Truly Yours

by Kennedy Fox

  “Oh have more.” Aunt Sylvia nearly refills Sophie’s glass to the brim.

  “She’s a lightweight,” I tell Sylvia, who waves me off.

  “We all are sometimes. Plus, she’s not driving.” She shoots Sophie a wink, who then giggles.

  After we’ve eaten our weight in spaghetti and meatballs, we help her clean up. I’m so full that I’m miserable, and I think Sophie is too, so we both refuse dessert. Aunt Sylvia tells us to grab our wine and follow her. By the smirk on her face, I know she’s more than determined to embarrass the piss outta me tonight. She leads Sophie and me into her study, where she has a shelf full of photo albums. She begins pulling them down one by one and places them on her desk.

  “Look at how adorable Mason was.” Aunt Sylvia flips through photos of Crystal and me in diapers.

  “Those eyelashes,” Sophie says, glancing over at me with a smile. “Oh my gosh, you were the cutest baby.”

  I scoff. “I’m still cute.”

  Blush hits her cheeks as Aunt Sylvia goes on and on about the stories Crystal and I used to make up. “They would write plays and perform them in the living room. And the ballet moves Mason had,” she continues.

  “Ballet?” Sophie tilts her head. “I’ll have to tell Maddie.”

  I shake my head. “Oh hell no.”

  Aunt Sylvia giggles. “He wanted to be an ice skater too.”

  “This is so embarrassing,” I admit. I forgot about all of that. We shuffle through the pictures and come across some of me with my parents. I stare at it for a little while, and Sophie notices.

  “Your mom is beautiful,” she says.

  “Have you met her yet?” Aunt Sylvia asks.

  Sophie shakes her head. “Not yet.”

  “Soon,” I say.

  “Well, now I feel special as hell. Have you met his father, Michael?” she asks.

  “Once or twice,” Sophie admits but doesn’t expand on it or sound thrilled.

  “He means well, but he’s often stubborn just like Mason.” Aunt Sylvia pats my leg.

  Sophie chuckles and looks at me with hooded eyes. The signals she’s throwing my way are not going unnoticed. So many stolen glances and unspoken words are exchanged as we continue to flip through the pages. After we’ve gone through every album and Aunt Sylvia has embarrassed me beyond means, we decide to call it a night.

  Before we leave, she puts the leftover food in to-go containers and makes us promise to come back. Thankfully, Sophie agrees. As Aunt Sylvia walks us to my truck, she thanks us for spending the evening with her.

  “So when’s the wedding?” she asks with a wink. “You know, I can totally marry you two right here and now. We could deal with the paperwork another day.” She waves it off as if she’s talking about the weather.

  Sophie tenses.

  “Wait, are you two not together?” Aunt Sylvia looks between us. “I know you said you’re roommates, but…I’m not blind.” She snickers, and it grows awkward.

  “It’s a technicality right now,” I explain and silence her with a hug and thanks for dinner. Sophie repeats my words as Aunt Sylvia hugs her next. The two of us climb in and wave as I back the truck out.

  “What?” I ask with a laugh after watching Sophie grin the past fifteen minutes.

  “Nothing,” she singsongs.

  “Oh, you’ve got to tell me now.”

  She pretends to zip her lips, but a smirk takes over and is replaced with out of control laughter. “You wanted to be a ballerina.”

  “I was five!” I exclaim.

  “Maddie is going to lose her shit,” she taunts.

  “You better not tell her. Soph,” I playfully warn.

  She shrugs. “We’ll see.”

  We pull into the driveway, and I’m thrilled to see Sophie in high spirits. The past few times we’ve gone out have given me hope that things will eventually go back to how they used to be.

  “Thanks for taking me with you,” she says, carrying our food as we walk toward the house.

  “I wouldn’t have gone without you,” I admit, and time freezes for a moment. The only thing that pulls us away is the sound of laughter on the other side of the door.

  “Is that—?”

  “Maddie,” she finishes my sentence.

  Both confused, we walk inside and see Maddie and Liam playing cards on the couch. By the sounds of it, Maddie’s kicking his ass.

  “What the hell?” I ask. “What are you doing here?”

