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Birdie did her best not to dwell on the fact Lucas was the father of the baby growing inside her sister. Lucas, her one-time enemy turned bestie turned lifetime crush.
She reasoned it was never meant to be between them, so there was no use pining over what could have been or holding a grudge for what Maisie had done that awful night. Not to mention, the sisters’ relationship had improved so dramatically, she didn’t want to jinx it with finger-pointing and emotional vomiting.
That wasn’t to say she didn’t lay in bed at night heartsick and jealous she wasn’t the one who had something of Lucas’s growing in her belly. Something of his to love for the rest of her life.
Regardless, the sisters developed a symbiotic relationship.
Even though the restaurant opened its doors at five o’clock, Birdie would go in at around two to help with prep work, not getting home until midnight, too wired to fall asleep.
When she walked in the door, now that Birdie could afford a used TV screen and a Hulu subscription, Maisie would have a snack and a movie picked out for them to watch. Both of them falling into bed around two in the morning and Birdie waking up before noon. Always to breakfast ready for her and a smiling Maisie.
One particular morning, Maisie said something that almost made Birdie fall out of her chair.
“Maybe I should get a job?”
At first, Birdie didn’t believe her. Smirked while taking a bite of toast while Maisie lumbered around the kitchen fixing bacon and eggs.
“No, I’m serious. We could use the extra money. You shouldn’t have to pay for everything.”
Birdie swallowed. “That’s a nice thought but impractical. No one’s going to hire someone who’s seven and a half months’ pregnant only to turn around and go on maternity leave. You just need to concentrate on baking that little nugget and delivering a beautiful healthy baby.”
“Having a baby’s not cheap.” Maisie set two plates of food on the table and squeezed into a chair.
“True, but going to the free clinic helps. As for hospital bills, I’ve already gotten in touch with the finance office. They’ll put us on a payment plan. We’ve got this.”
“Okay, but after the baby’s born, I’m going to start looking for a job.”
“You’re going to want to give yourself a couple months to heal and bond with the baby. There’s really no rush. We’re doing okay.”
“I want to do my part.” She stared at her eggs, moving them around on her plate. “I have a lot to make up for. Honestly, I don’t know why you don’t…hate me.”
This was a rare moment, and Birdie didn’t want to blow it by saying the wrong thing. Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she said, “Bernadette used to say, “Live, learn, die, and forget all.”
“You were lucky to have her in your life.”
Birdie nodded. “I was.”
“I used to be jealous of your second family. That jealousy turned ugly and spiteful. Mama didn’t help.”
For once, Birdie considered a lonely Maisie whose big sister spent her afternoons and weekends with Bernadette and her foster children, while she was stuck at home being coddled and fed Shelby Wellborn’s special brand of religious histrionics. Suddenly, Maisie didn’t seem to be the lucky one of the two sisters.
She should have been a better older sister. “I’m sorry.”
Maisie dropped her fork on the plate. “Don’t you dare apologize.Iwas the hateful sister.Idid and said things about you that were blatant lies.Imade you out to be someone you weren’t.”
“All right, all right. I’m not sorry. But you have to remember, when I started going over to Bernadette’s, you were left alone with Shelby. Any child raised by that woman would have issues.”
Maisie harrumphed. “Like that was a chore, she gave me whatever I wanted and believed all my lies.”
“You were a child, raised by an unstable mother and an absent father.”
“So were you.”
“But to your point, I had Bernadette.”
Maisie leaned her head on her palm as she poked through the egg yolk on her plate. “I used to wish you’d ask me to walk to Bernadette’s with you and Lucas after school.” Birdie didn’t know what to say to that so she remained quiet. “So I’d take out my disappointment by making up lies about you and making Mother all the more cuckoo-for-Cocoa Puffs.”
Maisie’s words were like a long-awaited confession, but Birdie didn’t feel any of the expected vindication.
