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“Hey, sis! I’ve grabbed your last bag of chips, hope you don’t mind.” The second oldest Ryan sister had made herself comfortable with a bottle of wine and a half filled glass on the coffee table in front of her. Her legs were crossed and a bowl of chips sat on her lap.
“It’s okay, Ker,” Bree said.
Kera scrutinized Bree’s foul mood and placed the bowl of chips next to her glass of wine, almost tumbling it over. She rose to her feet. “What’s the matter? Did something happen with that guy?”
Bree chuckled. “No, no problem. If anything, I’ve almost assaultedhimwith a putter.”
Gwenn snorted and took the seat next to Kera on the sofa. The one-bedroom apartment wasn’t all that much, but it was what Bree could afford on her teacher’s salary. She took two steps forward and sat on a bar stool at her kitchen counter.
“Did you know Gwenn wants to sign up for another deployment?”
Kera shook her head, and it made her coppery bob swish. “No? What are you up to, Gwenn? Tomorrow is our welcome home party at Lucky’s and you’re already thinking about going back?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Gwenn said and crossed her arms.
“You better talk about it. You can’t get us all worked up and then say nothing. Are you going or what?”
Gwenn sighed. “It’s just… I know I’m going to get stir crazy over here. Doing nothing. Pretending to be normal. When I’m not. I can’t see myself working a nine to five. Do you?” Gwenn took Kera’s glass and chugged it.
“Just give it time. I know what you mean. I’ve been to the desert. I’ve seen a lot of shit too, you know. Don’t you think for one second I don’t get you. Because I do. More than any of our sisters.” Kera looked over her shoulder to Bree. “No offense.”
Bree took two wineglasses from the counter and filled herself and Gwenn a glass of wine. “None taken.”
“When you’re in that hellhole, it’s all you know… It’s all you’llhaveto know. Coming back home often spooks some of us more. The reality of being back home, in somewhat tranquility, scares the living shit out of some of us.”
Gwenn nodded her head as she stared in front of her. Kera laid her hand on her sister’s shoulder and nudged her. Gwenn blinked a few times and looked over at Kera. “Sorry, wasn’t really going to enlist again. I mean, I don’t think I would…”
“Just give it time, sis,” Kera said.
“Maybe the party tomorrow will do you some good,” Bree said.
“Yeah, well, if it wasn’t for Mom going to Brazil for a few months and renting her place out, I would have stayed there instead of staying on your sofa. At least then I’d be able to tune everyone out,” Gwenn said.
“Ah, so you don’t want to trade places with me and stay with Cait and Fi?” Kera chuckled.
“No damn way!”
The three sisters laughed at Gwenn’s outburst.
“Who do you think I should take home with me tonight?”
Ronan nudged Declan’s shoulder with his knuckles. When Declan still didn’t answer his twin, Ro finally had enough of his sulking.
“I know I’m supposed to be the fun twin—and normally, I don’t mind. Because hey, it gets me lots and lots of pussy. But ye don’t have to make it so easy for me. What crawled up yer arse?”
“Ye know what’s botherin’ me,” Declan said.
“Shit. Not that again. I’m outta here,” Ronan said and slid from his seat at their booth in their family’s pub. He marched straight to the bar, joining the group of women he’d eyed moments ago.
“Hate to say it, but Ro’s right, Cuz. Snap out of it,” Aiden said. Declan stopped staring at the tabletop he’d littered with the peelings from his beer bottle label. He shot a glance at his cousin Aiden, who brought a hand to his faux-hawk.
He slid his fingers through his inky strands. Aiden usually did this before saying or doing something he’d rather not. It was almost as if the motion somehow calmed him.
“I heard Bree went on a date with her colleague last night?”
“Yeah.” Declan watched Bree talking with Pops on the other side of the pub. His shoulders slumped. Bree was laughing at something his grandfather said and acted like she had the time of her life.
“Cait said Bree might be interested for real in this guy.”