  Maddie glares at me, then smiles at Sophie. “You brought me dinner?”

  Sophie narrows her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  Standing, Maddie comes over and grabs the containers from Sophie’s hands, then goes to the kitchen and returns with a fork, already eating from the Tupperware. Manners? I’m not sure she has any. “This is delicious!” she says loudly.

  “You should share that,” Liam whines. “Aunt Sylvia may be a weirdo, but she’s a damn good cook.” He holds out his hand, waiting for Maddie to share. Instead, she pulls it away from him.

  “I was bored sitting in my dorm, so I decided to come over and visit, but then realized you two lovebirds weren’t home, so Liam let me in, and we’ve been hanging out while I waited for Soph.”

  I arch a brow at Liam as Sophie takes the other container into the kitchen.

  He shrugs helplessly. “I couldn’t tell her to go away. Her ride had already driven off.”

  “Mmhmm.” I doubt he’s been hating it either.

  “It’s the truth,” he snaps when Sophie walks back in, and she’s smirking at the way Liam’s all flustered over Maddie. I grab a beer from the fridge, and Liam follows.

  Liam crosses his arms with a glare. “I don’t know why everyone has something to say about me being nice to her. Better than being a dick and treating her the way you used to treat Sophie.”

  I glare at him. “Yeah, well. I actually liked Sophie. What’s your excuse?” Popping a brow, I dare him to admit he likes her, but he shakes his head and heads back into the living room. When I walk behind him, I notice Maddie purposely puts her legs up on his lap after he sits down next to her.

  “This is everything,” she says with her mouth full. Yep, she’s officially disgusting.

  Sophie sits in the recliner. “So. How’s the millionaire quest going?”

  Maddie shrugs. “Still working on the listing. I ordered a new bikini for some new photos. Then I’ll work on my sales pitch, which they probably won’t even read once they click through my photos.”

  I snicker at her humility. “Want me to take the pictures for you? I do take them for my job and all.” Granted, they’re for crime scenes, but still.

  “Don’t encourage her,” Sophie scolds, but she knows Maddie’s stunt is all an act.

  I look at Liam, who tenses as Maddie talks about selling her virginity nonchalantly like it’s an antique piece of furniture she can sell for top dollar.

  “Well, you actually have to go on dates if you want to find someone,” I throw in.

  Maddie snorts and straightens, putting her feet underneath her. “I have! I’ve gone on a handful of them, and they’ve all ended badly the moment I don’t let them hit a home run. It’s all fun and games until I tell them no. Plus, most of them wouldn’t know how to treat a woman right even if it was spelled out for them. I’m not trying to get taken advantage of by some idiot who can’t even spell Mississippi. This way, I can be in charge of my own body, and it will strictly be a cash transaction. No feelings, no dates, no disappointments.”

  I watch Liam tense and wonder if maybe it’s because Maddie has never discussed dating anyone.

  Maddie continues, “I nearly castrated one guy who didn’t understand that no meant no. I’m not kidding. I’ve never pulled a knife off a counter so quickly. I wasn’t afraid to use it either.” She holds her hand up like she’s about to shank someone.

  Sophie looks horrified.

  “Oh, the stories I could tell,” Maddie goes on between taking bites . “One douch
ebag thought he could get me drunk, but I didn’t take a sip of anything he offered because I had a feeling he was trying to drug me, which he was.”

  “You’re not dating the right kind of guys,” Liam interjects. I can tell he’s pissed, but hell, so am I.

  Maddie turns toward him with an eyebrow popped and a fork in her mouth. “So what kind of guys should I be dating? Strong bounty hunter bad-boy types?” She puckers her lips, daring him to argue.

  Maddie’s a firecracker and gives zero fucks about being blunt. She’ll cross boundaries anytime she feels like it, which is why shit’s always interesting when she’s around.

  He shakes his head, then stands. “I’m done with this conversation. I’m going to bed. Night.”

  With a pout, Maddie tells him good night. Once he’s out of sight, she looks at Sophie. “Think I pushed him too far?”

  I chuckle. “I think you did.”

  “Do you want a ride home?” Sophie asks, yawning.

