19. Penny
NINETEEN
PENNY
I pulled out the roasted chicken I’d made for our Thanksgiving dinner and set it on the counter next to the stove.
“That smells incredible.” Maize inhaled, gathering her hair at the back of her neck to get even closer.
I swatted her hip with my oven mitt. “And we don’t need your germs all over it. Back up.”
“So bossy when you’re cooking. Any other areas you’ve recently become bossy in?”
A furious heat rose to my cheeks, and I glanced at her out of the side of my eyes. She was awake this morning when I was, reading on her Kindle I bought her for Christmas last year. “No…”
“Really?” She pinched a green bean out of the bowl and chomped on it. “Because someone thinks they were awfully quiet last night when they snuck out and didn’t come back for a while.”
“I did not sneak out. I left.”
She hmphed and rolled her eyes. “Go see the man I caught you making out with?”
“We weren’t making out.” At least, not when she caught us. But memories of making out with Gavin last night kept me warm all through the night and well into this morning.
“Argumentative today, are we? Was it bad?” She leaned and held out her thumb and finger mere inches apart. “Small?”
“Shut up!” I laughed, and for good measure, smacked her again. “Shut up with that or you won’t get any of this food.”
“You’d leave me to starve?” Her eyes widened comically large, and she smacked her hand to her chest. “On Thanksgiving? What kind of sister are you?”
“The kind who’s over your ridiculousness. Come on, plate up, but only if you can leave the sex talk to a minimum.”
“One question.”
“I’m not telling you how big he is,” I muttered, that heat still staining my cheeks. I didn’t know, but man how I’d wondered when I came home last night. I’d barely felt him, but it’d been enough to make me flush all over as I climbed into my bed and pressed my thighs together beneath the sheets.
“Fine, spoilsport. But tell me honestly, one thing.”
Maize’s tone had changed from teasing to serious, and I gave her my full attention. “What?”
“You think if he truly decides he’s done trying not to be attracted to you and gives it a fair shot that he’ll be good to you? You deserve that, you know, for someone to finally start taking care of you.”
Her eyes swam with wetness, and I looked at her. Truly looked at her. Where was this heaviness coming from? “I’m sure, Maize. You okay?”
“Yep.” She nodded once and grabbed a plate. “Thanks for all this cooking. This might be our best Thanksgiving yet.”
“I’m sure it will be.”
I kept an eye on her as she plated her food. Whatever I’d seen in her look was gone, as quickly as it’d arrived, but there was a small pinch of worry in my chest I couldn’t push away until we’d sat down and dove in.
The meal wasn’t much. We’d grown up on macaroni and cheese and store-bought bread for most of our Thanksgiving meals. Sometimes we splurged and added a ham and mayo sandwich. Over the years, as I started working, the meal grew, but Maize was right.
For the two of us, this year, I’d gone all out. I didn’t buy a turkey because I didn’t really like them, but we had a chicken, green beans, stuffing, and salad. I’d bought a pumpkin pie from the grocery store, which was cooling on the counter as well.
Maize had attempted to help me cook, but after twenty minutes of me fearing she would chop her fingernails off, I kicked her out of the kitchen and relegated her to setting the table.
“So you talk to him yet? Today at least?”
“Gavin?” I asked. “No. He’s with his family and they’ve had a hard week. I figure he’ll call when he can.”
“I can hide in the bedroom tonight if you want him to come over.”
“Right. Like you won’t be spying on us. Besides, I’d imagine he’d have Josie, or stayed at the ranch with them.”
She stabbed at her pile of stuffing. “How’s that going to work with you two and his daughter?”
“I don’t know.” It made me nervous to consider, so I’d tried not to. “I know he hasn’t dated much, hasn’t wanted women around his daughter, so I don’t know. We’ll figure it out, hopefully.”
“That’s good he’s like that. I knew I liked him.” She gave me a look, one that made the pinch of worry return to my chest.
“What do you mean you like him?”
Her nose scrunched and she stabbed at her green beans. Maize always ate like there wouldn’t be food for tomorrow or like someone would steal it from her, in a rush and aggressively. “I went and talked to him.”
“You did… what?” I set down my fork and set my hands on the table. She had to be joking.
“This morning when you were sleeping. I went and talked to him,” said the crazy little sister acting far too nonchalant.
“Why?” The word came out long, taking several seconds to finish, but I couldn’t believe this.
“I wanted to know his intentions with my sister. Someone has to look out for you. Relax, it was all good.”
