The Sound of Summer

29. Hello, Dommy

"Some girl picked up." Her voice cracks just saying it and it sets another round of tears pouring out of her. At first, I'm not entirely sure I've heard her correctly. Surely I misheard? but I am not mishearing her weeping so I know she said what I think she did.

"What?" I say, stupidly. It's the only thing I can think of. My brother may be many things, but a cheater?

"A fucking girl picked up the phone Lungi! I mean what the actual fuck?" I feel the need to defend him, even though I can see how much it's breaking her. there must be a logical explanation for all of this.

"Claire I am so sorry. I am so so sorry. Let's not think the worst right now, okay? right now we're gonna get some water and coffee in you and then we're gonna get you to bed and sort it out in the morning."

"I can't believe I trusted him! I am so stupid! A fucking idiot for thinking opening up was a good idea. for thinking... anyone could actually give a shit about me. " Her crying calms along with her, but I can feel her sinking in on herself. She wants to close herself off because it's much easier to deal with hurt if you never cared that much, to begin with. Except, obviously she cared a shit ton.

"Please don't say that, Claire. I give a shit, okay? So does Sifiso even if he is doing a really shitty job of it right now. It's all going to be okay in the morning. We'll go talk to him together in the morning, okay?" I lean in and wrap my arms around her tightly. He nestles into my breasts and shakes her head 'no' into them.

"I don't want to talk to him." She says, firmly enough that I know not to bug her. Her and Sifiso will have to talk it through at some point, so I decide not to bug her. She'll go when she's ready to.

"Okay. We don't have to. Anything you need, I've got you, okay? We'll sort it out in the morning." She nestles deeper into my breasts before letting out a long sigh. I can tell the drunk exhaustion is kicking in and all she wants is sleep now. 

"Okay. Can't you and I just be together? I mean fuck we'd save so much time and heartbreak." Her eyes are already starting to close, her sentences coming out slower and slower. I have to smile at the thought. I imagine claire could make a pretty solid girlfriend, though I'm certainly not planning to leave Dom anytime soon. 

"We could be sister wives?" I say after a short while, "I mean the paperwork would be insane, but we could make it work. We could sell the rights to our story to Netflix and make a shit ton of money too," I say trying to ease the mood. Claire takes the bait and chuckles a little bit, but the somber look returns to her face. This time, I know it's not for Sifiso.

"I really wish my dad was here. He'd know exactly what to say to me. Shit, he'd probably beat Sifiso's ass while he was at it." She sounds just like she did when we were ten, the way she'd gush about how much of a hero her father was. My heart aches for her, and I try to find the words to comfort her.

"I think I know what he'd say," I say, before fully thinking it through. I don't know what compels me, but I feel a strong sense of calm and the faint weight of his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"He'd say... now I know the going's getting really tough buttercup, but when you forget who you are, you remember who it is who wiped your diapers clean all those years ago. You're my little girl. My strong, stubborn, sweet, loving little girl." I don't know where the words come from, but from the teary-eyed look on her face, I know I've said the right thing. she curls back into me to hide her tears.

"I miss him so much, Lungi."

"I know. He's always here, Claire. I know that sounds really... broad and unsatisfying but even now, I can feel him with us." The weight I felt earlier on my shoulder grows the slightest bit heavier, almost as if to confirm what I've just said.