  “No, I was thinking I’d stay. I know you’re a bed hog, so I’ll sleep out here. You have an extra pillow and blanket?” She grins, but I know she’s not joking when she stretches her long legs out until her feet touch me. I look down at them and am terrified. They’re what nightmares are made from.

  “What? You’ve never seen a ballerina’s feet before?” Maddie giggles, wiggling her toes and trying to touch me with them. “Man, these springs might kill my back. Think I could share Liam’s bed with him?”

  “Oh my God.” Sophie stands, shaking her head. “Bad idea,” she tells her before going to her room to grab an extra pillow and blankets.

  “You’re pushy as hell,” I scold Maddie.

  She shrugs, not caring. “Gotta be, especially when he treats me like I’m his little sister.”

  “You kinda are,” I admit.

  “I am not. You all treat me like I’m a child when I’m a grown ass woman. Just because you’re a few years older than I am doesn’t mean anything. Age is just a number, and neither of you guys knows what I’ve been through.”

  I can tell she’s getting upset, and I give her a soft smile. “We’re just in a different place in our lives than you, Mads. He’s five years older and has a tough and demanding career. He’s been through a lot too, and relationships aren’t easy for him. You’re still in college. Your age doesn’t discredit anything, but you have to realize where Liam is in his life right now. I mean, what do you expect, to get married before your twenty-first birthday?”

  Sophie walks back in then and notices Maddie looks pissed and hands her everything.

  “I don’t expect wedding bells. Just a chance and not to be treated like a kid. To be looked at like the woman I am.” She glances at Sophie.

  “You will always be my little sister. You’ve still got a lot to learn about relationships,” Sophie says, sitting down on the couch next to Maddie.

  “I know,” she says, then looks at me. “Sorry. I’m just sexually frustrated.”

  I burst out into laughter. “Aren’t we all?”

  Sophie tenses, and I take it as my opportunity to leave them to chat. As I’m climbing the stairs, I hear Sophie talking to her and freeze.

  “You don’t need to rush into anything. Seriously, one of the biggest mistakes I made in my life was rushing into a relationship. Let everything happen organically, and if it’s meant to be, it will happen. I promise you,” Sophie says so sweetly and patient, just like the big sister she is. “You’ll find a nice guy, someone who treats you right, and when you meet him, you’ll know he’s the one without a doubt.”

  It goes quiet for a second, then Maddie speaks up. “I knew the moment I met Liam.”

  And not even I can argue with that because when you know, you know.

  Just as I know Sophie’s the one for me.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sophie

  The temperatures have finally started to drop now that the middle of October is upon us. I’ve been waiting for this for months, though I’ve been wearing sweaters and boots for weeks. Fall is my favorite season, and I count down to it every year.

  This morning, I’m meeting Lennon at the doctor’s office so we can find out if I’m getting another niece or a nephew. As I make a cup of coffee to go, Mason enters the kitchen.

  “You’re up early,” he says, running his fingers through his messy hair.

  I take a sip of coffee and look him up and down, taking in all his muscles and the way his pants hang on his hips. Damn, the man is sexy as hell. Would it be inappropriate to show my therapist a picture of him so she can see exactly what I have to look at every day? Sometimes, I think I’m ready to take our relationship to the next step, but then I start second-guessing everything and don’t. Mason’s been so damn patient, letting me take the lead and never pushing me. Hell, even I’m getting blue balls at this point. But I’m making amazing progress in therapy, and the nightmares and anxiety have slowly drifted away. I still get anxious at times, but I’m way better at managing it than before.

  “Lennon’s appointment is at eight, and it’s across town, so I have to get through early morning traffic,” I remind him.

  He pours himself a cup and leans against the counter. “Oh yeah. I forgot. Any bets as to what you think she’s having?”

  “Hmm.” I pucker my lips and tap my finger on the outside. “I think it’s a boy and so does Hunter. Lennon doesn’t have a preference. Maddie thinks it’s a girl. Actually, she’s convinced it’s a girl.”

  Mason grins, and I love the way his cheeks have a little dip in them. Sometimes, he catches me staring at them but doesn’t call me out on it. “Maybe it’s twins.”

