Mismatched Socks

Juliette - Chapter 27: Ms. Plastic

I pick up my phone and all I can hear is sobbing. 'Renée? Are you okay?' I ask. Surprised that she called me in a sad moment, I go to my room to listen what she has to say, leaving my father and Mathieu alone in the living room.

'Sophia and I broke up.' My heart stops beating for a moment hearing that sentence. I did not thought that would ever be possible. 'When was that?' I ask carefully. 'Two weeks ago. I have been a mess, I couldn't say it out loud, I could not believe it.' I want to hug her so badly now.

'Juliette, can you make the pain stop?' She starts crying again? 'I can't,' I sigh and take a seat on my bed. It breaks my heart that I can't help her and be there for her. She wasn't this heartbroken when her relationship with Kai ended. After a while she tells me what happened and starts to calm down, as if hearing it from herself makes it easier to process.

Mathieu knocks on my open door and mouths: 'What's wrong?' I pat on the bed. My brother takes a seat and listens to the phone as I put it on speaker. Renée is still explaining. '... and then she said she wanted to break up. That night was awful. I offered to sleep on the couch, because I wanted her to be comfortable on her last night. She started a whole fight about it. And the next they at the airport, she didn't even look at me when she said goodbye.'

I lean my head on Matt's shoulder, while I listen to Renée ranting about how these last two weeks were. 'Why didn't you tell us sooner?' Matt's question hangs in the air. Renée probably thinks about why he's answering the phone. 'She was too devastated to say it out loud,' I explain. Mathieu nods understanding the situation.

'How are things at home?' Renée changes the subject like it's nothing. 'It's alright. We miss you,' Matt says. 'Yes, it's quiet without you.' Renée chuckles. 'How is papa holding up?' Mathieu starts laughing. 'Our father is our father. He did got a job at a vet clinic, so he can finally do what he loves,' I say. 'Oh yeah! He told me about that. I am really happy for him.'

'We think he's in love,' Mathieu blurts out. 'Oh really?' Renée asks surprised. 'Well, he has been "meeting up with his coworkers" a lot lately, even when he wasn't a part of the clinic yet. James and I followed him one evening, he was meeting up with a woman.' Renée is silent for a moment. 'Did she seem kind?' She sounds hopeful. 'Yes, she seemed kind,' Mathieu says. 'Good, papa deserves someone kind.'

We talk about little things going on in our lives and it seems to calm down our sister. Eventually she starts laughing and talking about her live at Stanford. Renée told me about the phone call our mother made when she left, but she has never heard from her again. I do still speak with our mother, just not as often as I used too.

'I am sad that I won't see you this summer,' Renée suddenly says. 'Don't be, you got a great opportunity and got every right to take it.' I look at my brother and smile at him. 'I know, but still. I don't want to lose you too,' she says. 'Ren, you can't lose us. We are family, each other's blood,' I say. I can't see my sister, but I am sure she is smiling. 'We can come visit you before you start your internship? I am sure dad wants to go too.'

Our conversation doesn't end much later when the doorbell rings. We hear our father open the door. 'Oh, I don't really think she wants to see you, Patrick,' I can hear my father say muffled by the distance. We can hear a lot of protest from my ex-fiancé. I sigh and get up. On my way downstairs I can see he has entered the house. My father is too kind to ever push someone back.

'Patrick, please leave,' I say. 'No, I want to talk to you.' 'You got that chance a year ago.' I take his arm and guide him firmly to the front door. 'I miss you, Julie,' he says and tries to take my hand. 'I don't miss you. It's not my fault Ms. Plastic broke up with you and you finally got sense.' I open the door and wait for him to make his way out. Offended he leaves the house and I slam the door behind him.