Page 90 of A Matter of Time

“What the fuck is going on?” Sam roared at them.

“Sammy, it’s not what ya think,” the woman said gently.

“Oh no? Well, I think that my married sister is screwing her husband’s best friend in my bed. That’s what I fuckin’ think. Tell me if I’m missing something, Jen.”

She bit her bottom lip, and I went from curious and confused to nurturing and concerned. She looked so sad sitting there with tears in her eyes, trembling, that I slipped into the room, grabbed the box of tissues off the chest of drawers, and walked it over to her.

Her eyes flicked up to mine. “Thank you.”

I smiled gently, and she shivered hard.

“Who’re you?” she asked.

“I’m Jory,” I said, and when she reached for my hand, I gave it to her, squeezing back. “I’ll make you some tea.”

“No tea!” Sam yelled again. “Just get the fuck out of my bed! Get outta my house!”

I patted her hand when she tried to pull it away. “It’s okay,” I soothed her. “He’s just loud. You must know that by now.”

“I don’t know what to⁠—”

“It’s okay,” I soothed, squeezing her hand again gently.

“J,” Sam began, the warning there in his voice. “Don’t start with me or⁠—”

I shot him a look.

“You and your goddamn tea!” he snapped at me. “You know you⁠—”

“Stop screaming like an idiot. We can all hear you.”

“I want them⁠—”

“Just stop,” I ordered quietly, staring at him. “This is not what we need right now.”

“Jory.” She breathed out my name.

I looked back at her and saw her mouth open, eyes huge as she stared up at me.

“Tea good?”

She nodded slowly, uncertain.

I turned and left the room, scowling at Sam as I passed him.

“Why are you lookin’ at me like that?”

I went to the kitchen and filled the kettle before I put it on the stove to boil.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he roared at me as he walked into the kitchen.

“I’m making tea.”

“I know you’re making fuckin’ tea. Why?”

“Because your sister needs to talk, Sam. She’s really hurting; can’t you tell?”

“I don’t give a shit, J. She’s been fuckin’ her husband’s best friend in my bed for who knows how long. She’s a goddamn whore!”