  “Nah, she’d know that by now, but hell, stranger things have happened.” I check the time and realize I need to finish getting ready and get going. “Love the view, but I gotta go,” I say, admiring him one last time.

  “You can look anytime you want.” He shoots me a wink.

  “Would it kill you to wear a shirt once in a while?” I tease, knowing damn well I don’t mind.

  “Would it kill you not to wear a shirt once in a while? Then we can be twinsies.” He waggles his brows, and I snort and roll my eyes at his pathetic joke.

  “Ha-ha. Bye.” I walk away before I do something stupid like reach out and touch him.

  While driving to meet Lennon, a smile touches my lips. It’s finally Friday, and I’ve had a really good week so far. Actually, the past few haven’t been bad. I write in my anxiety journal a little less each week, and playing my violin feels normal again. I’ve even thought about calling my old students to take up tutoring again. Right now, I’m in a good place mentally. The only thing I need to work through is Mason’s and my relationship, but I’m taking my own advice and allowing it to happen organically. Mason’s not some fling to me. He’s more than that. He always has been, and I knew the moment I met him that he wasn’t just some guy.

  When I pull into the parking lot, I see Lennon’s car, so I know she’s already inside. I take a huge gulp of coffee, then grab my clutch and head out. As soon as I enter the waiting room, I see Hunter, Lennon, and Maddie all cracking up as Allie babbles.

  “Allie Cat,” I say, holding my hands out, and Lennon happily hands her over.

  “I need coffee.” She groans. During her last pregnancy, she refused to drink a drop, and she’s worse than me when it comes to coffee time, so she’s still struggling.

  Allie’s in a good mood. “You’re getting so big. Did you miss your auntie Sophie?” She’s almost ten months old and could start walking any time now, and then she’ll be into everything.

  I sit on the other side of Maddie and bounce Allie on my lap. She giggles, and it’s the cutest thing. I can’t believe how much she looks like Lennon, but I see features of Brandon too.

  “So any final guesses before we go in the back?” I ask Lennon.

  “Nope!” She stays firm with her answer. “I’ll be happy either way.”

  “It’s a boy,” Hunter says matter-of-factly. As if it�
�ll be true if he keeps saying it.

  “Girl, one hundred percent.” Maddie sticks her tongue out at him. I think she chose the opposite sex just so she could fuck with Hunter. She loves getting under his skin and teasing him, but I don’t think he minds it. He always talks about how we’re the sisters he never had.

  A woman calls Lennon’s name, and we all follow through the hallway into the ultrasound room. It feels so surreal being here again while holding Allie. The last time we were here was when we found out Allie was a girl, and we were all so excited. So much has changed in so little time for all of us. It almost makes my head spin thinking about it.

  The ultrasound tech introduces herself as Cassie and explains everything beforehand even though Lennon has an idea of what to expect. Once her shirt is lifted and her jeans are lowered, Cassie places the wand on Lennon’s belly, and I glance at her with a smile. Lennon’s watching the screen while Hunter sits close, holding her hand, not letting her go. The love they share for each other can be felt by every person in the room.

  “The doctor wants me to do a series of measurements, and then I can check the gender if you want to know…” Cassie grins, tapping buttons on her machine.

  “We do!” Maddie answers for everyone, and I chuckle.

  “He or she is definitely active today. You must’ve drunk something sweet,” Cassie says.

  “I had OJ this morning,” Lennon admits. “And I haven’t peed yet, so don’t push that too hard on my bladder,” she teases, but I remember with Allie she did the same.

  After a few more minutes of the tech checking things and taking pictures of the brain and heart, Cassie smiles. “Ready, Mom and Dad?”

  “Yep!” Lennon smiles. “Mostly because I want to put this argument between them to rest.” She glares at Hunter and Maddie.

  “Ahh, plain as day,” Cassie says with a grin, zooming in and snapping a photo.

  “It’s a boy?” Hunter stands up, waiting on edge for confirmation.

  “Oh, you want to know right now?” She jokes with them, then nods as she types something over the screen. Squinting I read it, It’s a Boy!