It would be so satisfying to dump the glass of water on top of his brother’s head.
*****
“Don’t look at me like that.” Grace cringed under her sisters’ open-mouthed stares.
“What are we supposed to do?” asked Olivia. “How else can we look at you?”
“You promised you wouldn’t judge me.”
“We don’t have to judge you,” said Hannah. “You already know what you did was awful.”
Claire said, “I don’t get it. Why would you tease him and trick him into trying something with you? And then you broke up with him because he didn’t try anything?”
“You totally missed the point. I needed to break up with him, and I thought it would hurt both of us less if I had a really good excuse, like if he tried to go past the lines.”
“And tell us again, why did you think you needed to break up with him?” asked Hannah.
“I totally get that part. You’ve been avoiding serious commitments for years. You act all brave and self-assured around guys, but you’re really a big chicken.” Olivia’s words hit home.
“It’s not about being brave—it’s about being smart. I knew it was a dumb idea to let myself get too attached to a guy before I’m ready. I want to be a principal. So after this year, I’ll be taking classes at night to get my master's degree. Having a serious boyfriend would just complicate things.”
“Are you leading him on? You’re still not going to have a serious relationship, even after everything that’s happened?” Claire’s voice was as horrified as her expression.
Grace’s stomach churned and she felt her eyes stinging. “I still don’t know. I only know I love him, and I was miserable without him. And when I thought he might die, I felt like I would die with him.”
“Stop upsetting her,” Olivia told Claire. “She doesn’t have to decide about the rest of her life tonight.” She pulled Grace to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you dressed before you really start crying and get your face all red and blotchy. You know you don’t want to lose him, and that’s all you need to know.”
Hannah said, “I think you should wear my blue top. It looks cute on you, but it’s not cut too low. You don’t want to look like you’re tempting him again.”
“You’d better not let him slip through your fingers,” said Claire. “There’re not many guys who’d put up with everything he’s gone through with you.”
“Don’t listen to Claire,” said Olivia. “He’s lucky to have you, even with rusty-colored straw hair.”
Claire giggled at this, and the mood was lightened. Grace soon found herself clad in blue-jean tights tucked into ankle high boots. Hannah’s blue shirt was declared the winner of the six she modeled. Each of the other tops had some fault—too short, too low, too bright, too high-schoolish, too matronly.
Claire stood back, surveying her sister with a critical eye. “Something’s off. Don’t you have some other boot you could wear? Some with a higher heel?”
“I do, but they’re not very comfortable.”
“Comfortable, shmomfortable! That doesn’t matter. Beauty comes at a price.” Claire dug into the bottom of Grace’s closet. “Ah ha! These are perfect. And these boots will fit tighter around your ankle.”
Grace groaned, “But they hurt my feet after I wear them
for an hour.”
“Let’s see them on,” said Olivia.
With the new ankle boots zipped onto her feet, Grace strutted across the floor.
Hannah said, “I have to admit, Grace, those are really cute. And they make your legs look really long and show off your runner’s calves.”
Grace’s foot wobbled with her next step. “But I don’t live up to my name when I wear these boots. I’m afraid I’ll fall.”
“You’ll have to hang onto Brad’s arm for balance.” Olivia’s eyebrows bobbed up and down.
“But what about my feet hurting?”
“It’ll be worth it,” said Claire. “What’s a few blisters when your legs look that good?”