Page 75 of The Rebound
Jess peers down the street, one hand to her forehead as she blocks out the sun.
“A friend,” I say, clearing my throat. “I think she might be coming to stay for a few days.”
“She’s doingwhat?”
“Guess who!”The shout is accompanied by a very loud honk of the horn and I immediately think of poor Tomasz in the house, trying to sleep. Jess steps out, waving enthusiastically, as Louise pulls into the drive.
“She’s staying here?” Louise asks.
“Probably.”
“We don’t have any clean sheets.”
“I’ll clean them.”
“Or spare towels.”
“I’ll spare them.”
“Abby!”
“Yell at me later,” I hiss, unbuckling my seat belt. “And this is not my fault. I told her not to come.” I get out as Jess runs toward me, moving like she’s in a pair of Nikes rather than her heeled boots.
“Jessica?”
Her arms fly out. “Surpriiise!”
“Yes, it is,” I sing through clenched teeth. “What are you doing here?”
She wraps an arm around my shoulders, both of us still smiling as we talk in low voices. “I knew if I told you I was coming, you’d think of an excuse. It’s much better to put people on the spot when you want things to go your way.”
“Hilarious. I’m going to kill you.”
“Like I haven’t heard that before. You must be Louise!”
Jess pushes me to the side as Louise joins us, pulling my sister in for a hug.
“We talked on the phone, remember? Your hair is even prettier in person. Hi! Tomasz, right?”
The three of us turn toward the porch where a bewildered, and still a little sleepy, Tomasz gapes at her. It’s not that I don’t understand. Even in jeans and a T-shirt, Jess looks like a movie star who’s just stepped off set. In Clonard she sticks out like a sore thumb. And while other people might feel self-conscious about that, I know Jess would only thrive.
“I brought gifts!” she announces with a luminous smile, staring at me until I sigh.
We head into the house as Jess doles out the expensive wine and boxes of chocolate, barely letting us get a word in as she chats endlessly about “what a lovely home” Louise has and how she “hoped she wouldn’t be too much trouble.”
There’s an obligatory cup of coffee in the kitchen, where she tells us about her flight and her drive down and then, like a child bringing home a friend after school, I shepherd her up the stairs and into my bedroom so I can yell at her for not giving me a heads-up.
As soon as she stepped out of the car, I knew why I was so against her coming. I don’t want Jess here. I want her in a cocktail bar overlooking the Manhattan skyline. I want her in some bougie thrift store looking for vintage dresses. Ineedher there. I need something in my life to remain unchanged. Her presence only makes everything here seem duller. Grayer. And that includes me.
And I’m furious that she still doesn’t get that.
“I know,” she says as soon I shut the door. “And I’m sorry but I’m also not sorry.”
“You couldn’t have at least given me anhour’snotice? Louise’s patience with me is thin enough as it is.”
“She’ll get over it.”
“That’s not the point,” I snap. “What the hell are you doing here?”
