“Hey,” I whisper. The last thing I want is to disturb her.
My sister turns her head and smiles happily at me. “Hey.”
Charlotte’s eyes are a little glassy from one too many flutes of champagne as she pats the chair in invitation. I take the spot and, like we did growing up, we lie side by side in contented silence as we watch the last of the sun slip away, giving way to the night sky and the few stars capable of shining through the city’s light pollution.
I break the silence first. “Was today everything you thought it would be?”
“It was perfect.” Charlotte rolls over to face me, and I mimic her.
It’s like looking into a distorted mirror. We both have the same complexion, facial features, and body type, but where she’s light, I’m dark. Charlotte takes after our mother with her long blonde hair and blue eyes. Whereas I take after our father with my long brown hair and amber-brown eyes. Then there’s our brother, Denver. He’s the perfect mix of both our parents, with Dad’s hair and Mom’s eyes.
My sister smiles lazily, reminding me of a time when I used to call her mini-me and she followed me everywhere.
Returning her smile, I lace my fingers through hers and squeeze, letting her know just how much I love her. “Good. That’s all I ever want. I’m really happy for you, Char.”
I truly am. My sister is the best. She’s generous and sweet. And a genius. Although she’s younger than I am, she graduated high school with me, and college and medical school before me. She’s now a very well-respected cardiovascular surgeon, like our mother, and about to marry her medical school sweetheart in two weeks. She’s everything my mother wished I would be.
It wasn’t always this way. There was a time when my mother was proud of me as well. When I didn’t choose the family business, so to speak, that was the end of my mother’s love. Okay, even that sounds too dramatic for me. I know my mom loves me. Maybe just not as much as she does my siblings.
I don’t begrudge my sister for how differently my mom treats us. I’m wildly proud of Charlotte and her accomplishments. Denver too. I’m just not them, and I wish my mother would understand. I wish she’d see and understand me.
Charlotte sighs. “Thank you. I’m sorry about Mom.”
My smile slips a touch, but I shrug her off. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”
Charlotte and I have fought extremely hard to keep our sisterly bond from turning into a rivalry. Something my mom passive-aggressively does with her backhanded comments.
Charlotte grimaces as she squeezes my hand. “Doesn’t make it right.”
“I know.” My skin grows tight and itches thinking about my mother and her high expectations. “What can I do?”
“Take that job in LA,” Charlotte says.
“The pediatrics role?” Charlotte is the only one who knows about the job offer I received last week. I’ve barely mulled the offer over.
She rolls her eyes at me as if I’m an idiot. “Is there another job I don’t know about?”
“Smartass.”
My boss and mentor, Dr. Sawhney, who is also the chief of pediatrics at SF General, where I work, recommended me for the role of Head of Pediatric Critical Care at Mercy Hospital. She’s pushing me to share my talents elsewhere. Dr. Sawhney believes my talents are wasted here and I need a new challenge.
Don’t get me wrong, being the Head of Pediatrics at one of the most prestigious hospitals in all of California sounds amazing. But it’s in Los Angeles. I’m a NorCal girl. I’ve only left San Franciscofor vacations. I’ve gone to college and medical school here. I did my training here. My family is here. Charlotte is here.
I don’t know anything else.
“Come on, Sav. It will be good for you.” She pokes my shoulder with her index finger until I laugh. “Remember when I did two semesters in LA during undergrad? Best thing I ever did.”
“Really? Because you never talk about them. Did you have a baby and put it up for adoption while you were gone or something?” I tease, poking her back.
“You’re an idiot.” She shoves me away with a bark of laughter, but I don’t miss the hint of water clouding her hazel eyes.
“Charlotte, what is it?”
“I—” Her voice cracks.
“I was just kidding.” I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight. “I won’t judge you if you did.”
“I didn’t have a baby, you dork.” She sniffles, and I start to worry.
