The Beauty of Us

by Kristen Proby

  Great.

  “I beat you,” Colleen says with a smile as I hurry to the table at our favorite restaurant. She stands so she can hug me, then sits across from me.

  “I’m sorry, I hope you haven’t been waiting long.” I take a sip of the water waiting for me and smile over at her.

  “I haven’t. Just long enough to decide what I want to eat.”

  “We always get the same thing.”

  “See? I haven’t been here long at all.”

  I chuckle at her and set my menu aside.

  “How are you?” I ask.

  “I’m fine. I have a new job.”

  Colleen switches jobs at least twice a year, much to my dismay.

  “Where is it?”

  “Disneyland,” she replies with a wide grin. “I’m the new Cinderella. Well, one of them anyway.”

  “You’re serious.”

  I stare at her in surprise. This is the last thing I would have expected because Colleen is not a girlie girl. I can’t imagine her wearing a big, heavy dress in the Southern California heat.

  “I’m totally serious,” she says. She’s definitely pretty enough to be a princess. “It’s fun. Kids love me.”

  “Of course they do, you’re a princess.”

  “It’s nice to hear you finally admit it after all of these years.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “You’ve always hated dresses.”

  “I hate this one too,” she says, rolling her pretty blue eyes. “But it’s a good job. They have good benefits, and they pay well.”

  “Those are both good things.”

  “I can’t get medical insurance waitressing,” she says reasonably. “And I don’t really like being a waitress. I’m already used to being on my feet all the time, and now I get to hang out in Disneyland all day. I mean, that doesn’t suck.”

  “No, you’re absolutely right. That doesn’t suck.” I take a deep breath and prepare myself for the next question. “Have you given any thought to going back to school?”

  She immediately glares at me. “Stop asking me that.”

  “No. C, what are you going to do? Be Cinderella forever?”

  “Maybe I’ll get married and have kids like Lisa,” she says, referencing our sister.

  “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but you’re not even dating. Maybe you should work on a career in case Mr. Wonderful doesn’t show up for a while.”

  “I’ve been dating,” she says, not meeting my eyes now, and before I can grill her further, the waitress stops at our table to take our orders.

  After she leaves, Colleen sighs. “I don’t want to argue. That’s not why I wanted to meet up with you. I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” And it’s the truth. She may not be on the fast track to a career in medicine, but she’s a hard worker, and takes care of herself very well. She never asks me for help, even though I have a feeling that there are times she could use it, and I have to respect that.

  Colleen tilts her head to the side, watching me, as she takes a sip of her soda. “You look different.”

  “I might have lost some of my tan up in Portland,” I reply.

  “That’s not it.” She shakes her head, still watching me. “You look . . . happy.”

  “I was unhappy before?”

  “God, you’re a pain in the ass.” She throws an ice cube at me. “You seriously look different.” She pauses, and then her eyes widen. “Oh my God, did you meet someone?”

  “Am I wearing a sign?”

  “I’m your sister. I know you. You did. Who is she? What does she look like? Do I know her?”

  I grin and pull up a photo of Riley on my phone, then turn it to Colleen. “Her name is Riley, and I met her in Portland.”

  “Oh, she’s pretty,” she says, and smiles at me. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Wait. She’s in Portland?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can’t move to Portland.” Her eyes fill with tears at the idea, making me soften a bit.

  “I’m not packing yet, C.”

  “No, I mean it. I barely talk to Lisa. I don’t see the ’rents at all. You’re all I have, Trev. You can’t move away.”

  “Portland isn’t far.”

  “Uh, have you looked at a map? Yeah, it is.”

  “You never know, you might decide that you want to move up there too.”

  “I’m Cinderella.” She rubs her forehead as if she’s completely frustrated at me, and I can’t help but smile.

  “Well, if the whole Cinderella gig doesn’t work out, and if I move up to Portland, it might be an option.”

  “You’re stressing me out,” she mutters, and digs into her fries when our meals are delivered. “And speaking of stressing out, you need to do something about Stephanie.”

  “I was hoping you’d forget about that.”

  “Yeah, well, I can’t forget about her because she’s been blowing up my phone like a bill collector.”

  “Do you have a lot of bill collectors calling you?”

  “Jesus, it’s a figure of speech. And no, I don’t. Focus, Trevor.”

  “What does she want?”

  “She’s been getting all sentimental and whining that she thinks she made a mistake with you.”

  “She gets sentimental every year when it’s about to be our anniversary,” I remind her. “She usually sends a text, and that’s the last I hear from her.”

  “I know, but why is she calling me and not you?”

  “Probably because she knows I won’t take her calls. I don’t have anything to say to her.”

  “Well, she’s getting more persistent. She called me four times last week, and she texts at least once a day to find out if I’ve talked to you.”

  “Christ,” I whisper, and set my half-eaten burger on my plate, suddenly no longer hungry. “You should block her.”

  “No, I did that last year and she showed up at my house.”

  I raise a brow in surprise. “You didn’t tell me that.”

  Before she can answer, my phone rings, shocking me.

