Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
My heart squeezed a little. I hated the thought of my parents missing me. We’d always been so close. But I had to spread my wings and fly eventually. And perhaps it was good training for the day when I no longer lived under their roof.
“How about we make these dinners a weekly thing?” I suggested. “That way, we’ll get the chance to spend quality time together at least once a week.”
Mum smiled, sharing a pleased glance with Rebecca. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
We ate in quiet for a little while and I noticed my sister kept checking her watch, looking like she was anxious to get away. I set down my chopsticks and studied her.
“Why do you keep fidgeting with that watch?” I asked and her eyes flicked to mine. Her attention went from me to Mum, her throat bobbing when she swallowed. “I have to get going soon. I’m, um, meeting someone.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Meeting who?”
“No one important,” she answered and focused back on her food.
I shared a look with Mum, who appeared just as intrigued by Rebecca’s behaviour as I was. A few moments of silence elapsed before Rebecca blew out a frustrated breath, then said, “It’s a date, if you must know. I’m going on a date.”
I couldn’t have been more shocked if I’d tried. Mum appeared equally surprised by this news.
“Well, how exciting,” Mum said. “Would you like some help getting ready? You can borrow some of my clothes if you need an outfit.”
Rebecca frowned and gestured to the dark trousers, pale blouse and burgundy cardigan she wore. “What’s wrong with this?”
“Nothing. You look lovely. I just thought you might like to wear something a little more glamourous if you’re going on a date.”
“That won’t be necessary. We’re only meeting for an informal drink.”
“And do we know this mysterious person you’re meeting up with?” I asked, at the same time wondering if Grace knew. I was certain my cousin would be bereft to discover Rebecca had suddenly decided to enter the dating pool.
“No,” my sister answered, folding up the napkin that had been on her lap. “You don’t know her. She’s a member of the Guard, actually. I met her during one of their visits to the school last month.”
There was a weighted silence because Rebecca had never discussed her sexuality with us before and by saying ‘her’ she’d more or less just come out to me and Mum right here at the dinner table. Grace had been right all along about Rebecca being into women, or at the very least she was bi.
Honestly, I was welling up a little and very much impressed with the casual way she’d just put it out there. Mum smiled at her with so much love in her eyes as she reached across the table and briefly squeezed her hand.
“I hope you have a lovely time,” she said and then we all quietly resumed finishing our meal.
***
“Well,” Grace said as we made our way to the funfair later that night, “if your mum and Becks get a weekly dinner, I want a weekly arrangement, too.”
“I’d invite you to dinner, only there’s the little issue of you not eating,” I said.
“I can watch you three eat or perhaps bring my blood donor along.”
“That wouldn’t be awkward at all. You sinking your fangs into someone’s neck while we’re digging into our roast chicken,” I laughed. “How about we have a TV night once a week instead? We can binge shows and share gossip about the other students at school.”
Grace smiled wide. “Now, that is something I would very much be into. You have yourself a deal.”
I shook her hand before mentally calculating how I would fit all those quality time sessions into a single week. I also had a standing arrangement with Dad for fighting and weapons training on Thursdays.
“Nice boots, by the way,” I said. “Where’d you get them?” I knew, of course, that Rebecca had gotten them for her, but I was interested to see if Grace would tell me that.
“Oh,” she replied, glancing down as she tucked some hair behind her ear. “Your sister gifted them to me, you know, for all the detention I did for her.”
“That was generous.”
“Not really. I mean, it was a lot of detention. Then again, most of the time, it was just me being supervised by Becks, so that was interesting.”
My eyebrows shot up. “It wasn’t awkward with just the two of you sitting in a room?”
“More like sexually tense,” Grace replied with a grin before admitting, “Well, on my end. Your sister was, as always, difficult to read.”
“Your crush is still going strong?”
Grace sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. I think I might be destined to want things I can never have.”
I threw my arms around her shoulders and gave her a little hug. “I think that’s just part of being alive.”