AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Ruby. You’re the most loving, accepting person I’ve ever met. I never even felt like I had to explain. Any time I told you I was uncomfortable with something or wanted to do something differently, you’ve only ever rolled with it.”
“Still. I’d like to know more. I’d like to understand so I can be there better.”
“I promise to be more transparent so you can understand. But I need you to understand that I’ve done years of therapy, I still go to therapy, and I have to be careful not to allow people to enable this disease. You, however,” she smiled softly, “you just need a little assistance and then you fly on your own.”
I heard the front door swing open and rose hesitantly to my feet to peek around the corner. Amber stood in the doorway, the morning sun spilling in behind her.
“Amber? What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised.
“I stopped into Spuds to see you and you weren’t there. When I saw the sign on the door, I worried that you were having trouble.”
“I’m not one of your patients, Amber,” I snapped.
Her eyes widened and flew to mine. “Ruby,” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”
I threw my arm out at her. “You want to go all big sister on me, but when I try to be there for you, I’m just Ruby the flighty ass screwup little sister!”
“What? No!” Her eyebrows lowered suddenly, and she dipped her chin. “Is this about Angus again?”
I drew back slightly. “Not just about him, but yes. You want to help me, but you never ask for help. You try to give me advice, but you never want to take any.”
Amber pulled in a deep breath and walked into the family room. She threw her purse on the chair and flopped down into it.
“I’ve never needed to ask for help, Ruby. You’ve always just given it.”
Minty let out an unladylike snort and Amber’s gaze swung to her.
“That’s what I told her,” she explained.
Amber waved nonchalantly at me. “You’re the one who refuses to ask for help. You’re the one who always has to do things the hard way. If you’d just accept a little help, you’d be much less stressed all the time and you’d have a much bigger life.”
My jaw hit the floor and I sucked in a breath ready to give it to her.
Minty leaned forward into my line of vision, her face concerned. “You’re both suffering and upset. You’re both going through a lot right now. Take a breath before either of you say something you’ll regret.”
I paused and then turned back to Amber.
She sat forward in the chair, her hands clasped in front of her, tears rimming her eyes.
“He’s my husband, Ruby,” She whispered. “I can’t betray him by revealing his sins to you or anyone. The only thing I’m able to take from you is exactly what you’ve given me, and I need it, Ruby. I need your calm acceptance. I need your shoulder bumping mine. I need you beside me while I work this out.”
I stood and crossed the room to my sister and wrapped my arms around her. Her hands came around my back and she gripped me, hard. She felt thin, too thin, in my arms.
“I’m sorry, Amber. I’ll be here. I promise. You don’t have to say anything.”
She nodded once, her slight figure trembling.
“I’m so sorry, Amber. I thought I was just a tagalong to you and Minty.”
Amber drew back and swiped two fingers under her eyes.
“You’ve never understood what you’ve been to me, Ruby. You think I don’t remember that day?” Her pained eyes followed her finger to the crescent-shaped scar on my inner arm. “You’ve always been there for me. Let me be there for you a little, too. Just because we don’t need the same things from each other, doesn’t mean we all don’t need one another. Minty, too. We need each other. It’s not easy out there.” She laughed.
I pulled Amber off the chair and over to the couch where she took the middle seat, with Minty and I turning in toward her.
“Have I really been so averse to help?”
Amber and Minty looked at each other and laughed. “Yeah. You have. Why don’t you accept help?”
