“That’s an excellent idea.” Oliver whipped out his phone. “I’ll text Courtney and see what she says, but I think it would fit great between ‘All These Stars’ and ‘Tough Love.’ I can’t play the violin, but maybe I can do Indie’s part on the piano?”
“Ooh! And I can do an interpretive dance in the background. Think we can make time for a costume change?”
“Shut up, JJ.”
“Hey, I’m being serious here!”
As the boys continued to discuss the different ways they could work Xander’s song into their show, I carefully placed my borrowed violin back in its case and secured the latches. When I straightened up, Violet was standing in front of me.
“Jesus!” I gasped, clutching a hand to my heart. “You scared the living daylights out of me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Her face was a mask as she tucked a curl behind her ear. “Can we talk?”
“Yeah, of course.”
Violet and I walked around the side of the house and found a quiet spot on a garden bench where we could have a private conversation.
“Wow, how did you know this was here?” I asked as we sat down. The hedges were tall enough that nobody would be able to see us from the patio.
“Gabe and I have read lines here before,” she explained, not meeting my gaze. Her attention was focused on the delicate gold bracelet circling her wrist. As she fiddled with a charm, I recognized it immediately as the gift Dad gave her when she won her first Saturn Award for best actress.
Nodding, I waited for Violet to continue. After all, she was the one who’d asked to talk, and I wanted to give her that opportunity since I’d already said my piece onstage. But Violet seemed content with staring at her hands, and as the hum and chatter of the party drifted in our direction, an uncomfortable silence spiraled between us.
“Look, Vi,” I said when I couldn’t stand it anymore. “I didn’t mean to ruin your party, but I really needed to tell you how sorry I am. I spoke with Dad a few nights ago, and he told me what happened between him and Mom. I never should have blamed you for—”
“Please stop,” she said, still not looking at me. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
Wait, what?
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m the one who went all mega bitch on you at the recording studio. You have nothing to be sorry for.”
She let out a long sigh and looked up at me. To my complete shock, her eyes were glossy. “That’s not true. I’ve said some pretty horrible things to you the past few months, and even though Mom and Dad’s divorce wasn’t my fault, I understand why you thought it was. I’m so sorry, Indie. I want to make things up to you, so I’m going to withdraw from myLady Phoenixaudition.”
Holy. Freaking. Shit.
When I came up with the plan to crash her birthday, I figured the most likely outcome would be that Violet kicked me out. My hope, however, was that she’d forgive me. Even a begrudged form of forgiveness would have been okay in my book.
But an actual, bona fide apology?
That was so unexpectedly mind-boggling that it took me a moment to process the words she’d spoken. My sister was apologizing. Tome.
What strange new world was this?
“I really appreciate that, Vi, but everything you said? How I blame others for my problems and run away when things get too hard?” I replied. “That was all the truth.”
Shoulders hunching, Violet pinned her arms against her stomach. “Just because what I said was true doesn’t mean the way I said it wasn’t cruel. I was pissed and frustrated, so I lashed out at you, and that’s not fair.”
I shrugged, still completely baffled by the direction our conversation was going. “Then I guess I got what I deserved, considering I’ve been lashing out at you for years.”
“Oh, Indie,” she said, her voice smaller than I’d ever heard it. “You can’t put this all on yourself. A relationship isn’t a one-way street. It takes two people. You had every right to be angry with me. I’ve spent the past five years focusing on my career at the expense of being a good sister. It’s no wonder you blamed me for Mom and Dad.”
I blinked at Violet. Replayed her confession in my head. For years, I’d been waiting to hear those words. I thought I’d feel a sense of relief or vindication. Instead, an empty, hollow feeling rattled around inside my chest.
“So,” I said after a minute, “what changed?”
“Well, I had a very long conversation with Mom after Vanessa’s wedding. You’d already gone to bed, but we sat at the hotel bartalking until it closed,” she explained. “Mom had just accepted her position with the Baltimore orchestra, and she was really worried about leaving you.”
“Why?”
