Kate: why on EARTH did you two think we needed a $20,000 bright red leather couch??
Kate: and four crystal wine decanters???
Kate: and THESE???
Kate: [photo of floral bedsheets]
Kate: [photo of galaxy bedsheets]
Kate: [photo of waffle bedsheets]
Jane: We wanted you to have options
It takes me staring at the free hardware shop calendar on my fridge to realize I haven’t seen my sisters in two weeks. Kate called off Sunday brunch last week because she and Jason were out of town on a couples getaway, and Charlie jumped at the chance to stay home with his wife. But despite not particularly enjoying Sunday brunch every week, breaking the routine still feels like it left a hole in my chest.
Not that Kate was talking to me that much this week after the registry thing. She was less than thrilled about the items Reid and I registered her for last weekend. Understandably so, but I, for one, had a spectacular time. Which was incredibly surprising considering it was just me and Reid in Walden’s, strolling through aisles and pointing out horrible lamps and massive brightly patterned shag rugs.
I don’t think we’ll come out of this wedding as best friends, but maybe he isn’t as terrible of a person as I initially thought. Maybe I can survive this whole wedding. Financially it might be a different story, but at least I don’t think I’ll end up in jail for murdering the best man. At least not right now.
But where I’m the dependable Sinclair, Kate is the stubborn one, so I know that if I want to move on from her silent treatment, I need to be the one to apologize first. Even if she is the one who ditched me.
I grab my phone, scrolling through messages until I find Kate’s contact and call her. She picks up on the second ring.
“Hi, Jane!” Her voice is shockingly chipper for ignoring me all week.
“Hey, what are you up to right now? I was thinking maybe we could get coffee with Lydia and talk about wedding plans. Hang out. Maybe go shopping or something.”
Why am I pacing my kitchen nervously? These are my sisters, not some boy I’m trying to flirt with. It’s not like I dialed Reid.
Wait, why did his name pop into my head?
Lydia’s voice thankfully pulls me from the spiraling thoughts of deep blue eyes and an irritatingly addictive smile. “We are actually out for coffee already,” Kate says. My pacing stops, my heart sinks.
They’re already together. Without me. Again.
That shouldn’t hurt as much as it does. I should be used to it by now, but it’s really hard to get used to feeling like you’re not wanted by your own family.
“We just got to The Coffee Corner,” Lydia’s voice comes on the line. “You can meet us if you want to! We can take Kate shopping for bridal shower attire after!”
I know in my heart I should say no and let them do their thing, but instead I find myself blurting out, “Great. See you soon.”
And then the line goes dead. I stare at the screen for a moment, trying to decide my next move. I shouldn’t go. I know this was a pity invitation, otherwise they would’ve had the foresight to invite me in the first place. Do I really want to go and intrude on their time together?
But I love my sisters and I want to see them. Even if they have that twin thing going on in which I’m still not included. So I pack my purse, grab my keys, and start the short walk to the coffee shop.
When I walk in, I spot them immediately in the emerald green velvet chairs in the corner laughing with each other. The bell chimes over the door and they both turn in my direction. The smile dims slightly on Kate’s face—which I try not to take personally—but Lydia smiles wide and waves to me. I wave back, place my order, and head to the empty chair next to them.
“Thanks for letting me tag along,” I offer as I sit.
“Yeah, of course,” Lydia says. “Sorry I didn’t call you too. I assumed you had plans with Lola.”
You could’ve asked.
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t bring myself to say them. I know it would cause Lydia to recoil, Kate to roll her eyes, and awkwardness to fall over us. And despite feeling left out, I wanted to hang out with my sisters.
So instead I shove the feelings down, smile, and say, “It’s okay. I’m just happy I could be here.”
“I’m still mad at you for the registry fiasco though,” Kate says, a dramatic pout on her lips. “Do you know how much time it took me to fix that mess?”
