Chapter Two
Quinn
“ I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it just fine for years,” I huff out for what feels like the thousandth time as I lean back against the couch. Why will no one believe me?
Is that why Lois and Chad came home? To hound me into going to a doctor and having tons of tests done that I can’t afford? I’m sure nothing is wrong with me. I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately with work, helping Mom around the house, and running Grayson and Miles to hockey practice whenever Mom is at work. Thankfully, Grayson will be getting his license in a couple of weeks, and he can start taking himself and Miles to practice.
I probably just need to go to the spa and eat a burger every now and then—though I feel like I have been eating more lately. And a nap. I definitely need a really long nap.
Lois stands over me, arching one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “So you’ve been to the doctor since this started? Look at you, Quinn! You’re practically skin and bones. Have you had blood work done?”
I bristle under her scrutiny, but she isn’t completely wrong. I have lost weight—which I realize most girls would be ecstatic about. But I haven’t been trying to, and the weight loss is too much for my already small frame. My best friend, Julie Holland, even commented on it last week when we met for a lunch date. I’d brushed it off, but I doubt it will be long before she’s questioning me like Lois is doing now.
“You need to go to the doctor.” Lois crosses her arms, giving me that stern look she thinks scares me, and I hold back a sigh.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister—most of the time. The jury is still out on Chad. He seems like a decent guy, but I don’t know him well enough yet. I love my sister, but she’s the one who up and left us six months ago. Abandoned us, really. She’d told her friends she’d been thinking about the trip to Europe for a while, but I know for a fact that she bought her plane tickets and booked her hotel all in less than twenty-four hours. Just as suddenly as she’d left us, she’d reappeared, expecting to step back into her bossy, big-sister role.
At least she did keep in touch with video calls and texting while gone, but it isn’t the same as having her here.
That’s how Lois is, though. She does what she wants to do when she wants to do it, without a thought or care of how it affects anyone else in her life. Still, I do have to give her some credit. She loves in her own Lois way. As evidenced by her cutting her honeymoon short to come home and harass me into going to the doctor.
Sighing, I glance down at my hands. “No,” I reply in a low voice. “I can’t afford it, LoLo.”
“Come on, Quinn. You have to find out what’s going on. Mom said you haven’t felt well for a while now, and it isn’t normal for you to be losing so much weight.”
If only she knew the half of it. I’ve been pushing through the fogginess that seems to envelop me at all times. The tiredness is harder to overcome, but I’ve hidden it well. At least, I thought I had.
“I started eating healthier, and I’m going to start lifting weights a few times a week.” The thought of adding weight-lifting sessions into my already exhausting week doesn’t appeal to me at all, but since Grayson turned the basement into a workout room, at least I could do it for free.
Lois’s eyes narrow. “And how’s that working out for you? You think exercising more is going to keep you from losing weight?”
My shoulders sag. She’s not going to let up on me. “Lois, I’m doing the best that I can.”
Her face softens as she sits on the couch beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “I’m just worried about you, Q. Why don’t you at least go to the doctor and see what they think?”
My defenses fall at the sincerity in her voice. I can probably manage a simple doctor’s visit. Maybe they’ll tell me nothing is wrong and won’t even want to do additional tests. I scoff at my wishful thinking. They’ll want to run at least a basic lab panel on me. Still, if I don't go, I’ll never hear the end of it at home. Lois has a way of getting whatever she wants.
“Okay,” I agree reluctantly. “I’ll call and schedule an appointment.”
Lois squeezes me tight and a lump forms in my throat. Even with all of her faults, she is my sister. And as much as I don’t want her butting into my business, I’m glad to have her home.
I watch as Jovie carefully scoops out a spoon of chocolate chip cookie dough and places it on the tray. She insisted on making the cookies all by herself. I gladly let her take over, though I keep a careful eye on her. The exhaustion I’ve felt all day is dragging me further and further into the brain fog I’ve lived in for the past few months, and even the simple act of baking cookies seems daunting.
Besides, I want to spend as much time with her as possible before her overnight trip to her father’s house. My throat tightens at the thought of her being away from me for an entire night. Jovie might as well be my own flesh and blood. She’s been attached to my hip since the moment she was placed in our care as a shy and timid one-year-old.
At almost seven, there is nothing shy or timid about her now. The child is all sunshine and rainbows wrapped up in an adorable little package of sass. One I thank God for every day.
Jovie’s birth mother OD’d when she was a baby. Her father had a few DUIs, but what put him behind bars—and Jovie in the foster system—was when he’d been caught trying to sell drugs to a minor. He was released last year. Apparently, he’s clean now. Jovie’s social worker is pushing for reunification—which is the goal when fostering—but the thought of losing my little girl is like a knife to my heart.
