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“When you act like one, I will treat you like one.”
“I will hang up,” she threatened, acting just like her sister said. Tess sat up straighter, changing the conversation since her sister would forever treat her like a child. “How is Papa?”
“Same, they are starting to act old,”
“I keep telling Mike they need to go to a care center. Mama cannot take care of him like she used to.” It was the same argument she always had. Her brother never listened to her anyway.
“Mikhail would never put them in a home, Terezilya.”
“Then he should move them in with him.”
“He wants you to come home and live with them.” Another old argument.
“I am aware of that, and I get an earful every few weeks about how the unwed daughter should be taking care of her parents.” As if she didn’t have an important job, as if Mike wasn’t just a farm laborer.
“Are you coming home for Easter?” Ilya asked hopefully.
That made Tess smile. “Yes, do you have a room available?”
“No, we are full up this year.” Ilya had too many kids to have a guest. Tess hadn’t stayed with her in years, but Ilya still liked to be asked.
“I will stay with Tasha then.” As she always did.
“You have more fun there anyway.”
“We get on.” Tess grinned, they more then got on, always had.
“I have to go. You call next time you are sick.” She made Tess promise.
“You will be the first one I call when I start puking.” Tess laughed at what her sister’s expression probably was.
“Quit acting like a child,” she scolded.
“Quit acting like a mother,” Tess shot back.
“Iama mother,” Ilya reminded her. Ilya was a mother over and over again.
“Love you, Ilya.”
“Love you, Terezilya.”
Hitting the end button, she just looked at her phone for a minute. Ilya had always treated her as her first baby. Her sister was eight years older than her, and from the beginning, she had treated Tess like her own. She had been there every day until Ilya married at eighteen, and Tess was ten. But she had only moved across the yard in those early days. Tess had been there for all her sister’s early motherhood days. They had been very close despite the age difference.
Climbing out of bed, Tess grabbed a pair of panties and slipped them on before pulling on the sweatshirt and sweatpants again. No need to impress him since he saw her at her worse today. Any pretense at being sexy would be wasted now.
As she walked out of the bedroom, she ran her fingers through her hair, thinking maybe she should have tried with the hair a little.
“Are you hungry?” he asked as he was making a can of soup. He already had sandwiches on the table.
“Yes, thank you. You did not have to make me anything.” She sat down at the table, realizing she hadn’t eaten anything since they had shared lunch Tuesday afternoon. Now it seemed they were going to share another meal.
“I’m hungry, and you’re probably hungry too. I’ll make up something.” He set out bowls and filled them with the soup. Setting the bowls on the table, he went back for the sandwiches and then again for the glasses of water.
“How was your phone call?” he asked as he finally sat down.
“Good, it was my sister.” She took a small bite of the sandwich and put it down.
“That makes sense. I could hear your half of the conversation,” he admitted.
