Mary and Halley (sequel to When Mary Met Halley)

eighteen

Sure enough, it was my sister calling. I showed Halley, rejected the call, and brushed my lips against both of their cheeks as the phone rang again. "Here we go," I muttered, feeling the annoyance start to burn. I had little reserve left. I turned the ringer off and got bread out to make a sandwich for the baby, but when I turned around the phone was lighting up again.

I grabbed it and went out front, shutting the door behind me and stabbing my screen with my finger. "What do you want, Hazel, goddammit?" I was almost as mad at myself for letting her get to me so fast as I was at her.

"Oh my God, Mary, chill the fuck out. You're always such a bitch. I'm doing my best here, isn't that what you want? Fuck me," she said dramatically, and I heard the flick of her lighter as she inhaled. "Do you think you're calm enough to talk now?" she asked patronizingly.

"Go fuck yourself," I told her, standing at the railing and kicking at one of the slats of wood holding it up. Caleb's car was parked next door and my irritation ratcheted up a notch.

"Now, now, that's not setting a good example for my kids," she said mockingly.

I took a deep breath and clenched my jaw. "The kids are at school, like you care. What do you want?"

"What I need is some money. Mom gave me what she had, but it was like forty bucks, which obviously doesn't cover shit."

This audacious bitch! "I'm not giving you any money. You came to my house, talked a bunch of shit, started a bunch of shit, and expect me to pay you for it? Fuck all the way off, Hazel. Seriously."

She laughed with mirth. "It's better to just give in now. I'll just keep calling . . . and calling . . . and calling."

I hated her. "I'll change my number."

"That's fine! I'll just go to the kids' school then and slip in and stay just long enough to rile them up," she taunted, and I knew she would. "Just send me some fucking money, you have enough. Why do you even care? I don't get it. Is it a power play thing?"

"I hate you," I told her helplessly.

She fake yawned. "Yes, yes, you hate me because I'm not your precious Elle and I have all ten fingers still, we all know. Send it with mom today, she's not doing anything. Thanks, big sis! You're the BEST!" She made a kissing sound.

"Fuck you!" I yelled, fully losing my composure and kicking the railing. But she'd already hung up. "Goddammit!" I kicked it again, hurting my toes but full of rage. At her, at the constant stress, at the world that kept throwing these frightening and infuriating challenges up in our faces.

"Classy," I heard, and turned to see Courtney leaning against the front of Caleb's car, a leer on her face.

"Fuck you too," I said without hesitation. I was looking for a fight.

She just laughed. "Feisty, that's cute. But don't hate me 'cause Caleb upgraded."

As if! "Ha, delusional much?" I sneered.

"Please, I'm twice the woman you are, let's not fool ourselves," she said contemptuously.

I smirked. "Weird then how he just mentioned that you don't even compare to me, isn't it."

Her eyes narrowed and she straightened up. "He didn't say that."

I smiled. "Said it about both me and Halley, actually. When Leif was turning down your bj. But we're the ones who upgraded, as it turns out. So don't hate me 'cause Caleb settled," I told her with the cheerleader smile plastered on my face.