Page 22 of Welcome to Forever
Chapter 6
Kat watched her younger sister park and step out of her little Honda Civic. Julie was an inch taller than she was, which had always grated on Kat’s nerves growing up, and a little tanner, thanks to her morning yoga routine, which she did outside. Even so, people had always mistaken them for twins. They were nearly identical, on the outside at least. Personality wise, they were worlds different.
Julie’s gaze flicked toward the window.
Spotted.Straightening, Kat guessed she had to help with her sister’s bags now. There couldn’t be more than a couple. Julie was only staying for a weekend because she had to get back to her job as a yoga instructor at her boyfriend’s health club in Charlotte.
“Julie!” Kat was surprised by the genuine enthusiasm that rolled off her as she bounded down the steps and toward the car in her driveway.
Setting her bags down, Julie opened her arms, looking genuinely happy to see her, too. Of course, Julie was always happy to see everyone. Other than Val, she didn’t have any enemies. Growing up, Kat would’ve said that her younger sister was perfect, or as close to perfection as it came.
“Hey, sis!” Julie stepped back and gave Kat an assessing look. “How are you?”
With a close-up look, Kat could ask the same. “I’m good. You?”
Julie brushed her hair from her face, seeming to breathe in the air around her. “The drive was a long one, but it feels good to be home.”
That was a statement that Kat never thought she’d hear her sister say. Julie had gone away to college right after high school and, while she was religious about making the obligatory holiday visits, she rarely came back to Seaside otherwise. Which raised all kinds of questions about what she was doing here now. Before Kat could ask, though, Julie popped the trunk of her car and Kat stared with her mouth agape at the one, two, three, four…six bags in the trunk. A car this small shouldn’t even hold six bags.
“Let’s just get these to my room and then we can catch up,” Julie said, heaving a duffel bag over her shoulder.
Her room?
Kat had envisioned Julie taking the couch. There was no spare room here. Unless Julie stayed in the master bedroom, where John’s things still resided. Kat hadn’t slept there in over two years—since she’d been notified that he was killed in action. That room had been theirs together. How could she sleep there knowing John was never coming home?
Julie’s gaze lowered as Kat twisted the engagement ring on her finger, the concern etching itself deeper into the fine lines of her face. Then she lugged another bag on her shoulder and started walking toward the front door.
Kat followed her inside. “Just how long will you be staying exactly?”
As if she didn’t hear her, her sister continued walking down the hall, poking her head into both rooms, and then heading inside the master. “I assume you’re using the one that looks lived in, so I’ll camp out here if that’s okay.” A smile brightened her face as she plopped down on the king-sized bed and looked at Kat.
“You can’t stay in this room. And please get off the bed,” she said, her tone becoming the one she used when disciplining her students—polite but pointed. She refused to put Julie’s luggage down in this room. It was off-limits.
“This was your room with John,” Julie said, not budging. Her eyes tilted sympathetically.
Kat hated when people’s eyes slanted in pity. “Stop that.”
“Stop what?” Julie asked, the slant diving deeper.
“Looking at me like I’m not okay. I am okay. Just because I don’t use this room, or that bed anymore, doesn’t mean anything.”
“I know.” Julie nodded. “Have you even touched this bed since he’s been gone?”
Not since she’d gotten the call from John’s sobbing mother, informing her that they’d identified his body. “Please, just get up,” Kat snapped, trying her best not to sound like a royal bitch. “You can sleep somewhere else. I’ll give you my room and I’ll take the couch.”
Julie stood, shaking her head. “I’m not kicking you out of your own room. If anyone is taking the couch, it’s me. The couch will be perfect, actually.” She lifted her bags and started back down the hall. “Are you at least going to therapy?” she asked.
Kat didn’t answer. Work was her therapy. And Val.
“You never were good at taking care of yourself. Too busy taking care of everyone else around you,” Julie continued.
Kat huffed, doing her best to keep up as Julie strode directly toward the kitchen. “I’m taking care of myself. You don’t even live here. You have no idea if I’m taking care of myself or not. Which I am.” Kat rested her hands on her hips, her brows lowering as she watched Julie open the refrigerator and peer inside. “What are you doing?”
“Seeing just how well you take care of yourself.” Julie glanced over her shoulder. “You’re living off cold pizza and mustard?”
Point taken.
“Kirk’s pizza is the best,” Kat said weakly, as if that were a viable defense.
