The Peach Pits

Chapter 14

Aunt Lynn had been gone for a week now. Trina seemed to be getting used to it, but the bounce in her step was still missing. Getting ready for church that morning was near silent. Mae played some of their grandmother's favorite disco records, thinking that might lift the mood. It didn't.

"Can I borrow some earrings?" Trina asked from the bedroom.

Mae nodded, then remembered Trina couldn't see her all the way from the bathroom. "Sure," she called. "The little fake pearl ones would look good with your dress."

Mae finished getting ready. No amount of makeup was going to make her look any less tired. At least her hair decided to cooperate. She'd have to take a long nap before pretending to go to work tonight.

"Did you find-" Mae stopped cold in her tracks. Trina stood in front of her dresser, with her middle drawer open. She gaped at the cash and jewelry overflowing, now taking up the majority of the drawer.

"What are you doing?" Mae demanded.

Trina turned to look at her, her eyes wide. "I wanted to borrow grandma's earrings. Where'd all this money come from?" she questioned.

"Work," Mae snapped. "Where the hell else? Why are you going through my things?"

"You said I could-"

"My earrings are up there!" Mae said, pointing to the jewelry on top of the dresser.

Before Mae could cross the room to shut the door, Trina reached into the drawer and pulled out the diamond necklace. "Where did you get this?" she demanded.

"I've had it. Didn't want to make you jealous." The lie fell out of Mae's mouth easily.

"You're hiding money now?" Trina asked. She balled the necklace up in her fist. "My mom's in the hospital and you're hiding money?"

Mae tried to calm herself. "The last I checked, all the bills were paid. And it's my money to do whatever I want with."

Trina's face fell. "But you've always acted like you didn't have any-"

"It's my business!" Mae snapped. She was glad she'd gotten rid of the stolen debit cards ages ago. "Put my necklace back."

Trina nearly threw the necklace back into the drawer. "But I'm saying, I wanted to get a job so you weren't as stressed. If I'd known-"

"No matter how much money I have, it shouldn't have to go to paying bills!" Mae's voice came out much louder than she meant it to. Trina's eyes welled up, and Mae instantly felt like the worst girl on the planet. "No, Trina, I didn't mean it like that. You know I'd do whatever to help Aunt Lynn."

Trina didn't budge. Her expression said she didn't believe Mae. "All you do is complain about helping us. I know you shouldn't have to but you know what? I wish we weren't here either! I don't wanna be here, I don't wanna share a room! I don't want both my parents to be gone!" Trina's voice cracked. She grabbed a pair of earrings off the top of Mae's dresser and busied herself with fastening them in her ears so she wouldn't have to look at Mae.

Mae slid onto the foot of Trina's bed so that she couldn't escape her. She took a deep breath. "Look, you know I love you and Aunt Lynn, sometimes more than my own mom. But a lot's going on right now. You just have to trust me, okay?"

Trina refused to look at Mae in the mirror. "You didn't have to lie to me. I'm not Mom or Aunt Lisa."

"I know. I'm sorry," Mae sighed. By the end of the night, she was sure she'd have something else to be sorry about.