The Life I Wish We'd Lived

20. "You have got to be kidding me"

           

"Hey girly." Paisley greeted as she slid onto one of the stools at the breakfast bar in my kitchen. "How are things?"

    "Um. Good?" I answered her wearily.

    "Yea? That's good. So um. How's your sister?" she asks, picking at her nails. "I know you don't usually want to talk about it and I kind of let it go the past few weeks because I was a little distracted by Asher being gone, but I just wanted—"

    "Pais. Stop. I guess she's okay, I don't really know I haven't exactly talked to her. I just," I stop letting out a sigh. "I don't know what to say to her. She wasn't supposed to move there. It was supposed to be temporary. She knew how messed up my relationship was with our parents before she even went there but then she decides to stay. How messed up is that?"

      Even though she understood it seemed as if she had more to say.

    "She keeps calling me. My cell, the house. She called Eli last week to see if he could convince me but I just locked myself in his room. I just can't do it. Every text she sends she tells me she will get me a ticket as soon as I want one... as if I actually want to visit her."

    "Well. Don't you?" she asks cutting me off.

    "No. why would I?"

    "Well for one she lives in Europe, you could travel. You've always wanted to travel so go. Spend some time traveling before school and try to fix things with her."

    "Did she call you?"

      Her silence was answer enough as she took a sudden interest in the counter top in front of her.

    "Seriously?! Can she not take a hint?! God! What is her problem?"

      "Well... I hate to say this but, she actually misses you and right now her problem is that you won't talk to her. I'm not the only one she's called either. We've all been holding off, actually they have all been holding off. She only called me a few days ago and that's when I found out she's pulled out all the stops hon." She looked at me, probably trying to gauge my reaction, but continued as I just stared blankly at her.

    "She has called Chris, Nik, and Lexi too. They 'didn't know how to handle it' so they didn't and so here I am taking the bullet for them."

"You have got to be kidding me." I say under my breath.

    "Sorry girl but maybe you should call her. I know that isn't something you want to hear, but it's the truth."

    "Yeah, whatever. She doesn't deserve a phone call from me."

    "But Kat, if you don't talk to her, how will you get the answers to what you've been asking yourself, and basically everyone else, since she left? You need to call her."

      I let what she says sink in as she removes herself from the stool.

    "But hey, I gotta go. I just wanted to stop by and talk about that. My mom is freaking out because Asher has been home for two weeks and she hasn't seen him so we are going to lunch. Are you gonna be okay? I don't want you mad at me, I just thought someone needed to talk to you."

    "No. I mean. Yes? I'll be fine. Go have lunch. Oh and, we need to finalize Fourth of July plans, get food, how many cars, who's cars, all that."

    "Okay. We can get that figured out this week. When do we want to leave?"

    "I was kind of thinking next week? The 27th or 28th? Then we can have at least a week there."

      I watched as her face dropped but she nodded her approval.