Page 41 of The Sun Sister
‘Was I? So how did I grow dumber rather than smarter? You know how I flunked all my exams at school.’
‘I don’t think you cared about them, so you didn’t do any work.’
‘True,’ I said. ‘Maia? Can I get some coffee, do you think? I’m feeling real woozy.’
‘Of course. With or without caffeine?’
‘Definitely with,’ I answered as she reached for the phone. ‘That healthy shit I was into last time I saw you was only for Mitch. His body was a temple.’
‘Really?’ Maia said as she waited for room service to answer. ‘I saw a photo of him in a magazine and he looked more like an old wreck.’
As Maia ordered the coffee, I chuckled, but then the chuckle turned into a groan, which turned into sobbing.
‘Hey,’ she said softly, ‘what is it?’
‘Oh, just...everything,’ I shrugged as the tears streamed down my cheeks. ‘Mostly Mitch, I guess. I’m not in a good place right now.’
‘I understand, darling. And I suppose you can never show it, can you?’
‘Too right I can’t. The media would have a fiesta and I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me.’
‘Well, I’m not a newspaper, just your sister, who loves you. Come here.’
Maia pulled me into her arms and I breathed in the lovely natural scent of her skin.
‘This feels like home,’ I smiled.
‘That’s a nice thing to say.’
‘You know, I went back to Atlantis a few weeks ago and it didn’t feel like home.’ I shook my head vehemently. ‘It didn’t feel like home at all.’
‘I know, Electra. It’s because Pa’s gone.’
‘It’s not just him who’s gone, but all you guys too. It’s kind of sad being there with just Ma and Claudia.’
‘But Ally said you saw her and you met Bear.’
‘Yeah, he’s very cute. She’s lucky she has something to love, and to love her. I...don’t. I don’t have anyone.’
I cried real hard then, right onto Maia’s white shirt that smelt all fresh and calm, just like her.
‘Sorry, I’m being self-indulgent, it’s the...stuff I took.’
I realised it was the first time I’d actually voiced the words to anyone close to me.
‘I know.’
‘Also,’ I said, wiping my dripping nose, ‘I just want to say sorry for being evil to you when I came home to Atlantis after Pa had died.’
‘Were you? I don’t remember.’
‘Yeah, I was. I said it didn’t matter what you looked like because you never saw a person from one month to the next. I didn’t mean it, Maia, really I didn’t. You’re so sweet and good and perfect – all the things I’m not.’
The doorbell rang and Maia went to get the coffee from the waiter.
‘Here you are,’ she said as she handed it to me. As I sat up, my head thundered and I felt sick, so I lay back down again.
‘Maybe in a minute.’
