“Honestly, I’m not really sure. I haven’t started looking. I figured I could spring all this on you and then get you to help.”
“Of course. In any way I can. Where does this vocal coach live? You should probably set up within twenty or thirty minutes of him,” I said.
“That’s a good idea. I haven’t even checked that out yet. My teacher said he was in the San Diego area.”
“Wow. You really haven’t thought much about all this yet, have you? Very unlike you. I’m so proud. So, what’s the dream? What’s the end goal?”
“To be happy,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to sing on a stage, but I’d be happy with being a janitor at an opera house and getting discounted tickets to all the shows.”
“Anna, you and I both know you have a voice that needs to be on a stage. And it’s important to set goals. I knew the moment I stepped out of med school that I wanted to open my own gallery someday. Having a goal like that pushes you. If you could have your dream job, what would it be?”
“I would die to be the premier soprano at the Royal Opera House in London,” she said.
“Then, that’s your goal.”
“You really think I could do something like that?”
“We need to have you recorded one day so you can hear yourself,” I said, chuckling.
“Then, that’s the goal, but for now, I’ve got my money, my education, and time. I’m going to call the vocal coach tomorrow and see where he is in terms of your apartment and then go from there.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me. I wandered around for years before I planted myself somewhere. Give yourself the time to adjust,” I said.
“I just feel better here. You’re here, Mom and Dad aren’t here, and my old job is nowhere near here. It feels ...”
“Relaxing? Right? Perfect? Like you’re happy?”
“Yes to all of them,” she said. “But I’m not sure how I’m going to handle Mom and Dad.”
“You didn’t tell them?” I asked.
“Oh, no. I did. And now they aren’t talking to me.”
“Welcome to the club. We have T-shirts.”
“Are they really not going to talk to me, Hailey?” she asked.
I reached over the table and took my sister’s hand. I could tell it was bothering her, and it should. It bothered me when my parents put their foot down on my life and cut me out forever. I’d been only nineteen when it happened, but Anna was a grown woman. She’d had Mom and Dad in her life for her entire upbringing, and this was going to be harder for her, harder than it was for me.
“Anna, no matter what, you cannot allow their isolation to pull you back into a life that made you unhappy. Promise me.”
“No, no. It’s nothing like that,” she said, sniffling. “I tried to call them both on their cell phones when I landed, and they shot me to voice mail. And I’m realizing you put up with that for years before you stopped. I’m realizing now why you stopped, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry they did this to you.”
I got up and scooted into the booth seat next to her. I took her in my arms and let her cry into my shoulder, holding her as close as I could get her. It was sickening, how two sisters were bonding over our parents shutting us out because we were happy and wanted to follow our own dreams instead of theirs. She had a long road ahead of her when it came to coping with that particular circumstance, but she had me. I’d make sure she was okay.
“I’ll get my own place soon, I promise,” she said, sniffling.
“There’s no rush. Honestly? It was wonderful having you there after all that stuff with Bryan,” I said.
“I’m still going to kill him. You know that, right?” she asked.
“Like I said, he was incredibly drunk. I could tell that by his breath. He probably doesn’t even remember it.”
“Doesn’t matter. That was some fucked up shit, tossing you out like that. Maybe I’ll toy with his best friend to see how he likes it.”
“You just want an excuse to see Drew,” I said, grinning.
“Not now. Apparently, Drew can be friends with guys who fuck over women. I’m not into that,” she said.