It won’t happen. He’ll most likely mess up again, and they’ll terminate his rights for good. Then, Mom can adopt her, and she’ll forever be ours. I’ve even thought about seeing if there was a way I could adopt her myself. I haven’t brought it up to anyone yet, but it’s always in the back of my mind.
Picking up my glass of water, I take a sip as Lois enters the kitchen. She gives me an odd look. “Thirsty?”
I arch an eyebrow and set the glass down, only then realizing I drank it all in one long gulp. “Oh,” I reply with a shrug. “Yeah, I guess I was.”
Lois frowns. “Do you want some more?”
“No, I’m good.”
Grabbing the glass, Lois takes it to the dishwasher and starts to place it on the first rack. I let out an exasperated breath. “Those are already clean.” Which she’d know if she ever paid attention.
“Oh.” She sets the glass aside and begins to unload the dishwasher, but I stop her.
“Mom’s rearranged the kitchen. Just leave them, I’ll do it.” Like I do everything else.
Her shoulders stiffen, then she shuts the dishwasher a little too firmly. Coming over to Jovie, she bumps her playfully with her elbow. “Want some help, Jovie Bovie?”
Jovie ignores her, continuing her meticulous scooping. Lois opens her mouth to say something, but I catch her eye and shake my head. She snaps her jaw shut, hurt flashing in her eyes, and storms out of the kitchen.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. We’ve had foster kids in our home since I was Jovie’s age. It isn’t like Lois didn’t know what going off for six months would do to Jovie. She can’t just waltz back in here and expect to have the same bond she had before. Even though Jovie was only one when she first came to us, abandonment is still a trigger for her. She may not have vivid memories of being taken from her dad, but she knows she isn’t living with him.
Jovie cried for a week after Lois left, convinced she’d done something to cause her to leave. Lois needs to get over herself and realize that she’s going to have to work at gaining Jovie’s trust again. Irritation over my sister’s actions has my blood boiling.
“I can’t wait for Bram to try my cookies tonight,” Jovie says with a big toothy grin.
“Oh yeah? Do you think he’ll like them better than he likes my brownies?” Bram makes no secret about how much he likes my brownies. I’ve lost count of how many pans I’ve made just for him over the years. Which was why it was odd when he turned one down the other night. Then again, he’d been just as blindsided by Chad’s appearance as Mom and I had been.
“He’ll like it better.” Jovie juts out her hip, placing a dough-covered fist on it.
I chuckle, my chest swelling with love for this little girl. The daughter of my heart. That’s how I secretly think of her. I know it’s a dangerous game to play in fostering. I’ve not been able to stop myself though, and I don’t regret it for a single moment. I was drowning in grief over losing Dad when Jovie came into our lives. Her sweet smiles and unconditional love drew me out and helped me start living again.
“You’re right. He probably will.” I smile and bop her on the nose, eliciting a giggle from her.
“Bram isn’t coming over,” Lois says from behind me, causing me to jump. I hadn’t even heard her return to the kitchen.
Jovie’s face falls and big tears fill the corners of her eyes. “What? He always comes over on Saturday nights.” She adores Bram and his brothers, but I’m pretty sure Bram is her favorite. Cyrus might be a close second though. He always makes her laugh with his jokes and little pranks. Now that Cyrus has moved back home after being kicked off the Denver Dragons’ pro hockey team he played for, he’s been joining most of our meals as well. I think he’s trying to make up for his past mistakes. Not to mention it’s a free, home-cooked meal.
Lois shrugs, not seeming to realize the delicate situation unfolding before us. “I don’t know. Mom said he sent her a text and apologized for not being able to make it.”
I watch Lois for—I’m not sure what. She is completely unaffected by anything. I have a feeling I know why Bram isn’t coming. He looked sucker-punched when Lois introduced him to Chad. Probably the same look Mom and I had worn when she showed up dragging her British husband along with her. It was obvious by his expression that Lois hadn’t told him about Chad either.
Lois hurt us all by not telling us she was dating anyone, then showing up married of all things. Married! My older sister had gotten married to a complete stranger halfway across the world without telling anyone. Not her family and not her closest friend.
Drawing in a deep breath, I exhale slowly in an attempt to cool my frustration and clear the fog out of my brain. Jovie’s chin trembles, and I wrap her in a tight hug.
“I have an idea,” I whisper in her ear. If Bram is avoiding all of us because of Lois and Chad, well, then I’ll have to take Jovie to him.