Page 51 of If My Wishes Came True
Sam leans back in her chair. “Well, if you change your mind about the hot grad student, let me know. And if you don’t change your mind…well, let me know that, too, because I might go after him when I’m done with the barista.” She winks at Vanessa, like she’s joking, but I’d be willing to bet she’s not.
“Will do,” Vanessa says with a laugh. “And thank you both for listening. I appreciate it.”
“That’s what friends are for,” Sam replies with a sincere tilt of her head.
“It’s true. Whatever you need, we’re here to help,” I say, squeezing Vanessa’s hand. “I mean that.”
After what she did—taking care of me when I broke down, and finding Esther for me—I wouldn’t think twice about giving her one of my kidneys, if she needed it. I love her like a sister.
Which reminds me. I have an actual sister in New York whose calls I’ve been avoiding for two weeks…
And she deserves an apology.
After Sam, Vanessa, and I polish off this bottle of wine, I’m going home, and straight to bed. Christy usually calls me at 8:00 a.m. on Sundays, but I want to be the one to reach outfirst this time.
I owe her so much more than that. But it’s a start, at least.
When Christy answers the phone the following morning, her voice is riddled with anxiety. “Jenna? Are you okay?”
Normally, this type of greeting would trigger me, and I’d respond sounding annoyed or defensive. But today, all it does is make my heart ache for worrying my little sister so much over the last several years.
“As a matter of fact, I’m feeling better than I have in a very long time,” I tell her. “And I have you to thank for that.”
“What? Really? Um…why?” she says, sounding as confused as I expected her to. Our conversations tend to be a lot more tense than this, even right off the bat.
“I finally took your advice and started seeing a therapist. You were right that I needed help processing my grief over Hunter’s death.” A wave of relief hits me as soon as I get the words off my chest. “Do you remember the new friend I mentioned? Vanessa?”
“The social worker?” my sister asks.
“Yup. She found me an amazing therapist, and I’ve been going twice a week.
“Oh, Jenna.”
That’s all she gets out before she starts sniffling and crying into the phone. I don’t have to see her face to know her tears come from joy.
“Christy,I’m so sorry for?—”
“You have nothing to apologize for. You were twenty-two, and lost your first love. Of course you were devastated. I only wanted you to know that you didn’t have to deal with your pain all alone.” A sob escapes her before she continues. “I just hope you didn’t think I was trying to offload you onto a therapist because I thought you were a burden. I promise that was never my intention.”
My eyes well up. “Of course not. And I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I think I was just embarrassed because you had to take care of me for months. I’m sure you didn’t mind—butIdid. You’re my little sister, and you’re always the one looking out for me. You’re the one who has it all together, with the dream job and the serious relationship. I know I shouldn’t compare our lives…but I did, and I felt like such a mess.”
Christy’s quiet for several seconds before she starts crying again.
“What’s wrong?” I ask. This time, her sobs don’t sound happy.
“I’m the real mess,” she nearly whispers through tears.
My brow furrows. “Huh?”
My sister takes a ragged breath. “I may have a dream job—but the serious relationship? Not so much. I, um…broke up with Kyle.”
“Oh, no!” I gasp. “I’m so sorry. And shocked…honestly.” Christy and Kyle have been practically glued to each other for eight years. They did everything together. Exercising, and cooking, and shopping for groceries. They were like an old married couple. I always imagined they would be, one day. “When did this happen?”
Christy sighs. “About a month ago.”
“Wait…what?”
“It might be closer to five weeks now, actually.”
