Page 93 of If My Wishes Came True
His gaze is on mine again, and he must see the worry all over my face. “Look, I know this isn’t easy for you, either, Jenna. Just try not to give up on me, okay?”
I heave a sigh, my eyes stinging. “Okay.” It’s all I can say without bursting into tears.
“Good,” Charlie says, nodding again. But the air hangs heavy between us, and we drive the whole way home in silence.
Seven days later, Christy’s back in town to visit me. I was in tears on the phone while filling her in on the whole Charlie/Nico debacle, and she booked a flight without me even having to ask. She’ll be staying through the art show next weekend, since she has plenty of unused vacation days. She and Kyle never traveled anywhere—not unlike our mom and dad.
To say I’m relieved my sister’s here is the understatement of the year.
I’ve been a nervous wreck counting the seconds until I see Charlie at the art show. That is, if he’s still even planning to come. I have no idea what he’s thinking. He’s a thousand miles away, and we haven’t talked since he drove me home from Vanessa’s and hugged me outside the door of my apartment, while I tried not to cry.
I haven’t even gotten the chance to tell him that I finally made the decision I’ve been agonizing over for weeks: I’ll be showing his portrait at the gallery next Saturday. It’s my grandgesture. My way of telling him that I believe in our love story. That wearemeant-to-be. That Charlie Sutton and I were tied together, somehow, before we even met. And that our run-in at the elevator was destiny.
“What do you think?” My sister walks into the living room wearing a little black dress that barely covers her, um, assets. “Too short?” she asks, scrunching her nose.
I squint at her. “Is that mine?”
She sighs. “Well, we’re going out tonight, and I want to look good. Your clothes are sexier.”
I laugh. “They’re also made for a petite woman, which you are not. You look amazing, though.”
“You really think so?” She smooths the fabric over her stomach.
“I know so,” I insist.
But Christy doesn’t look satisfied.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her. “When we went out for drinks the last time you were in town, you were so carefree and confident. You attracted guys like a magnet.”
She plops down next to me on the couch, pulling down the hem of my tiny dress. “I’ve put on another few pounds since then.”
My forehead creases. “I thought you said you were happy to gain some weight after you stopped marathon training.”
“Well, I was excited about the first five pounds, because I thought the curves looked good on me. But the second five pounds…” She shakes her head. “I’m not so sure anymore. I was in the best shape of my life when Kyle and I were together?—”
“Because of all those long runs you hated,” I remind her.
“I know. But when I was running, I could eat whatever Iwanted without a care. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore,” she goes on, frowning.
“Honestly, Christy…I used to worry about you when you ran that much. You were all skin and bones. I think you look incredible now.”
Her eyes fill with tears. “Well, I don’t feel incredible. That’s why I wanted to borrow your dress. Because it’s stretchy, and all the clothes I brought with me are too tight. I think it’s partially because I’m bloated from my period, but still…I feel disgusting.”
“Oh, Christy,” I say, rubbing her knee. “I always feel disgusting when I’m on my period. Don’t worry, okay? We’re going back to my closet, and we’re going to find a dress that fits you perfectly.”
She leans back on the couch and heaves a sigh. “Okay. But can it be something at least a little sexy? Because?—”
My sister looks away from me, embarrassed.
“Because what?”
Her lip quivers. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m dumping all my issues on you tonight. I’m supposed to be here to support you, not the other way around.”
“Are you kidding? We’re sisters,” I tell her, taking her hand in mine. “We support each other.”
And I have to say, with all the times I’ve leaned on Christy, it feels great to be the supportive sister for once.
“True,” she says with a hint of a smile.