  “I’m going to take this. I thought my phone died. Hello?”

  “Hi,” Riley says. Her voice sounds tired.

  “Hi, sweetheart. How are you?”

  “Fine.” She sighs. “I kept busy today. I didn’t think I’d be able to get through on your cell, but I thought I’d leave a message.”

  “It’s a miracle that your call came through. Listen, can I call you back? I’m having dinner with Colleen.”

  She’s quiet for a split second, and then, “Who’s Colleen?”

  “My youngest sister.” I wink at Colleen, who looks mildly annoyed that I never told Riley her name. “We’re catching up for a bit, and then I’m heading home.”

  “Okay. I’ll be here.”

  “Thanks. I’ll talk to you soon. Love you.”

  “I love you too.” The smile is in her voice now as we both hang up and I turn my attention back to my sister. “Before you complain, I did tell her I had sisters, I just don’t think I told her your names.”

  “You told her you love her.” Her eyes are wide and her voice cracks a bit when she says “love.”

  “I do love her.”

  “I’m seriously so happy for you,” she says, and reaches over to squeeze my hand. “And for the record, I’m not going to tell you that I think you should talk to Steph.”

  “Good because I’m not going to.”

  “I know. I told her I’d talk with you. She seems really sad.”

  “And you’re a sweet woman who feels sorry for everyone.” She smiles and shrugs one shoulder. “Do I have to remind you that she fucking cheated on me, married the dude as soon as the divorce was final, and took me for quite a bit of money in the process?”

  “No, you don’t have to remind me at all. I don’t like her. I didn’t like her when you were married to her.”

  “I know.”

  “But you shoul
d know that she might show up at your house or something.”

  “She won’t, and this will blow over, C. It always does. She’s not even a blip on my radar anymore. It’s been over for a long time, and I’m finally at a point where I’m moving on. Riley’s great. She’s smart and funny and so fucking beautiful it almost hurts to look at her.”

  “Wow,” Colleen whispers. “This is the healthiest I’ve ever seen you. I hope I get to meet Riley, because I’d love to thank her.”

  “For what?”

  “For that sweet look on your face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, even when you were first married. You deserve this, Trev.”

  “Let’s not get too mushy.”

  “Oh, that’s right, you’re a guy.” She rolls her eyes. “Send her flowers.”

  “Who?”

  “Riley. Send her flowers. I’m sure she misses you, and it would make her feel better if you sent her some flowers.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I’ll do it in the morning.”

  “When are you going to see her again?”

  “I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “We both have demanding jobs, and I took last week as vacation so I could spend some extra time with her, so I’m not sure when we’ll make it happen. Hopefully soon.”

  “Well, if she comes here, let me know and I’ll get you guys into Disney. I get family passes.”

  “That’s a cool perk.”

  “I’m a princess,” she says with a smug smile.

  “We always knew that.”

  “Damn right we did.” She nods once and steals the check when the waitress sets it on the table.

  “I can buy dinner.”

  “So can I,” she says. “Let me treat you.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want anything? You’re being awfully nice to me.”

  “I just missed you,” she replies quietly. “Sometimes a girl just needs her brother.”

  “Okay.” I hold my hands up in surrender. “Besides, how many guys can say that a princess bought them dinner?”

  “That’s the spirit,” she says with a laugh. “I’m happy you’re home.”

  “Me too.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  ~Riley~

  “It’s been two weeks,” I say to Nana as we sit in our pedicure chairs, getting our feet pampered. Trevor has been gone for two weeks, and I can’t say that it’s been a good two weeks.

  “When was the last time you spoke to him?” Nana asks.

  “It’s been a couple of days.” I lean my head back against the massage chair and take a deep breath. “Honestly, I’ve heard from him less and less as time goes on. And I understand that we’re both busy with work, and his phone is all messed up because he dropped it in the water, but it’s hard to not even hear his voice for days on end.”

  “I can imagine so,” Nana replies. “I do know that that boy loves you. I don’t believe he’s trying to back away from you.”

  “I don’t either, and that’s almost harder than if he was. He texts me and tells me he loves me, but he’s not making real time for me. I need to hear his voice. I need to see him.”

  “Well, he can’t very well just fly up here on your every whim.”

  “I know, Nana, but he can FaceTime me.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s a video call on our iPhones.” I smile and pull my phone out of my pocket to show her how it works.

  “Well, look at that,” Nana says with a smile. “I can start FaceChecking your mama, since she doesn’t bother to come see me.”

  “FaceTime,” I reply with a laugh. “And yes, you should do that. She should go see you more than twice a freaking year.”

  I don’t bother to hide the disappointment and disgust in my voice.

  “She’s busy too.”

  “That’s an excuse,” I reply. “Don’t defend her. I run a business and I come see you once a week. And not because I have to, but because I love you and I want to see you.”

  “I know.” Nana reaches over to pat my hand. “You’re a good girl. I’m sorry that your gentleman caller is making you sad.”

  “I love it when you call him that,” I reply with a soft smile. “It sounds old-fashioned and traditional. Do I have to hand in my feminist card because I like traditional?”

