Page 47 of Sweet Disaster
I’m the one who would run naked in the street on a dare and she’d be the one chasing after me with a bathrobe and slippers to limit my exposure.
The phone rings twice and she answers with her bright and cheery hello.
“How’s it going, Sissy?”
Just the sound of her voice on the line makes me feel whole. We shared a womb, for heaven’s sake. I’ll never be able to dislodge myself from her. I don’t make sense without her in my life.
If this trip has done anything, it’s made me realize that no matter how far away I am, or how much time and effort I put into finding myself, there is nomewithouther.
“Buon giorno, bella!”
Kylah giggles her sweet little laugh and my smile broadens. I just want to wrap her up in my arms and hug the shit out of her.
“Hi, K,” she responds.
“I’m in Rome now.”
“No way! I’m so jealous. Have you gone to the Colosseum yet? Or the Vatican? Or the Sistine Chapel? Oh my God, or the Trevi Fountain? Or…”
The laugh that bubbles up from the bottom of my tummy is loud and drowns out whatever she says next.
This is my sister…the one who has a passion for reading about history, art and cultures, where I live to experience it.
“Slow your roll, Indiana Jones. I haven’t dug up any artifacts just yet.”
Kylah joins in my laughter, reminding me of when we were ten-year-old kids and watched all the Indie movies back-to-back when we had chickenpox. That next day, Ky informed our parents that she was moving to Egypt and was going to become an archeologist just like Professor Jones. And for two full weeks, she dressed in beige fatigues and carried a little map and compass with her where ever she went.
I give her a half-hearted huff. “Will you let me finish?”
“Sorry, go ahead. I just got so excited,” she apologizes.
“Well, it was kind of on a whim that we came down here…”
“We? Are you still hanging with Gavin? Or did you meet up with Izzy again?”
“Yeah, it’s just me and Gavin.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet…wait,” she pauses, her wheels turning.“You slept with him, didn’t you?”
It’s not an accusation, per se, but I know Ky is much more reserved in her sexual freedom and expression than I am. She’d just lost her virginity this past year and has only been with Van, her boyfriend.
Me, on the other hand, well, I could write a book.
My eyes lift across the courtyard to find Gavin amiably chatting with some tourists gathered around him. They appear to be asking for his autograph. I also notice three young women hovering close, as well. He must sense my stare, because our gazes lock and even from this distance, I can see everything he’s telling me from afar.
Don’t worry. I’m with you.
The tension I didn’t even know was there dissipates and I’m calmed with his presence. I’m not sure where the jealousy stemmed from. I’ve never had those tendencies before. I guess I never cared enough to feel possessive about a guy. This is twice now I’ve seen women hitting on him and the jealousy is irritating.
But just like earlier when the Italian woman was hitting on him in the café, Gavin is quick to make it clear that he isn’t interested in anyone else. Not while I’m with him.
“I don’t know what you want me to say,” I begin, my words tumbling out. “Yes, we’ve slept together. But it’s different with him. I know it’s only just a short-lived fling, but I kinda feel…”
My sister gasps. “What?”
“I don’t know. It just feels different with Gavin.”
There’s silence on the other end as Kylah processes what she’s just heard. In all the sage relationship advice I’ve given her over the years, most of which was just juvenile drivel, I’ve always proclaimed that falling in love is the most dangerous thing a girl can do.