“I don’t need anyone to look after me.”
“No.” She pointed her fork at me and scowled. “You’ve never had someone to look after you. There’s a difference. But things are changing. We’re changing and it’s a good thing. I had a talk with him. I didn’t grill him about anything. And now I know it’s not only me that wants you taken care of and looked after, but it’s him too. So it’s all good.”
I gaped at her like a fish. I swore my mouth opened and closed several times before any words sputtered out. “You… I can’t… I can’t believe you did that to me. To him.”
“Like I’ve said, you’ve looked after me long enough. Now it’s my turn.”
It was sweet. Ridiculously unnecessary, but I couldn’t fault her for it. I’d take a man’s measure too if he was interested in her. And Gavin and I had gotten off to a rocky start.
My shoulders relaxed and I tucked into my dinner. Maize relaxed when she saw I wasn’t going to throw my knife at her.
“It was unnecessary but sweet,” I finally said. “Thank you.”
“I have something else for you too, but you have to promise not to return it. And you have to use it.”
There was a devilish gleam in her eye. She was up to something. And based on the teasing she’d given me earlier, I glared at her. “Tell me you didn’t get me a sex toy.”
“No.” She barked out a laugh and pushed from the table. “But now I know what to get you for your birthday present. You probably don’t have one, do you?”
I didn’t, but that was beside the point. I’d figured out long ago how to make things work just well by myself.
“Maize…” I warned and stood from the table, but she was rushing to her bedroom.
“Stay there. Stay there. Only one more surprise for you this weekend, I swear it.”
She returned in a moment with a folded piece of paper in her hand and wore an uncertain expression.
“Sit. Sit. Really, it’s not bad. I mean, you’re going to be mad at first and refuse, but you have to promise you won’t.”
“I’ll do absolutely no such thing.”
“Fine.” She tucked the folded paper under her plate and sat back down. “I’ll keep it to myself then.”
Ohhh… little sisters were unnerving. Absolutely horrendous.
“Maize,” I warned.
“Penelope,” she sassed back.
Ugh. She had me and she knew it. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her even if it was to my own detriment. “Just please tell me it’s not an arrest warrant for you or anything.”
“As if.” She lifted the plate and tugged out the paper, which wasn’t paper at all but an envelope. “Before I hand this over, I have to confess something.”
“More than dropping out of school and becoming a flight attendant?”
“Equally surprising, I’m sure.”
Dear God. What did she do?
“Fine.” I huffed and held out my hand.
The envelope was light and sealed. So light it could have been empty, which made me think she was playing a trick on me. I’d believe that but for the way she was nibbling her bottom lip and not eating.
“I’ve been working,” she said. “And I know you didn’t want that for me, but I was bored out of my mind when I first went to school, so I got some jobs. I haven’t been the party and dating master I’ve led you to believe. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done that, too, but mostly, when I’m not in class, I’ve been working. Last summer, I got a job, a good one, at a restaurant inside a ritzy hotel.”
She leaned in, but I was staring at her, blood rushing through my body and a strange whirring sound increasing in my ears. “Maize…”
“I know you didn’t want me to do it, but I wanted it. And more, I needed it. I needed to know I wasn’t taking advantage of you. You’ve had enough of that, and I knew you were struggling to make ends meet and everything.”
“I haven’t been taken advantage of. Mom?—”
“She does.” Her snipe was fast and furious. She could have leveled a city with the fire in her eyes. “And we won’t agree on that, so whatever. But that doesn’t mean I have to always take from you, too.”
“You don’t.”
“And I know you don’t see it that way and don’t get me wrong. I’ve loved it, every single second of you taking care of me, but…”
She trailed off. I glanced at the envelope. It was now trembling in my shaking hands. She’d been preparing me for this, whatever was inside. For months she’d been preparing me for this moment, to realize she was an adult and could handle herself.
I had to let my little sister go.
It sucked.
“But we’re changing and growing,” I finally whispered.
Her smile was a radiant beam. “Exactly.”
“I get it,” I admitted. I hated it, but I got it.
With care, I unsealed the envelope. In it was a check. A single check. I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. The amount.
“I took out loans, and before you yell at me for that, you should have next semester’s refund in your account next week. And don’t yell at me for it. The loans are small because I’ve been able to save so much. But that’s for you, for all your help, and I hope you know that no matter how much money is on that check that you’ll think is too much, there will never be enough I can give you that would ever be enough for what you’ve done for me.”
