Cat says nothing in response. She’s not surprised by this news because she’s always known. She knew that the minute I met Aaron, I had a special connection with him. He got me as no one else did, not even my twin.
It’s something to be born with a best friend. That person who’s with you every day of your life, even when they’re not right in front of you. They live in your heart. You can go days, weeks, even a year without talking and pick right back up where you left off. That’s how Cat and I are with each other.
But, there are times when I feel like she’s legally required to be there. I love her. We’re best friends. It makes me wonder how that relationship would be different if we weren’t twins. If we weren’t sisters. Would she have chosen me as a best friend?
My closest friends growing up had been my sisters and brother. When I met Aaron, he was the first non-family member who chose me as a close friend.
It felt special.
I felt special.
Until he un-chose me and stabbed a hot poker of betrayal in my gut.
“You’ve told him how you feel?”
“I did.”
“How’d he take the news?” Cat avoids eye contact by staring at her nails.
“He was happy at first,” I hedge.
This gets her attention. “But now?”
“He has the wrong impression about something and stormed off.”
“The secret you’ve been keeping.”
I nod.
She sighs. “Is this secret worth pushing away the man you love?”
“I’m not trying to keep the secret,” I whine. “I’ve been trying to tell him, but we keep getting interrupted.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“We do.”
“Sure. Right,” she points to my face. “Your bright red ears tell me differently.”
Fucking sisters.
Cat chuckles and leans forward in the chair. “Let me ask you this. If doctors hadn’t figured out what was wrong with you and gotten you medicine right away, what would have happened?”
“I’d only have a few days left to love… I mean, LIVE. A few days left tolive.”
She smiles at me. “Nice Freudian slip, sis.”
“Shut your face.”
“You shut your face,” she laughs. “So, you’d have a few days left to LOVE. How would you like to spend those days? Cooped up in a hospital room or going after the man of your dreams?”
My heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest. I don’t need to answer her because she already knows the answer.
Catalina Saber stands in all of her 5’5” glory, folds up her chair, then claps her hands together. “Right. Well, then. It seems we need to get you sprung from this Woman In The Bubble thing you’ve got going here.”
“What?”
“I’m busting you out, sis,” Cat opens the door and smiles over her shoulder. “Unless you’re a danger to society - let me rephrase - unless your RADIOACTIVITY is a danger to society, you’re leaving today. I’ll talk to the doctors, nurses, the hospital administrator, the freaking President - whoever I have to persuade to spring you from this joint. And then, you’re going to take a shower, and we’re going to get your man. Sound good? Great.”
Cat doesn’t wait for my answer. She never does. She barrels through life, bulldozing over the objections.
I envy her for that, but today, I’m glad she’s on my side.
Because I’m going to need backup when I go after Aaron.
