but no one loves you and looks up to you like I do. No one.”

Her words gave Bea pause. Veronica didn’t give her a chance to respond, however, and continued in her steamroller style.

“Do you know what it was like for you not to come to my wedding?” she sobbed.

“What are you talking about? You eloped.”

“I eloped because Mom and Dad were shattered by the thought of you not being there. And I knew I would spend my whole wedding day heartbroken.”

“I was still feeling very raw.”

“It was years after it happened.”

“Well, I’m sorry.”

Bea could have admitted she’d been jealous, but hoped her apology was enough to put an end to the pity fest. It wasn’t. Apparently Veronica had a list.

“Every year, on my birthday, I spend half the day checking my emails to see if you sent me one. The constant chatter in my brain: Is she purposefully trying to hurt me? Does she even remember that it’s my birthday?”

“Of course I remember your birthday.”

“Then why don’t you ever reach out to me? It’s been thirty years since you’ve wished me a happy birthday.”

“You know what you don’t seem to get? It’s not just because you screwed the one guy out here who was ever into me, which had cataclysmic repercussions that fueled a lifetime of rumination and regret. It’s because you chose the attention—your insurmountable need for attention—over me, your sister, your loyal devoted sister.”

“And I’ve paid the price a hundred times since. You’ve punished me over and over with your caustic words and total abandonment.”

“Stop acting like the victim, Veronica! I am the victim!”

Paul, who’d returned from the beach an hour earlier to find the two sisters cooking to the soundtrack fromPippin, came running down the stairs, intent on defusing the situation. Shep entered from the back deck, and instead of remembering that he was the reason for their ceasefire, Veronica doubled down, guns blazing.

“You know what, Daddy?” she said in a biting tone.

He didn’t respond; he just backed up against the wall, clearly bracing himself for what was next.

“You always favored Bea. Maybe that’s why I looked everywhere else for male approval! There, I finally said it!”

“Of course, nothing is ever your fault,” Bea chided her.

Veronica shot her a death stare and stormed out.

“Just let her go. She’ll come back when she cools off. She always does,” Shep advised.

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