Vice

34: Keeping Secrets

After a good night of sleep, Natara feels refreshed. She pushes the memories of Mr. Vice out of her head and tries to think about anything else but work as she stretches awake atop her bed. 

She glances over and sees Macey laying on her bed, peering off into space. Natara sits up, moves around, and makes a little noise but Macey doesn't look over at her. It's almost like she's still ignoring her like she was yesterday.

"Good morning, Macey," Natara greets her but Macey doesn't say anything. She doesn't even look over. 

"Good morning, Macey!" She repeats, louder this time.

"Good morning? Good morning?! Stop trying to be fake with me. You're my sister and I know when you're being weird and hiding something! I just...I don't know WHY you're hiding something. I thought we were open with each other. I thought we trusted each other!" Macey snaps, rolling over on the bed to cast a glare at Natara.

"I'm not being fake with you." Natara pulls the covers closer to her body.

"You're the worst liar ever. I know you. You've been quiet and distant since you started your new job. Plus, isn't staying out all night long for work just a little bit weird? Not to mention all the weird crap you've been muttering in your sleep about 'Mr. Vice.' Isn't that guy supposed to be your boss?"

Natara tenses. What has she been mumbling in her sleep? 

Did Macey hear her...inappropriate dream from the other night? Was it something else entirely? Did she relive the memories of the night in his penthouse or her saving him from jumping off the bridge aloud during one of the past nights? Did she let loose some wild subconscious feelings when she thought she was sleeping peacefully? Clearly she mentioned Mr. Vice at some point, but how much does Macey know about what's actually happening with him?

"I thought we were closer than this. What's going on? Can't you tell me? Mom and dad might judge you but you know I wouldn't, don't you? You can tell me anything, can't you? Do you feel like you can't?" Macey's face tightens. "Did I do something to make you suddenly hate me? You're my best friend...and I thought I was yours, too."

It's rare for her to look like she's so close to crying. Natara closes her eyes. Macey is her sister, and she's the closest person to Natara in the whole world. Her chest tightens with guilt and she can't even look her in the eyes. Macey looks so sad - so hurt - and it's all Natara's fault.

"Macey, you are my best friend! I just..." Natara scrambles to find the right words. "I don't even understand what's going on, myself. I don't know if anyone can understand it. I'm being really stupid and I hate myself for doing what I've been doing. For being like this. I'm not sure why I've been like this. I hate myself for making the choices I've been making lately and I hate myself for lying to you and to mom and dad." 

Why has she been like this? She's reckless - walking into an older man's penthouse and climbing into his bed. She's absentminded - forgetting to texting her family then staying out all night. Even talking guys down from bridge jumping when she usually doesn't ever talk to strangers. 

It's all so unlike her. 

"So there is something!" Macey exclaims. Tears run down her cheeks. "I knew there was something. I just don't know why you'd lie to me of all people. Don't you know I love you? I'd never judge you for anything, not in a million years. I'd hope that if I had something I needed to tell you that you would love me enough to not judge me for it, too." 

Natara opens and closes her mouth. Macey says she wouldn't judge her, but she definitely would have thoughts about her staying out all night with her boss. There's no way she'd be unbiased about it. Should she tell her anyway?

Before she can decide, there is a knock on the door and their mother calls them down to eat. Both sisters stare at each other and Macey wipes the tears from her eyes. They follow behind their mother to the table.

Natara pokes at her pancakes as she eats, fully aware of Macey watching her. Their mother and father make conversation about the news and the weather, skirting around the topic of the other night. It feels uncomfortable, like an elephant in the room. Breakfast with her family never feels like this. They've always been calm, relaxed, and comforting.

I should apologize more for last night, Natara thinks. She feels uneasy, like there's something more she needs to say or do to make things right. She isn't sure if there really is something she needs to say or do or if it's just the guilt of lying to her family making her feel like there is. Maybe she could come clean about parts of what happened and leave the rest of the details secret. Maybe Macey is right about her family being more understanding than she assumes they will be.

But as soon as Natara opens her mouth a horn honks outside. 

Her father puts down his silverware and her mother raises an eyebrow, looking between everyone at the table. "Who on Earth is here? Natara, do you mind checking outside?"

Natara shrugs and gets up from the table. Her mother, father, and Macey all continue their awkward breakfast as she steps across the living room floor and pulls back the curtains to peek outside. She doesn't think anything of the honk - it's probably just a delivery guy dropping off a package or some of the neighbors giving each other a weird hello.

But what she doesn't expect to see is a familiar black car outside, sitting in her driveway. It's a thousand times too expensive to be sitting in her cracked driveway next to her family's cheap car. 

And Mr. Vice sits behind the wheel.