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Chapter Eighteen
After dreading9 p.m. all day, she was surprised when Harper wasn’t there when she got home. Nor was Agatha; hopefully, her sister was living her best life while Sera was gone because Buzz was spending her time falling for her stepbrother, and that was a big mistake.
Today she had strengthened her resolve to stay away from the man, which was easy when he was busy and out of the house. It was much harder when he was dragging her to his bedroom for sex—hot, dirty sex because it was the only kind he knew. And now it was the only kind she liked.
Since she didn’t get a chance to move her stuff from Maby’s bedroom the night before, she took some time to get her stuff organized. Not that either room was better than the other, but she had always liked Harper’s room better since it had two windows.
With the bed cleared off, she went to the bathroom and changed into her “Buzzzz” pajama’s and washed her face. Drinking and sex all night made her tired. Back in her room, there was a key in the middle of her new bed.
Grabbing them, she went to Harper’s room and found her sitting cross-legged on her bed. She was in leggings and her favorite yellow “Yellin Stan” T-shirt. When she saw Buzz, she tapped her bed for her to sit down also, which was probably a trap. Harper liked to lure her prey to her.
“How did you know it was her?” Buzz asked. It had been years since any of the sisters had seen their mother.
“I looked her up a few years ago. Though ‘Raiden’ didn’t make it click, her face did. The few articles I found had pictures of her and her husband. How did you find her?”
“I was in line to talk to Chelsea about Mom’s house, and she was in front of me. She’s using her maiden name, Rowley. I followed her and got her to hire me as a chef. I had to see if it was really her or not.”
“So, no story?” Harper asked.
“I could interview Jonas, but I think that ship has sailed. He would never give me an interview, and really, why would he? I’m a nobody, and I don’t even work for a paper anymore. I got fired.”
“It’s about time, Buzzy. You can do so much better than the Times,” Harper stated as usual.
“I like being a reporter,” Buzz argued.
“No, you didn’t. You played the part well, though. I’ll talk to Bex about getting you a job at Hawthorn; publicity is where you need to be. And since you have experience in reporting, I think she would like someone with your knowledge.” Harper stated, about the Director of Marketing at her husband’s company, who just happened to also be her sister-in-law.
“I don’t need anyone to hand me a job. I happen to have a job.” Buzz said, then remembered she didn’t have a job. Not a real one anyway.
“You’re pretending to be a chef for our mother. How long is that going to last?”
“Not long. I was just staying until I knew for sure she was the right Judith. Now I know, so I can quit. I don’t even remember her. Was she really always just bitchy?”
“From what I remember, she wasn’t that fond of children. The noise was what she complained about all the time. Headaches, noise, and needing to be alone. I was in charge of keeping the four of you quiet, and I wasn’t very good at it.”
“I can’t see any of us girls being silent for more than a minute. Maybe Maby, when she’s reading. Lucy, though? Never.” Harper shook her head
“I don’t think I’m going to tell her who I am. At this point, I don’t even like her.” Buzz hated to say it out loud, but it was true.
Harper only nodded. “What about the brother? Or the sister for that matter? Wait, is Louisa hers?”
Buzz smirked. “You mean Louisa May Alcott Raiden? I don’t know for sure.”
Harper rolled her eyes. “Another sister? I knew I liked her right away, but actually having another sister is going to be weird. And she’s so different from the rest of us.”
“She’s nineteen—a lot younger than us. Oh, and I’m sleeping with her brother. Kind of gross, but god, I love him!” After the words were out of her mouth, she stopped and corrected herself. “It. It is what I love, not him.”
Harper let the admission slide. “Are you going to tell him? You can’t really have a relationship with him if he doesn’t know his stepmother is your mom.”
“Sera’s my mother; I didn’t even remember Judith. She left us without a care and never looked back. There’s no place in my life for her,” Buzz said, and it was true. Judith would never have a place in her life, and after all this time, she probably wouldn’t want one.
“At this point, I think we have to tell Louisa. She deserves to know she has a big family here to fall back on, no matter what happens in life,” Harper stated, being a big sister even to the newest member.
“Judith chose to raise her. Even now, she loves to have her nearby. What makes her special?” Their mother choosing a favorite was hard for Buzz, even at twenty-five.
“That’s something we’ll probably never know.” Harper shrugged. “But if you are falling for Jonas, and she is a part of his life, you share a sister.”
“I am not falling for him,” Buzz argued, pulling her knees under her.