  “If you do, I’ll hand mine in with you,” she says. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting a man to be a man, and to respect you, Riley, all while you earn an equal wage and have the same rights as a man. I marched in my fair share of women’s rights marches through the years for that very reason.”

  “I know.” I nod and hand the tech my nail polish. I always bring my own. The thought of having them use polish that has touched someone else’s feet grosses me out. “And I am so proud of you for doing it.”

  “Having traditional values isn’t wrong. And frankly, I’m a bit disappointed in Trevor that he’s made you feel insecure.”

  “I wish I could talk to him in person. Maybe this is all in my head. I do overthink everything. There’s a meme going around that says something like ‘I have ninety-nine problems, and eighty-six of them are ones I’ve made up in my head.’”

  “What’s a meme?”

  “A picture with a quote on it.”

  “Oh yes, I see those on the Pinterest all the time.”

  “Exactly. So maybe it’s all in my head.”

  “No.” She shakes her head and purses her lips as she watches the tech paint her nails. “I don’t think it’s in your head. You’re a smart girl, and you have good instincts. I’m sure he’s not intentionally being distant, but you should tell him that you need him to be more available to you.”

  “That’s going to make me sound needy.”

  “And what of it?” Nana demands. “Riley, life is short. You already live far away from each other. At the very least, you should be speaking every day. It’s not needy to express that you need more from the man you love, and if he says that it is, well, then maybe he’s not the man for you.”

  “He might just be really busy.”

  “Now who’s making excuses for whom?” Nana asks with a smile.

  “I know, but it really could be the case.” She stares at me without speaking, but I can see her thoughts written all over her face.

  Stop making excuses for him and talk to him.

  “I’ll FaceTime him tonight and talk this over with him. Hopefully he had time to go get a new phone today.”

  “Good girl,” Nana replies with a satisfied nod. “What do you have going on after this?”

  “I thought I’d take you to lunch.”

  “Well, this is a treat. I get to spend all afternoon with you?”

  “Of course. And after lunch, we should do some shopping. I need some shoes for Kat’s birthday party next weekend. I already have a dress.”

  “That sounds fun. I could use a new bathing suit for this summer.”

  I feel my brows climb into my hairline in surprise. “A bathing suit?”

  “They’re building a new swimming pool in the community, and I want to look good sitting by it this summer.”

  “You should stay out of the sun, Nana.”

  “There are umbrellas,” she says with a wink. “And we’re still a ways from summer, but I might find something fun.”

  “We will have a look.”

  “Good. I can cook you dinner if you like.”

  “Yes, I would love that. Let’s make a day of it.”

  “Let’s do that.”

  I didn’t get to talk to Trevor last night. We texted back and forth, and he said he was tired. He also mentioned that work has been increasingly demanding, and that he misses me very much. I asked him to replace his phone, again, and he promised to put it on his list today.

  “If he misses me so much, why won’t he fucking call me?”

  “What’s that?” Kat asks as she walks into the office. She stops short when she sees my face. “Oh God. You’re pissed already.”

  “Men are mo
re work than they’re worth,” I reply, and toss a folder on my desk. “What’s up?”

  “Well, maybe I shouldn’t talk with you about this now.”

  “It’s as good a time as any,” I reply with a sigh.

  “No. No, I don’t think it is.”

  “Oh, for fuck sake, Kat, what the hell is it?”

  “See? You’re very sweary.”

  I narrow my eyes at her and she clears her throat, then shrugs one shoulder as if to say, What the hell?

  She pulls her phone out of her pocket and taps the screen until she finds what she’s looking for.

  “Have you seen this?” She passes the phone to me.

  “I didn’t know you and Trevor are friends on Facebook.”

  “We are, because I need to look out for you. Although he’s very dull. He never posts.”

  I’m staring at a photo of Trevor and another woman. His arm is slung around her shoulders and they’re smiling at the camera.

  It doesn’t look recent.

  “He didn’t post this,” I murmur. “He’s tagged by Angie.”

  The caption reads I always love spending time with this guy.

  “What the fuck,” I whisper.

  “So you haven’t seen this.”

  “I blocked Angie because she kept sending me messages about Trevor, and he asked me to block her so she couldn’t cause any more trouble.”

  “Oh,” she says. “So you wouldn’t have been able to see this anyway.”

  I shake my head no.

  “I don’t think it’s recent,” Kat continues. “I mean, his hair is a lot shorter in that picture, and he just looks younger, you know?”

  “Yeah, it doesn’t look recent.” But what in the hell is going on? Without missing a beat, I grab my phone and call Trevor’s number, but it goes to voice mail. “Hey, it’s me. I need to talk to you. Please call me back as soon as possible.”

  I hang up and pass Kat’s phone back to her.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she says.

  “I guess we’ll see when I talk to him.”

  “What are you going to say?”

  “I’m going to ask him if he’s seen this, and if so, why does it even exist? I mean, why won’t this chick just go away? She’s seriously pissing me off.”