Page 39 of Yours Truly

“Anytime,” I said, meaning it more than I think she knew. “Maybe next time we can do the cafeteria.”

She laughed a little. “I know you don’t like loud, crowded places. I never see you in the lounge. I just figured you’d be more comfortable here.”

Now my face went soft.

She’d picked here on purpose? For me?

Briana had just managed to do what Amy never could after almost three years together. She took me someplace to meet for lunch that wouldn’t make me anxious.

It wasn’t Amy’s fault I was like this. But I wondered if we’d still be together if every date with her didn’t wear me out. Would we have seen each other more if it wasn’t so exhausting for me? Maybe she would have known me better if she’d understood how to get to know me better. Like this. Putting me at ease. Meeting me halfway.

Someone knocked on the supply room door. I was sitting against it, so I had to get up to open it.

“Expecting someone?” Briana teased.

I was smiling at this when I opened the door, but the second I saw who it was, my expression flatlined. It was Jewel.

“What…what are you doing here?” I asked, confused.

She crossed her arms over her hot pink T-shirt. “I had to do a wellness check since nobody can seem to get you on the phone. Some nurse told me you were eating lunch in a closet?”

Then she peered past me at Briana. A huge grin ripped across my sister’s face.

“Hey,” Briana said, getting up with a smile. “You must be Jewel.”

My sister had a shaved head, she was covered in tattoos, and she looked just like me. She wasn’t hard to spot based on my brief story about her.

Jewel looked positively elated. “I am. And you are?”

“Briana,” she said brightly, offering a hand.

“Briana. Very nice to meet you.” My sister shook her hand, beaming. “So what are you two doing in here?” she asked, looking back and forth between us.

“We’re just having lunch,” I said.

“I see. Well, now that I know you’re alive, I’ll let you kids get back to it. Call me after work.”

“Yes, sure.”

She gave me a smile I couldn’t interpret and left. I shut the door and sat back down.

“She’s nice,” Briana said, picking up her Snapple. “In an I-gave-you-a-lawn-mower-chest-tattoo kind of way.”

I scoffed.

“Does your family do these wellness checks often?”

“She’s very in my business right now,” I said. “They all are.”

“Why?”

“Eh, it’s a long story.”

She looked at her watch. “We have fifteen more minutes.”

“It’s going to take longer than fifteen minutes.”

“Okay. Want to meet for drinks after work? Everyone’s going to Mafi’s for Hector’s birthday. We can get our own booth while we do our part to keep the liquor industry strong.”