Marlin's Faith: The Virtues Book II by A.J. Downey Page B

half expected it to fly out of her mouth how sick and tired she was about me being so irresponsible, but instead, she flew forward and wrapped me in a hug so tight, I thought she’d break me.
    “Are you okay?” she asked, and all I could manage to do was nod. Cutter winked at me from behind her and I felt a faint answering smile.
    “Jesus Christ, Hope. You wanna let her off the bike?” Marlin asked in front of me.
    “Don’t even get me started with you!” Hope snapped and I swallowed hard, there was my sister. Corporal Badass , as Charity and I liked to call her behind her back. Thinking of Charity immediately brought guilt and shame rushing to the surface. I hadn’t spoken to her yet. I hadn’t been ready, but I was out of excuses and I couldn’t hide from her forever.
    “I’d like to call Charity now, if it’s alright.”
    Hope leaned back abruptly and searched my face, hers full of apprehension. Whatever she saw on my own smoothed it out and I wondered, not for the first time, what kind of horrible my sister thought I was going to do, what she thought I was up to. I kept silent, didn’t try to argue with her, or snap at her. What was the use? Hope was always going to look at me and see the worst parts of me. The only difference was, now, when I looked in the mirror; that was all I saw too.
    I felt guilty, keeping Charity away, not speaking to the sister who always and forever only saw the good in me. Dr. Sheindland had asked me a question about that. Then followed up with an open ended, ambiguous one that left me reeling and feeling three inches tall.
    Don’t you think your sister needs to hear from you? That she isn’t sitting in agonized wonder?
    “Sure, yeah, okay, Bubbles.”
    I let my older sister lead me into the house, glancing back over my shoulder at Marlin, still astride his motorcycle. His expression was unreadable, as he looked me over and watched me go. I wondered what it was he was thinking as we moved from his sight, and if he still stared after me as much as I did after him, still looking over my shoulder long after we passed from his sight.
    “You okay, Bubbles?” I startled and looked at my sister, and felt my eyes were a little wide. She stopped us and turned me to look at her.
    “What’s going on?” she asked.
    “Nothing!”
    “You suck at lying to me, Faith. Always have, and always will. You know I’m always two steps ahead of you, so spill.”
    I didn’t speak; I didn’t know what to say. Finally Hope narrowed her dark eyes and asked, “Did he do something to you?”
    “No!”
    “Then where were you all last night?”
    “We went for a ride.” I stared at my sister and her mouth thinned down into that hard assed line, “I’m serious, we went for a ride and we stopped and we were watching the stars and we fell asleep. I swear, that’s all.”
    Her shoulders dropped and she sighed out, “Let me guess, you’re feeling like you’re fourteen…”
    “And just like when you caught me making out with Ray Tanzer in the back seat of his Mustang.” I muttered dejectedly.
    “But you’re not fourteen anymore.”
    “No, I’m not.”
    She sighed, “I’m sorry, Bubbles.”
    “Me, too.” I said softly.
    “What are you sorry for?” she asked, face scrunching in confusion.
    “That I’m such a pain in your ass, and for doing the wrong thing like all the time, I really don’t mean to, Hope! I just…”
    “You like him, huh?” she asked and there wasn’t anything hard or accusatory in her voice; just soft resignation.
    I looked up from my feet where my gaze had affixed itself and felt a little nauseous at the look of pity on my sister’s face.
    “It doesn’t matter,” I said softly, “No one is going to be interested in an ex-junkie whore.”
    “Faith!” Hope barked sharply.
    “Don’t ‘Faith’ me, Hope! Look, I don’t want to talk about it anymore, I just want to call Charity. She needs to know.” I stared my sister in the face and she wilted a