John, I will kill you.”
Suzanna started scooping salad into bowls as if she weren’t the least bit concerned about Meg’s reaction. “He needed a place to stay until he finds a house. He is Steven’s best friend.”
“He’s here?”
Suzanna continued as though Meg hadn’t spoken. “And you’re my sister so you guys are going to see each other. Especially after the baby is born, which could be any day now.” Suzanna stopped filling bowls and looked at Meg. “So. It’s time to make peace with the past and move on.”
“You could have warned me.”
“You wouldn’t have come.”
“Damn straight.”
Suzanna sagged a bit. “You have to face him sometime. Why not here? Where Steven and I can offer some support and…refereeing if necessary.”
Meg swallowed, but her mouth was so dry it was almost painful. “Why would you do this?” Her voice was soft but strained. It was nearly impossible to breathe, let alone speak.
“Honey, I know better than anyone how much he hurt you. I am still angry at him for that. I will never forget how he broke your heart. But it was four years ago. You keep saying you’ve moved on, so go out there, face him, and actually move on.”
“This is way out of line, even for you.”
“I didn’t ask him to come home, Meg. He got sick of all the blood and gore in New York ERs and approached the clinic about working there. He just got back yesterday. I thought I’d save you the stress of trying to avoid him for the rest of your life.”
“I hate you so much.”
“You love me.” Suzanna gave Meg a bright smile. “Hey, you said business is slow. He’s going to need a real estate agent to find a house. I told him I happen to know the best one in town.”
“Does he know it’s me?”
“Not exactly.”
Meg used the spatula to point to the living room. She ignored the sound of pasta sauce and chunks of melted cheese splattering on the tile floor. “You go in there right now and tell him.”
“Tell him what?”
“Oh, my God.” Meg rolled her head back and closed her eyes.
“Look at me. Meg.”
When Meg opened her eyes, she was surprised at the sheen of tears there.
“I’m not saying you have to like him, but you will have to learn how to be around him. Peacefully. And not just because this is a small town. I am not going to have my baby born with so much animosity in this family.”
“He is not your family. I am.”
“He’s the closest thing Steven has to a brother. That makes you guys aunt and uncle to this little one, and I will not have you hating each other around her.”
Meg dropped the spatula and started for the door. “I can’t. I can’t.”
Suzanna waddled after her sister. “Wait, damn it.”
Meg stopped abruptly. The sound of a deep familiar voice on the other side of the door sent a shiver running through her.
Suzanna, unable to stop as quickly, hit Meg in the back with her stomach. “Ugh. What now?”
Meg turned and said with a panicked whisper, “He’s out there.” She glanced around the kitchen desperately, like a trapped animal, until she spotted the back door. “I’ll go that way.”
“You don’t have your coat.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Or your car keys.”
Meg’s hope faded. “Damn you, Suzanna!”
“Honey, just go out there and say hello.”
The urge to strangle Suzanna took over. It was a feeling Meg had fought for the better part of her life. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She was about to tell her sister to distract John so she could sneak out, but before Meg could speak, Suzanna put her hands to Meg’s shoulders and shoved. Meg squealed as she tumbled backwards through the swinging door.
The unexpected push from Suzanna and Meg’s extremely high heels were a near-lethal combination. Meg tripped over her own feet, reaching out for the door in a failed attempt to stop herself from falling. She was anticipating a hard landing on the pinewood floor, but instead, she fell into two arms. The strong
Suzanna started scooping salad into bowls as if she weren’t the least bit concerned about Meg’s reaction. “He needed a place to stay until he finds a house. He is Steven’s best friend.”
“He’s here?”
Suzanna continued as though Meg hadn’t spoken. “And you’re my sister so you guys are going to see each other. Especially after the baby is born, which could be any day now.” Suzanna stopped filling bowls and looked at Meg. “So. It’s time to make peace with the past and move on.”
“You could have warned me.”
“You wouldn’t have come.”
“Damn straight.”
Suzanna sagged a bit. “You have to face him sometime. Why not here? Where Steven and I can offer some support and…refereeing if necessary.”
Meg swallowed, but her mouth was so dry it was almost painful. “Why would you do this?” Her voice was soft but strained. It was nearly impossible to breathe, let alone speak.
“Honey, I know better than anyone how much he hurt you. I am still angry at him for that. I will never forget how he broke your heart. But it was four years ago. You keep saying you’ve moved on, so go out there, face him, and actually move on.”
“This is way out of line, even for you.”
“I didn’t ask him to come home, Meg. He got sick of all the blood and gore in New York ERs and approached the clinic about working there. He just got back yesterday. I thought I’d save you the stress of trying to avoid him for the rest of your life.”
“I hate you so much.”
“You love me.” Suzanna gave Meg a bright smile. “Hey, you said business is slow. He’s going to need a real estate agent to find a house. I told him I happen to know the best one in town.”
“Does he know it’s me?”
“Not exactly.”
Meg used the spatula to point to the living room. She ignored the sound of pasta sauce and chunks of melted cheese splattering on the tile floor. “You go in there right now and tell him.”
“Tell him what?”
“Oh, my God.” Meg rolled her head back and closed her eyes.
“Look at me. Meg.”
When Meg opened her eyes, she was surprised at the sheen of tears there.
“I’m not saying you have to like him, but you will have to learn how to be around him. Peacefully. And not just because this is a small town. I am not going to have my baby born with so much animosity in this family.”
“He is not your family. I am.”
“He’s the closest thing Steven has to a brother. That makes you guys aunt and uncle to this little one, and I will not have you hating each other around her.”
Meg dropped the spatula and started for the door. “I can’t. I can’t.”
Suzanna waddled after her sister. “Wait, damn it.”
Meg stopped abruptly. The sound of a deep familiar voice on the other side of the door sent a shiver running through her.
Suzanna, unable to stop as quickly, hit Meg in the back with her stomach. “Ugh. What now?”
Meg turned and said with a panicked whisper, “He’s out there.” She glanced around the kitchen desperately, like a trapped animal, until she spotted the back door. “I’ll go that way.”
“You don’t have your coat.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Or your car keys.”
Meg’s hope faded. “Damn you, Suzanna!”
“Honey, just go out there and say hello.”
The urge to strangle Suzanna took over. It was a feeling Meg had fought for the better part of her life. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She was about to tell her sister to distract John so she could sneak out, but before Meg could speak, Suzanna put her hands to Meg’s shoulders and shoved. Meg squealed as she tumbled backwards through the swinging door.
The unexpected push from Suzanna and Meg’s extremely high heels were a near-lethal combination. Meg tripped over her own feet, reaching out for the door in a failed attempt to stop herself from falling. She was anticipating a hard landing on the pinewood floor, but instead, she fell into two arms. The strong
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