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“Let’s start with youreverything,” I say. “Did Michelle call you?”
“Yeah, I’m going for an interview next week.” She sounds a little dejected.
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be excited about it.”
“I am,” Natalie said. “It’s a big deal, and it can change my life. But I don’t want to get my hopes up. What if I’m not enough?”
“Stop it,” I say. “You’re enough, Nat. You might not be what they’re looking for, but you’re always enough.”
She chuckles softly. “You’ve always talked so highly of me.”
“Because you always give me reason to. But have hope, sis. What if you’reexactlywhat they need? See it that way.”
“I’ll try,” Natalie says. “After all the lectures I’ve given you about believing in yourself, it’s ironic that I don’t have that same confidence, huh?”
“It’s always easier to give advice than take it,” I say with a smile. “But you’re going to be just fine. No matter what.”
I desperately hope Natalie gets this job. The money will be substantially more—Raven knew that it’s why she suggested Michelle ask Natalie first. I’m still in awe of her for that. But I also hope she gets the new job so that I can be here, in Paris, without worrying that no one’s watching out for my sister. As soon as I know she’s settled and taken care of, I can make the move without feeling torn between two worlds. The move from New York to Paris is going to be tough as it is.
“So, now it’s your turn. The last I heard from you was that you were on the way to the airport. Tell me everything.”
I can hear my sister settling in for story time, and I start telling her what happened. I begin with Michelle contacting me to reach Natalie for the interview and how she told me about Ava.
“That had to be hard to hear,” Natalie says softly.
“I don’t know what I feel,” I admit. “I have a lot of warring emotions. I’m upset that Raven never told me about Ava, but I don’t blame her. I was a dick, and she did what she needed to do. It’s more that I’m upset I missed so much of my daughter’s life. If I’d known sooner…but I know now.”
I continue to tell Natalie how I found Jean-Pierre making life difficult for Raven. That fucker had better stay away from her, or he was going to get a face full of me, and he doesn’t want that.
“I can’t believe it,” Natalie said. “The whole thing is so surreal.”
“I feel the same,” I say. “But that asshole won’t be back.”
Natalie giggles.
“What?”
“I’ve never seen you so protective over anyone but Kylie and me. You’re usually so happy-go-lucky, not caring what the women in your life get up to, and with who.”
“Yeah. Everything is different with Raven. She’s my person.”
I can hear the smile in Natalie’s voice. “I’m so happy for you. So, is France the new place Kylie and I will come to visit you?”
I sigh. “Yeah. I know it’s hard to be this far away from each other, but I need to be here. Ava is here. And Raven. I don’t want to lose them.”
“I get it,” Natalie says. “And if you told me you’re not moving there to be with them, I would have told you you’re an idiot. You’re doing the right thing. We’ll be okay. I’ll miss you like crazy, of course. But we’ll see each other. The world isn’t as big as it used to be.”
She’s right. We can see each other now and then. We can make a plan to get together. And in the meantime, there’s video call that will get us through.
“I just want to make sure you’re taken care of,” I say. “I don’t want to leave you with nothing.”
“It’s not your job to look after me.”
“Like hell it isn’t. You’re the only sister I have. I love you to death. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“We’ll be okay, Noah. I want you to be there where you belong, and we’ll take it day by day, okay?”
I agree. We’ll do it slowly and take things one step at a time. But this is where I need to be. I’m going to take care of Raven and my daughter, and everything else will fall into place.
