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I could hardly understand why Alma would change anything in this apartment. Why she would want to touch our grandparents’ legacy?
But Alma wasn’t exactly sentimental.
“It’s been too long,” I said quietly. I hadn’t seen my sister . . . I couldn’t remember the last time.
Her expression softened. It was so similar to what she’d looked like when we were children, it made my heart squeeze.
“Someone has to pick up your slack.” Her tone was a tease, but underneath it was the truth.
“A society woman isn’t what I’m meant for.” Our family had a place in our social circle. There were expectations for daughters. Ones I couldn’t fulfill.
She sighed and patted my hand. “You’re lucky I can be enough of one for both of us.”
For as advanced a people as we were, there were still archaic rules we were expected to follow.
“And to think, you’re the rule breaker.”
She grinned. Alma was the one constantly pushing boundaries. I was a rule follower through and through... mostly. Yet she conformed to what was expected of us while I never could.
“So you’re aware, Mother is not pleased with theincident.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “It was all a misunderstanding.”
She rolled her eyes and went for the wine cooler in the bar. “It’s like those protest things have a tractor beam on you.”
She pulled out a bottle of white, and I gripped the armrests of my chair.That’s Grandma Josephine’s.
I had to get over this obsession with keeping everything of hers in its place. The wine was likely no longer palatable. And in my mind, I’d have rather let it go to waste than be enjoyed as Grandma Josephine intended.
Why was I so determined to preserve these things?
Alma struggled to remove the cork. I stood and shooed her aside, easily opening the wine with a pop.
I cringed when she selected a wineglass from the cabinet. Who had been the last to drink from it? Grandma Josephine? Or company?
Get a grip, JoJo.
I wanted to blame the stress as of late, but that wasn’t it at all. Being back here, in a place I’d avoided for so long, had brought on emotions I wasn’t ready to face. While it was a great comfort to be around my grandmother’s things, the entire situation had me on edge.
The apartment still felt like hers. Not mine.
Iwantedit to be hers because that would mean she was still alive.
Alma plopped back down in the chair, her wineglass near brimming with the golden liquid. She took a long swallow, made a slight face as if she’d tasted something sour, then proceeded to gulp a quarter of her drink.
“I had to cancel my trip to the Hamptons this weekend.” She pouted.
“Oh?” Suddenly I wished I had a drink. If I didn’t need my wits about me later, I would have one.
I glanced at the grandfather clock. It was near eight o’clock. I hadn’t cooked dinner. And I wasn’t going to. But I had to get Alma out of here before Kane showed up.
Ifhe shows up.
“I can’t find a lawyer.” She poked her bottom lip out. “It’s like Kane has warned them all not to take my case. Or they’re afraid of him. I don’t know why. He’s a pushover.”
That tingly feeling whenever Kane came into the conversation rumbled beneath my skin. It wasn’t the same as when I was actually in the same room with him. This was more of awe shouldn’t be talking about himtingle.
“I’m sure there’s an adversary he’s upset over the years who would love to represent you.”