“For us,” I choked out. I couldn’t see her. She’d gone all blurry and tears were running down my face.
My baby sister was growing up. No, she was grown. I had to respect that.
“I hate you for this.” I laughed over my tears.
Maize just laughed. “You’ll get over it.”
Gathering my courage, I pulled the check out of the envelope and glanced down. My eyes jumped wide, and I started shaking my head. “No. Absolutely not. No way am I taking this from you.”
This wasn’t a check. It was a check . A check for three thousand, three hundred, and fifty-two dollars. My stomach rolled and swooped, making me dizzy and tingly all over. This was ridiculously insane for someone who was working at a restaurant.
“I’ve been saving up to pay you back for a long time, and this isn’t close to what you’ve already given me.”
Like I needed the reminder. She needed to do this. I needed to let her. I knew that deep in my bones, but letting her go was hard.
“Two dollars?” I asked. “Couldn’t leave it at fifty?”
It was a tease, something she needed based on the way her shoulders fell. “You’re worth all the dollars.”
“Thank you.” I licked my dry lips and thanked my sister again.
She launched herself around the table and squeezed me tight. “No. Thank you . I told you this would be the best Thanksgiving ever.”
Indeed. Indeed it was. Even if it was almost one of the most painful.
Faye
If I don’t get out of my house soon, I’m going to stab Max with a fork. In his eye.
“Who’s that from?”
“Faye,” I told Maize. It was after we cleaned up dinner, after I wiped more tears and gave more hugs. After we were curled up on the couch, Netflix poised and ready to play.
“The news with Ava kind of rocked a lot of people this week. Her ex-husband is at her house with their kids. It’s safe to say she’s sick of him, but he’s refusing to leave.”
“She should come over here then.”
“You sure?”
“And risk meeting your new friends? I’ll try not to be a hindrance,” she deadpanned.
“Fine.”
Need a break? Maize and I are chilling but you can come here.
Her response was instantaneous.
I’ll be there in ten. With liquor and Dolly. Her in-laws are in town and she can’t stand them.
“She’s bringing a friend and liquor.”
“Sweet.” Maize threw off her blanket. “Girls’ night. Ask her to pick up more wine? I need to change.”
She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt and looked cozy enough to me, but far be it from me to tell my all-grown sister what to do anymore.
So I was a little bitter and having a hard time with the letting go bit. I’d get there.
I texted Faye back our request, threw in one for me, received a thumbs-up emoji in response, and twelve minutes later, my doorbell was ringing.
“I’ll get it,” Maize called out from the living room. She’d come out wearing flannel pajama pants and an old sweatshirt with the neckline cut off, making it hang off one shoulder. I was in my room, doing the same thing.
“Thank you!”
Squeals and introductions echoed through my small house and by the time I got out to the kitchen, Faye had commandeered it, was mixing drinks, and had somehow managed to find a blender.
“This is mine.” She slapped her hand on the top. “You wanted margarita mix and I like them frozen. Seemed like a better idea than straight tequila tonight.”
Faye, I was learning, was a whirlwind storm. I’d already learned that once she started on a path, it was best not to disturb her.
“And don’t worry,” she continued. “I’m making yours first.”
“In this,” my sister said and threw her arm around my shoulder, “my sister and I are nothing alike. I want all the good stuff in mine.”
“You’ve got it.” Faye went back to mixing and it was then I noticed a newcomer to the girls’ night.
“Hi,” I said.
“We grabbed her on the way,” Dolly said. “Lydia Haven, this is Penelope Pesco.”
Lydia. I’d heard that name before but couldn’t quite place it. “Thanks for letting me come.”
“Lydia needed to get out of her home,” Dolly said and hugged her tight to her side. “She’s friends with Ava.”
“Of course.” I shook my head and kicked my bad manners to the curb. “Of course. I’m glad you could come and you’re welcome. Anytime.”
“And you’re the new teacher? And the girl who has Gavin all twisted up?”
“I’m the new teacher, at any rate.”
She chuckled, and I caught a glimpse of who she probably was, really was, before this week. “I was at the Kelleys’ on Monday night. Before... anyway. I was there and heard Josie talking about you. She likes you a whole lot.”
“I like her too.”
The blender kicked on, making me jump. Dolly threw her hands in the air. “All right, girls! Let’s get this party started!”
Girls’ night indeed. I looked at the women who took me in as their own and slid my glance to my sister.
She was grinning wide and free and happy.
Yes.
Best Thanksgiving ever.