Chapter Forty
Mindy
"...And we wish you the best in your future endeavors."
The words blur on my laptop screen as reality sinks in. Fired. Sure, I’d been bracing for this email since my nude-fiasco in the boardroom, but I hadn’t expected the Solomons to find my replacement this quickly. The truth stares back at me, cold and final, while my job search folder sits pathetically empty. I only have two interviews lined up for next week.
Panic surges in me. The numbers dance mockingly in my head – rent, groceries, Sharon’s needs. My daughter’s sweet face flashes in my mind, and my heart clenches. If I skip meals and direct every resource to keeping her fed, we might stretch it to six weeks. Then what?
And then, what about my career in accountancy? I doubt Christine is going to give me a glowing reference after my performance at the board meeting. Who would want to hire an accountant who flashes her vajayjay instead of the annual growth reports? How am I supposed to find a job with a stain on my career like this?
A laugh bubbles up from my throat, teetering on the edge of hysteria as I collapse onto the couch. I stretch my legs and stare at the ceiling, ticking off the cosmic joke my life has become.
Running into Maron after seven years, only to watch him toss me aside like yesterday’s trash? Check.
Accidentally projecting my nudes onto the boardroom screen at work. Check.
Albert Solomon’s creepy advances towards me. Check.
That terrifying night watching Sharon battle illness at the hospital? Check.
And Tania, the only constant and reliable person in our lives, moving away when I need her most? Check and mate.
I’m so lost in my spiral of self-pity that the doorbell’s ring barely registers. It takes a moment for the sound to pull me back to the present moment.
I get up and open the door. Alexis stands in the doorway with a suitcase lining the wall behind her.
"I’m so sorry I didn’t call, Mindy." She gives me an apologetic look. "I had to leave rehab early and... I didn’t have anywhere else to go. Could I crash here for a few nights while I sort out my living situation?"
Another plot twist in the saga of my life, but for once, it’s one I welcome. Despite everything that’s going on, I’m happy to see my sister.
"Come on in, Lex," I say, mustering a smile as she wheels her battered suitcase across the threshold. The healthy glow in her cheeks and clear eyes startle me – I haven’t seen her look this good in years.
"Thanks, sis," she says with a sheepish smile. "Sorry to be such a pest."
"Don’t even start, Lex." I wave off her apology.
We settle in the living room, and I busy myself with making coffee, grateful for the mundane task. The familiar routine of measuring grounds and watching steam rise helps quiet the storm of uncertainty still churning in my gut. When I return and sink into the couch beside Alexis, I really look at my sister for the first time. She looks fantastic.
"How are you getting on?" I ask softly.
A glimmer of pride crosses Alexis’s face. "Still in therapy," she says, her voice steady and sure. "This psychiatrist... Dr. Rachel Anderson. She’s incredible, Mindy. She’s helping me more than I ever thought possible."
I lean forward, a strange combination of curiosity and unease stirring in my gut. Something about that name tugs at my memory but I can’t place it. "What happens in these sessions?" I ask.
"Well," Alexis’s gaze drifts, as if seeing beyond the walls, "the most crucial thing is honesty. Brutal, unfiltered honesty. Dr. Anderson always says that healing and honesty go hand in hand."
"And are you?" I study her face carefully. "Honest, I mean."
Her expression hardens. "I am now. God, it was excruciating at first. Facing yourself, your worst mistakes, your darkest thoughts..." She shudders. "It’s not for the faint-hearted." Her eyes lock onto mine, unflinching. "But it’s necessary. I’ve done a lot of shit, Mindy. As you well know."
I nod silently, years of painful memories hanging between us.
"And Dr. Anderson," Alexis continues, her voice taking on an almost reverent quality, "she has this way of getting to the truth. No matter how deeply it’s buried." She pauses, fingers twisting in her lap. "She’s the reason I’m here. I never would have found the courage to face you after everything I’ve done if it weren’t for her."
"I’m glad you did, Lex," I whisper, reaching for her hand. "I want us to be sisters again. To be there for each other, no matter what."
Alexis squeezes my fingers, her eyes glistening. "We will be, Mindy. That is everything I want." She takes a sip of coffee, eyes closing briefly before they snap open again. "Where’s Sharon?"
I hesitate, the weight of recent events pressing down on me. "A lot has happened since we last talked."
Alexis’s brow furrows. "What do you mean?"
"Sharon’s in hospital," I confess, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. "And Maron is back."
Her eyes widen, coffee cup freezing halfway to her lips. "Holy shit. Is Sharon okay? Please tell me it’s nothing serious!" She sets down her cup with a clatter. "And Maron? So, he’s alive?"
The whole messy story spills out of me like a burst dam - Sharon’s emergency surgery, Maron’s sudden reappearance, my unceremonious firing. I carefully dance around certain... intimate details, but even the sanitized version sounds like chaos.
"...and there’s Maron Korolev for you," I finish, my voice cracking slightly. "Trying to reason with him is like talking to a bag of potatoes. He tossed me out like yesterday’s garbage, but I know he’ll be back. Now that he knows about Sharon, he’ll want to be in her life."
Alexis lets out a low whistle, her lips twisting into a wry smile. "Jesus, sis. If this was a romance novel, you’d be topping the bestseller lists." Her expression sobers. "But maybe this distance is for the best? I mean... Maron is dangerous."
Deep down, I know she’s right. Getting involved with Maron again is like playing with fire. But what Alexis doesn’t understand is that he’s like a drug in my system, one I can’t just flush out no matter how hard I try. And now that he knows he’s Sharon’s father... he won’t just disappear again.
"I know I should stay away," I say softly. "But it’s not that simple anymore, Lex. We have a daughter..."
She sighs, her face a canvas of conflicting emotions. "That’s exactly my point, Mindy. Think about Sharon. About the future you want for her. Getting tangled up with Maron again... that’s a risky game for both of you."
I stand abruptly, desperate to escape this conversation before I drown in the undertow of my feelings. "Come on," I force brightness into my voice. "Let’s get you settled." I lead her to my bedroom, pushing open the door with exaggerated cheer. "You can take my room. I’ll crash in Sharon’s for now."
Alexis’s frown deepens, concern etched in the lines around her eyes. "I’m sorry if I overstepped, Mindy. Your relationship with Maron... it’s not my place."
I run a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. "It’s fine, Lex," I say, but the words ring hollow. "It’s just... complicated."
She takes my hand, squeezing it gently. "Don’t worry, sis. Whatever happens, I’m here now. You can count on me."