Jamie
I walked into the apartment.
Mariana and Callie were talking on the couch.
"Hey, Jamie."
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"No. I talk to him all the time. I rarely talk to you. Since you don't like to answer your phone when I call you."
"You try making a decision like me."
"I did. In case you've conveniently forgotten."
"Help me make a decision. Please."
"Think it out. I did. Who do you want there when you're upset? Who makes you laugh? Who makes you smile? Who can keep up with you? Answer all of these questions and you'll know who you want to be with."
"You act like this is the easiest decision. Raj and Evan are both great guys."
"It is the hardest decision right now in your life."
"You mean, there's gonna be more?"
"Yeah."
"You couldn't have sugarcoated it?" Mariana asked her.
"Nope. If you wanted it sugarcoated, you should've went to Jude. That ain't my style."
"Do you know?"
"Of course I know. I'm his big Sister."
"Did you know before me?"
"Mm-hmm. He told me. When I promised I wouldn't tell him."
"Jude will tell everybody someday."
"Apparently, only the both of us know. He'd prefer to keep it that way. I don't intend on breaking that promise either."
"I wouldn't."
"Jude is in a relationship with somebody. That's all I can tell you."
"Mm-hmm. Jude would never forgive her if she broke his trust. Again."
"I left for a good reason."
"Uh-huh."
"He's the one who called me selfish. If you've forgotten."
"Sometimes you can be."
"Mariana!"
"Jamie, don't you agree with me?"
"No."
Callie laughed.
"Mine sides against me. Why?"
"You're with the wrong person. I was with the wrong person when I was with Gael."
"And Aaron, AJ, Wyatt, Brandon, and Liam."
"What?"
"Great going."
"Oops."
"Bye."
Mariana left.
"It's just an ex. Who is an asshole. I'd love to arraign him myself."
"What are you going on and on about?"
"Sit down and do not interrupt me. At all."
I sat down next to her on the couch.
"Um... Jude and me were in our best home yet. Except our family, of course. They had an older son, Liam. He's like, 28 right now. Um... We had began seeing each other in secret. Obviously, that is prohibited among foster siblings. One night, he came into my room and wanted to do that. But I didn't. Um... He forced me."
"How old were you?"
"14."
"And he was 18?"
"Yeah. But now he's in Jail for the credit card fraud of me. So..."
"It was because of your record that they didn't convict him of rape."
"Damn record."
We both laughed.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders.
"You know, I'm on your side no matter what. Even if I don't exactly agree with things."
"I got an offer from Zinkovetsky Law firm."
"I'm guessing that's not in LA?"
"No. It's in Amsterdam."
"And you want to accept it?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"Would you be willing to move there with me?"
"Yeah. If you want me to come with you."
"Of course I do."
"We can announce it at the next family Dinner. Which is coming up."
"Okay."
Callie's phone rang.
It was Mariana.
"It's Mariana. I have to--"
"Yeah."
She answered it.
"Isabella slept with Raj."
"Oh. Do I have to knock somebody's head off?"
"No."
"Alright. I'm coming over there."
Callie hung up.
"I have to go to The Coterie."
"Yeah."
"We can discuss it more later."
"Mm-hmm."
Callie left.
