Ryder is finally cleared to go back to hockey which means it is time to pack up and move to New York. Francesca is thrilled about living with Ryder for the summer and has already made a ton of plans for them. Both want nothing more than a perfect su...
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"Sarah," I call out the second I see my cousin step out of her car.
"Hey Fran! So sorry I was late Jess is being such a monster today Alan had to lock her in the bathroom so I could bolt out the door without her running after me," she explains as she pulls me in for a hug. My usually put together cousin is still out of breath and trying desperately to adjust her outfit which she clearly threw on in a hurry.
"No you're fine," I assure her after we release each other. This feels so weird and I am a little nervous. It is ridiculous to be nervous really, I go out with my parents, my brothers, my cousins, even my aunts and uncles all the time but I really don't want to fuck this up. I love my cousin and I want us to have a relationship which means today needs to go smoothly.
"Have you been here before," Sarah asks as she loops our arms and leads me inside. She picked the time and restaurant since my schedule is more open than hers. I think she could have asked to meet in a dumpster behind Chilis at 2am and I would have agreed that's how badly I wanted this alone time just the two of us.
"No I haven't," I tell her looking around at the nice restaurant on the water. I am glad I am still only wearing sundresses because if I would have showed up in my normal attire I would have been extremely out of place.
"It is great, my boss took me here a few weeks ago to offer me a promotion."
"Sarah, that is amazing," I exclaim but then I dial it down because she doesn't look excited like I thought she would.
"I don't think I am going to take it. The money is good and lord knows with the price of college we really need to save but I just feel like Jess already spends more time with Nonna than she does with me. I feel like her big sister and not her mother because I get home and get only 2 or 3 hours with her before she goes to bed."
"You should talk to my mom. When I was a kid she was working as a nurse at the hospital and sometimes if they were short staff,I could go days without seeing her. It sucked but I have a great relationship with my mom now and also a great one with Nonna."
"I'm aware," Sarah bites but then immediately looks guilty. "I'm sorry. Your relationship with Nonna is amazing and my jealousy of that should never be pointed at you. Nonna did for you what she is doing for Jess now, and I am so grateful that she has someone there for her all day when me and Alan can't be. I know your parents must have felt what I feel now and that the whole situation was the best of a bad situation but I just..."
Sarah doesn't finish speaking and just looks off out the big window toward the water outside. I don't know what to say so instead I reach across the table and grab her hand in a comforting manner.
"Our lack of a relationship is all my fault because I was a jealous brat who didn't realize how lucky I was. I always grew up so jealous of you because you were always with Nonna. She was always doing things for you like taking you to skating or helping make your costumes. I didn't understand that your time with Nonna meant time not with your parents; and while I was jealous she was making you breakfast I was the one sitting at the table with my parents on the weekends as a family while you were lugged over to Nonnas so both your parents could work."
