Eli
It’s stillhard to believe they’re related. There have never been two more opposite siblings. As I watch and listen to Emma and Amber go back and forth, I can’t help thinking about their differences.
Amber’s about to leave when Emma says she had something for her. Once she’s inside, she calls her sister to step back into the house. Of course, I follow her in. That’s when I see Emma holding my phone. We set it up to record everything that happened with Amber. In Emma’s words, “to protect ourselves.”
Emma lifts her head from the screen and glares at her sister. “Give it back.”
“Excuse me?” Amber sounds sincerely confused.
“Whatever was in that little box.” She points at the small wooden box that was on the shelf near the fireplace. “Give it back. Now, Amber.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Emma.”
Emma turns the phone in our direction. We’re too far away to make out the details but I watch as Amber reenters the house and walks directly to the shelf, picks up the box, and empties the contents into her hand. She drops them into her purse. I had to think about what was in the box. Coins that belonged to my grandfather. They probably aren’t worth anything. But I’m not sure about that. I’ve had them since I was little. He used to hand me one every birthday. None of them were common coins like we use today, and they were all unique, so I’d place them in that little box for safekeeping.
I’m quickly pulled from my ponderings, though, when Amber launches herself at Emma. Luckily, Emma’s far enough away from Amber she’s able to run into the kitchen before Amber makes contact. That’s when Amber picks up a ceramic dish Mom added to “liven up the space” and chucks it at Emma. Luckily, my girl is quick. She ducked just in time, but the dish didn’t make it. Once it hit the granite counter tops, it broke into a million pieces.
“Emma,” I say, rushing over to her. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Looking behind her, she says, “Your counter got the brunt of it.”
“No, bitch.” Amber spits. She’s on us before I even realize she was on the move. “You’re going to get the fucking brunt of it.” It’s then Amber raises her hand, rolling it into a fist. It all happens so fast; I barely have enough time to stop it from making contact with Emma. I quickly step in front of the swinging hand just as it makes contact with my chest. And fuck. It hurts. Amber’s got a pretty potent right hook.
“Amber!” Emma shouts. “You just hit Eli.” Turning to me, she touches my chest and looks up at me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I take her hand in mine. “No worries.”
“I didn’t mean to hithim. He got in the way. That was meant foryou.” Amber’s still trying to get past me to get at Emma again. Her arm is reaching around, her hand in a clawlike formation in an attempt to scratch at Emma. I move my body around until I’m completely blocking her from harm’s way. Strange. It feels like I’m in a hockey game––caught in the middle of a fight between our enforcer and the other team’s. It’s not ideal.
“Amber. Stop.” God, I want to laugh, but I know none of this is funny to Emma. How do I know? Because the woman is so red with anger, I’m fearful she’s going to pass out from it.
“She started it,” Amber whines.
“No.” I shake my head and glare down at Amber. “You started all of this.”
“Of course you’d side with her.” Amber rolls her eyes. “She cheated on you.”
“No. I didn’t.” Emma steps out from behind me but far enough away from Amber’s talons. “I think this entire episode proves I didn’t cheat on him. Why would I? Look at the man.”
Both women turn to look at me then back at each other.
Holding out my hand, I say as gently as possible, “Give me the coins.”
“Coins,” Emma emphasizes.
“Fine.” Amber reaches into her purse and digs around a minute or two, pulling out three small silver discs.
“The rest.” I know how many are there. Thirteen. He died when I was fifteen and he started giving me those when I was two. “There are thirteen.”
“Jesus,” she grumbles. Stepping over to the counter, she dumps her purse out, counts out the remaining coins, and hands them back to him. “Happy?” she snaps.
Looking over at Emma, I smile. “Yeah.”
Shoving her stuff back into her back, Amber mutters. “God, you make me sick.”
* * *
“I’m reallysorry about everything, Eli.”
