Running

Chapter 22: Siblings

The cold has officially rolled in and so has my $5000 fur coat. I am heading to the restaurant where I use to work to pick up my last paycheck. I could have had it mailed but I really needed to see Andrea and get our friendship back. I walk up to the bar in mid afternoon so it's pretty empty. She's wiping down the bar when she sees me and gives me a look of disbelief.
"Hello Mrs. Laudel how can I help you?" She asked me so formally so cold.
"Actually were not married yet but we will be after New Years and your invited."
"Oh gee thanks is that all you wanted.
"No actually came for my paycheck and to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. I do love Nick but I also love you and I don't want to lose you over a silly argument." She's still turned away from me.
"I'll go get you your paycheck." She says and leaves.
My heart breaks in two. I know she won't forgive me ever. I'm about to cry when I hear a familiar voice.
"Scarlett?" It's my older sister: Kelly.
I slowly turned around and when I see her it's as if I've seen a ghost.
"Kelly." I whisper she walks to me drops her shopping bags and hugs me. I hug her back.
"God go I missed you." She says to me as she begins to cry.
"Kelly what are you doing here in Chicago?"
"I had a meeting with my PR agent and decided to do a little shopping. What are you doing in Chicago? Is this where you've been all these years. Do you know how much the whole family has been worried sick?" Great now she's scolding me.
" I know I'm sure mom must have pulled out all her hair by now."
Kelly laughs
"Oh you thinks. So what happened one day you're up at Bradley University and then we hear you drained your trust fund, dropped out and ran away. What happened did Matt do something to you?"
"What? No I haven't seen Matt since before I left."
"Well you have to tell me absolutely everything. Are you going anywhere." She asks.
"No. I'm just here to pick up my paycheck."
"You work here I that coat?"
"No, well I use to."
"Okay well have lunch with me."
"Sure." I see Andrea coming back with my paycheck. She hands it to me.
"Andrea I want you to meet my sister Kelly St. James."
"Kelly St. James. The super model."
Kelly blushes.
"Well I don't know about supermodel."
"It's nice to meet you. I have to get back to work." Andrea says coldly.
"It was nice meeting you. Kelly yells back."

We sit down at a booth hidden away for privacy.
"Okay spill." She tells me first.
"I don't know where to start."
"Okay then start on the night that you ran away."
"Well that night was me and Matt's one year anniversary and  he proposed.
He was only doing it because his family was pressuring him. On an impulse decision I said yes but Instantly wanted to take it back. I didn't love him and I didn't want the life I was going to have with him. The life our family expects us to have."
"Well then why didn't you just break up with him instead of cutting everyone off?"
"Because if it wasn't him it would have been some other guy who just expects me to be a trophy wife. I needed to break free to be Independent so that I could find my passion and dreams."
"So then what happened?"
"I completely drained my trust fund to make sure I didn't have a safety net."
The waiter came to hand us our menus and we both order salads.
"I left a note telling Matt that I was sorry if I hurt him and I sent mom an email telling her that I needed my own space and that when I was ready I would call her.
After that i took a bus to Chicago and on my first night I came to this hotel because it was the first one I could find. That's when I met Andrea the waitress you just met. She took me in offered me a home and a job here. She was my guardian angel."
"So why is she clearly pissed at you and your wearing a limited edition Dona Karen winter coat?"
I smiled at her. " I met a guy."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We met over a year ago and he practically black mailed me to sleep with him for months until he could finally commit to me. He proposed a few weeks ago and were getting married just after New Years."
"Who is he?"
"Nicholas Laudel."
"You're marrying Nicholas Laudel and you didn't bother to call mom!" She slapped my arm.
"Ow that hurt."
"I don't care. How could you be so selfish. Here you are missing for four years and now your getting married in a few weeks! Mom is literally going to strangle you before you can even make it to the alter."
"Wait you're telling mom."
"Of course I'm telling mom you dimwit. And we're all coming to the wedding so you better make room!"
"Wait you know who Nicholas Laudel is?"
"Of course I know who he is he use to date so many other models when they came into Chicago."
"Really how many."
"I don't know."
I instantly feel jealous that Nicholas was with other women. But I instantly shaked it off.
"So tell me how are things back at home?" He face drops and is instantly masked with a face of sadness.
" Scarlett a lot has happened since you disappeared. Good and bad."
"Tell me the good first."
"Well Charlie's engaged. Emma got married, had a child and then got divorced. Andrew. Got married and is expecting a child."
"Oh really that is so great! I'm happy he found love again."
"Yeah that's real great." She was holding back tears.
"Kel, what's wrong?"
"It's Joey." She started to cry uncontrollably. "He...he...he... Died two months ago during his honeymoon."
"What?" No. No. Not Joey how can this be.
"He died in a snorkeling accident with his wife in Mexico." Joey and I were really close he was my adopted brother. He practically taught me how to skateboard and talk to guys.
"Scar Mom really needs you. We all do. Please please let us back into your life. We all already lost a sibling please don't be the next one."
My family needs me back in their lives and I need them back in mine too.