Elena
Friday night, Mom’s making dinner and everyone will be there. Including you.
Matteo
We’ll see.
Bella
You’re both annoying.
Matteo
You’re the ones who started it today.
Elena
For god's sake, Matteo. Shelf your ego for once.
Bella
Yeah, what she said.
Istare down at my phone and sigh, my shoulders sagging as I narrow my eyes at the text thread with my two sisters. You would have thought the age gap between the three of us would have made us not as close, but it’s had the opposite effect.
Our parents met, had a one night stand, and then I was born nine months later. The first five years were just Mom and me. Although I was young, I still remember what it was like without Dad around. The instability. The confusion of why the other kids at school had a father and I didn’t.
Regardless of what my mother says about how she couldn’t get in contact with him, I can’t help but wonder if she could have tried harder. What held her back for those five years? If we wouldn’t have gone to Aston, would I have even known my father?
I didn’t have a bad life with them. Honestly, I had an amazing childhood. Two years after they found each other again, Elena was born and three years later came our youngest sister, Isabella. Everyone calls her Bella, for short.
They’re both little thorns in my side and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Although, in moments like this, when they’re crawling up my ass about something—yeah, the temptation to trade them in is very strong.
Elena
Call mom back. She’s been worried about you.
Matteo
We’ve talked through text.
Bella
She hates texting.
Elena
Can you stop being so damn hardheaded?
Bella
He’s a Ford, so no.
Matteo
The two of you are Fords. You’re the same damn way.
I’m muting the chat. I have shit to do.
