Page 45 of The Wrong Sister

She shivers under my lips. “Deal.”

I might have missed Mina’s reaction to our destination if I weren’t so completely distracted by her that I hadn’t let her out of my sight. It’s a miracle I didn’t stumble into oncoming traffic. Music is filtering out from the open courtyard as we approach the Honolulu Museum of Art. Mina’s eyes are as wide as her smile and she’s squeezing my hand as her steps speed up, propelling us toward the door.

“Aloha and E Komo Mai to Art After Dark!”

There are groups of people milling around and a local DJ set up off to one side. We pick our way through the crowd to the Cafe for cocktails and puu-puus, enjoying our bites under a blanket of stars in the open courtyard. Once we’re done eating, we grab another round of cocktails and take to the halls.

“This is wonderful!” Mina holds my hand and keeps her drink in the other. “Getting to walk through the museum in such a laid-back setting, enjoying the art with cocktails and good company? Great date, Griff!”

“I know it’s not quite the MoMa, but…”

She interrupts me with a kiss. “No buts. I love this. And there’s something really cool about being here after hours! It’s like an adult version of Claudia running away from home.”

“From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?”

“I loved that book,” she sighs. “There is a teensy tiny chance that getting to be close to the MET might have played into my decision to move to New York City.”

“Something tells me living at the HoMa wouldn’t quite be the same.”

We keep walking, taking in the newest installations and talking. We talk about art, books that influenced us, museums we miss, and being back home. By the time we make it back around to where we started, our glasses have long been empty and Mina needs the restroom. I agree to take care of our glasses and meet her over by the bathrooms but I get stopped, bumping into another lawyer from my firm on my way across the courtyard, so it takes me a few minutes more than I planned to get over to where Mina should be waiting for me. Except she’s not there. I wait outside for a couple of minutes, on the off-chance that she’s still inside, but the only people that come out are a couple of aunties in old-style muumuus. She doesn’t answer her phone either, but that doesn’t worry me—she probably put it on silent, like I did. It’s the polite thing to do, after all. I’m nearing the front entrance when I hear raised voices, one of them Mina’s, and distinctly angry.

“I don’t know what else I can say to get through to you. I told you I wasn’t interested. I asked you to leave me alone. But you keep showing up!”

I can’t hear what he’s saying but the sound of this guy’s voice makes me want to punch something.

“Waiting outside my work, lurking outside my apartment, following me through my neighborhood, and now this? Why are you here, Troy? I’m on a date, for fuck’s sake!”

His voice is clearer the closer I get to them. “Is it really a date though, when you’re out with the wrong guy? I see what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to make me jealous. Well, bravo, Mina! It worked. Are you happy? You did it. Now stop messing around, you made your point. Tell whoever the newest guy is to take a hike so I can take you home.”

Mina lets out an exasperated growl. “Why won’t you listen to me?! I WILL NEVER GO ANYWHERE WITH YOU! I’m not interested, Troy. I don’t like you. I will never like you. Please, leave me alone!”

I can hear the annoyance in her voice but I’m worried. I don’t think she’s taking him very seriously and this guy is giving me super weird, bad vibes. I come around the corner in time to see him lunge for her. I’m afraid he’s going to try to hurt her but instead, he goes straight for her chest, hands squeezing her breasts while he forces his mouth against hers.Motherfucker!Before I can reach him, she stomps her stiletto into his instep and jabs her arm into his throat. I sprint forward to grab his arms and pull them behind his back, looking at her over his head.

“Are you ok?”

He’s pulling against me and this asshole is stronger than I was expecting.

She nods, swallowing hard and making a gagging noise. “Can you hold onto him for a minute?”

I do, barely, and she calls the police. By the time they arrive, take our statements, assist Mina in filing a restraining order against him, and take him away, Art After Dark has shut down and Mina looks dead on her feet. She leans into me as we walk back to my car, my arm around her.

“I’m so sorry, Griff. This truly was a great date. But I think I want to go home. Alone.”

I wait while she lowers herself into the passenger side seat, then close her door before getting in on my own side. Reaching across I take her hand and bring her knuckles to my lips.

“That’s entirely understandable, Mina. I’m sorry he ruined the end of the night.”

“It’s sort of a relief, oddly,” she muses. “I was starting to feel overly paranoid, like I was losing it. I thought I was seeing Troy everywhere, imagining him in places he wasn’t, and worrying for no reason. At least now I know it wasn’t me. He has been following me. For a long time.”

I squeeze her hand, not wanting to let her go. “I’m just glad it wasn’t worse. And I’m glad you’re safe.”

I walk her up to her door, the sight of her in that dress tinged with sadness now. As if she can read my mind, she looks down at herself, then up at me with a half-smile.

“Maybe we can try again? Some other night?”

Her kiss is timid while her hands cling to me. It feels like a little fear and disappointment slipping through the cracks of her high emotional wall. I wish she was comfortable enough to allow herself to be less thanStrong Minaaround me. One day, maybe.

“No worries, Mina. We’ve got all the time in the world.”

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