Page 70 of Lessons in Forgiving
I blinked at her; not a single clue what she was talking about.
Athalia elaborated with a knowing look. “Less cryptic, got it. Let me try again. For… not considering your feelings going into this, I mean. The profile, the interviews, the one-on-one time.”
I immediately understood. Remembered the way he’d suddenly apologized for not considering it a few weeks back.
“Of course that wasn’t him,” I sighed, head falling back like I should’ve known.
I really should have. Henry didn’t have a trace of empathy in him.
“Of course not,” she agreed proudly. “It took me an entire hour to explain it to him, then another hour of scowls because he realized I was right. Which… obviously?” Her nose twitched as if she couldn’t believe he’d doubted her. “And sure,” she sailed on. “He felt like an asshole after, but that’s only because he is!”
I couldn’t help but smile. At how polar the twins were to each other and how much I liked it. How much I liked her. “I’m sorry, usually I know how to shut the fuck up,” she added, seeming to realize it herself.
“I feel like we were meant to meet like this a lot sooner.” The words just slipped out, so honest I was taken aback by them myself.
Athalia nodded grandly, her curtain bangs flying into her face. “I can’t believe you were with Henry for over two years, and he never had the balls to introduce us.” She sounded like she might actually take offense. “We haven’t been all that close after… you know.” Her easy smile dimmed. “But still. He should’ve introduced his sister to his girlfriend, right?”
“I always thought he might be—” For a moment, I hesitated. The next I thought,fuck it. We were sharing. Bonding. I think. “You know. Might be embarrassed because I’m not this rich white girl with generational wealth. That maybe he just didn’t want you to know—”
“Oh my God.” Athalia shook her head. She wouldn’t even let me finish the sentence. “You were never the problem, Paula! Trust me. Henry and I have been weird since the accident. We never talked. We never shared private things. The fact that you never met me probably meant he cared too much, and didn’t want me to mess that up.” She snickered half-heartedly at her own words. “In some weird, fucked-up Henry way. Don’t worry about that.Please.”
The feeling in my stomach, spreading through my chest and perhaps into my cheeks, was unexpected. I didn’t think the thought had sat so heavy on my mind, but I was relieved. Relieved beyond words.
“He did talk about you,” I offered. And her eyes widened, like she really hadn’t expected it. “Sometimes. I know you used to ride horses when you were younger. You hate roses because heaccidentally pushed you into a bush full of them. He wouldn’t have gone to HBU if you hadn’t gotten in.”
“Fuck.” Athalia exhaled. Her face disappeared in her hands. “I can’t believe there’s an entire side to Henry I don’t even know.” Her hands dropped. “I mean, Icanbelieve it. But still. It’s—”
“Weird,” I offered, and she huffed in agreement.
I wasn’t quite sure where that left us now. But with the second moment of silence between us, I took the opportunity to get back to the reason for my visit.
“Anyway,” I began. “I do appreciate you doing this interview. If you’re anything like your brother, I know you don’t usually… like them.”
“Hate them,” Athalia corrected quickly. The sudden smile on her face didn’t match the flat tone of her voice. “But don’t worry. Anything for Henry, right?”
When I went to agree, I could sense another tangent coming at her next words. “Oh! Did you know?” she asked, like she wanted to repay me for what I’d told her about him. “For a solid few months, I actually thought you cheated on Henry. He did, too!”
“What?”
Forget the interview for a moment.What?!
Athalia nodded grandly, brown hair flying. “I know!” she agreed, somehow seeming more outraged than I was. “And all because he saw you with McCa—Dylan. That’s literally it.”
Seeing as we were neighbors, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d seen us together. And I might’ve vented to Dylan about our breakup—because who better to shit-talk your ex-boyfriend with than his sworn enemy?
But—“Talk about jumping to conclusions,” I huffed, still putting the pieces together.
“Oh,” Athalia laughed. “He’s jumping alright.” Her brows rose like she’d just remembered another big thing she needed to talk aboutright now. While the seconds of the recording ticked by. “Whatever happened to that Jack guy?”
That took me by surprise, so much so I drew back from her at the name. “When you said you and Henry are closer now, I didn’t think you meantthisclose. Does he tell you everything?”
She waved the question off. “Only the things he can’t go to anyone else with. Like, you. Or the guys you’re dating.”
“I never dated—” I shook myself out of it. “He talked to you about that?”
The only answer was an unapologetic grin. Like there might be nothing better in the world than gossiping about your brother with his ex-girlfriend. Maybe there wasn’t.
Unfortunately, I’d come to work. And I realized the only way I’d get anything useful out of her was an agreement.
