The Retribution Chronicles

M i r i a m | t w e l v e

The first thing Miriam noticed about her elder sister was the large splotch of red on the hem of her sheer, linen t-shirt. The second was the emerald glittering on her ring finger. So large, for a moment it seemed to swallow the appendage whole. "He proposed?" Miriam squealed, jumping from foot to foot like a child receiving their first Barbie.

Esther's hand squeezed into a fist and disappeared behind her back while she closed her eyes tight and grimaced. "Fuck," she whispered.

"What do you mean?" Miriam threw her arms around Esther's sweaty frame and squeezed so tight her sister begged for release. "This is a good thing, isn't it?" she asked.

Esther placed her hand at arms-length and stared down at the glittering gem, smile soft and almost disbelieving. "Yeah." Her gaze lifted. "It is."

Wes chose this moment to congratulate her, and Miriam was forced to sidestep out of her sister's meteoric leap across the threshold. She and Wes hugged, rocking from side to side while Esther complimented his t-shirt, and he returned the favour to the ring.

"It's just a ring," she said, waving them in. "I'm more impressed with how Darren proposed. Honestly, I didn't think he could do something like that."

"Was it romantic?" Miriam asked while kicking off her trainers. "Please tell me it was romantic."

Esther began to nod then quickly shook her head. "I've already said too much. We're planning a whole thing in a couple weeks so you two need to keep this to yourselves. If Mum finds out anyone knew before her, let alone you guys, she'll kill us all."

Wes ran his fingers along his mouth like a zipper at the exact same time Miriam did; they both chucked the key over their shoulder. "We won't say a word," Miriam added for good measure.

"Good, because tonight is all about Dad."

"And on that note, what do you need me to do?" Miriam asked.

"Us," Wes corrected. "What do you need us to do?"

"You two are the sweetest," Esther cooed, "but honestly I have everything under cont—"

Esther's phone rang. She answered, hurrying into the living room and leaving Miriam and Wes in the hallway where they finished hanging up their coats. Wes' slipped off the peg just as Esther stuck her head out. "Change of plan," she said a little too quickly. "Did either of you drive?"

Wes raised his hand.

"Lost the coin toss?" Esther grinned.

He nodded, then added, "It was probably for the best anyway."

"Probably," she said with a wink. "Mer's driving is diabolical."

"One," Miriam grimaced, "I'm standing right here, and two, is there some kind of point to this?"

"Oh yeah." Esther closed her eyes for three whole seconds. "Could you guys pick up the cake?" she asked.

"The cake?" Miriam frowned.

"Darren was supposed to do it, but he has this work thing tonight, and I forgot, and the bakery just called. They're closing in forty-five minutes."

"Where is it?" Miriam asked.

"Just off Portobello Road."

Wes sucked in a breath. "I'll drive," he said. "Parking round there is tight."

Miriam elbowed him sharply and he yelped before throwing an arm over her shoulder and tugging her close. Esther simply rolled her eyes before pulling her phone out of her back pocket. "There," she said with a self-satisfied smile, "I've sent you the collection details. Just be quick."