Frayed Bonds

Change of plans

Max left after breakfast, and I didn't mention what had happened in my room. He didn't bring it up either. My parents were impressed by him, especially my dad, who couldn't stop talking about Max's success at such a young age. But they didn't know what I knew - they had fallen for his charming facade. I spent the day holed up in my room, doing paperwork to distract myself from the chaos in my mind. As the afternoon wore on, I realized Lydia wasn't back from school yet. Just as I was about to call her, she appeared at my door. "Hey, sissy," she said, walking over to give me a tight hug. I could tell it was one of those hugs where she didn't want to talk about anything. I invited her to sit with me on the bed, and we sat there in silence for hours. Eventually, I realized she had fallen asleep in my arms. I carefully got out of bed, trying not to wake her, and succeeded. I tiptoed downstairs to let Mom know we wouldn't be joining them for dinner.

Then, I headed to the kitchen to make Lydia's favorite snack:mini tacos. I started by browning some ground beef in a pan, adding a sprinkle of taco seasoning to give it that extra flavor. While the beef cooked, I warmed up some mini taco shells in the oven. Once they were crispy, I filled them with the seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. I arranged the mini tacos on a platter, making sure they looked as delicious as they tasted. To make the snack even more special, I scooped Lydia's favorite ice cream, cookies and cream, into two bowls. I added a few sprinkles on top, just the way Lydia liked it. With the snack ready, I headed back upstairs to wake Lydia up, hoping the aroma of mini tacos and ice cream would be just the thing to brighten her day.

I gently shook Lydia awake, trying not to startle her. She stirred slowly, rubbing her eyes. As she sat up, she noticed the tray I was holding, and her eyes widened.

"Mini tacos and ice cream?" she asked, her voice still sleepy but with a hint of excitement.

I smiled, setting the tray down on my lap. "Your favorite snack, sis."

Lydia's face lit up, and she leaned in to inspect the tray. "You even put sprinkles on the ice cream!"

I chuckled, happy to see her mood lift. "Of course, I did. Now, dig in!"

We sat together on the bed, munching on the mini tacos and savoring the cold ice cream. The tension from earlier seemed to melt away, replaced by a comfortable silence.

"What's your favorite subject in school?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Lydia thought for a moment, her brow furrowed. "I think it's art. I love drawing and painting."

"That's awesome!" I said, genuinely impressed. "You're so talented. I've seen your sketches."

Lydia blushed, looking pleased. "Thanks, Emily."

We chatted some more, discussing everything from school to our favorite TV shows. The conversation flowed easily, and I was grateful for this moment of normalcy with my sister.

As we finished our snack, Lydia looked up at me with a serious expression. "Emily, can I ask you something?"

I nodded, sensing a shift in her mood. "Of course, sis. What's up?"

Lydia hesitated, fidgeting with her hands. "It's about William. He's leaving tomorrow, right?"

I nodded, wondering where this was going.

Lydia's eyes locked onto mine, filled with concern. "I don't want him to go, Emily. I'm going to miss him so much."

My heart went out to her. I knew how much Lydia had grown attached to William during their visits.

"Aww, Lydia, I know you'll miss him," I said, giving her a gentle hug. "But he has to go back to work. He has a business to run."

Lydia nodded, looking down. "I know. It's just...I feel like I'm going to lose him all over again."

I could sense the depth of her emotions, and my own heart ached in response. I knew that Lydia had formed a strong bond with William, and the thought of him leaving was difficult for her to bear.

I felt a pang of guilt as I looked at Lydia. I had been so caught up in my own thoughts about Max that I had forgotten to mention my own departure tomorrow.

"Lydia, I have something to tell you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lydia looked up at me, her eyes curious. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of emotions. "I'm leaving tomorrow too."

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrugged, feeling a little guilty. "I didn't want to upset you. You're already going to miss William,"

Lydia's expression changed from surprise to excitement. "You're going to Cape Town tomorrow? That's amazing! William is going to Cape Town tomorrow too!"

I nodded, smiling. "What a coincidence! I had no idea we were leaving on the same day."

Lydia's eyes sparkled. "It would be so much fun if you two flew together! Can you imagine? You could keep each other company on the plane!"

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Lydia, I don't know if that's such a good idea. I barely know William."

But Lydia was undeterred. She already had her phone out and was dialing William's number. "I'll ask him! He'll say yes, I'm sure! You two can get to know each other better on the plane!"

Lydia put the phone on speaker, and we both waited for William to answer. The phone rang once, then twice, before William's deep voice came on.

"Hey, beautiful! What's up?" William asked, sounding cheerful.

Lydia's face lit up with a smile. "Hey, babe! Guess what? Emily's going to Cape Town tomorrow too!"

William's voice sounded cautious. "Oh, really? That's...interesting. What time is her flight?"

Lydia looked at me, and I mouthed "9 am" in response. Lydia nodded and turned back to the phone. "She's on the 9 am flight, babe. So i was thinking you can fly together to CapeTown"

Lydia's voice was casual and reassuring. "Aww, come on, William! It'll be fun, I promise! You can get to know Emily better, and she can get to know you. It's just a flight.

There was a silence on the other end of the line for a moment. Then William's voice came back on, sounding matter-of-fact. "Fine, I'll meet her at the airport."

Lydia smiled and replied, "Thanks, babe."

William continued, "Emily, my private jet will be waiting for you at Hangar 5 at the airport. We'll be taking off at 9 am sharp."

Lydia's eyes met mine, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise. I felt a slight flutter in my chest as I processed the information. Flying on a private jet with William was definitely going to be a new experience.