It was the simplest of moments, but it was nice to just have a quiet night with Myla. Before the accident, we were both so busy with practicing and trying to make it into the big leagues that we barely ever slowed down and just enjoyed each other’s company. Even though I had lived with my sister our entire lives, I felt like over the last few months I actually started to get to know her—the real her.
I had never known she hated the color yellow or that she detested lima beans. I got to hear about all the books she had been devouring since she wasn’t able to do much else. We talked about how much she missed skating and how nervous she was to try it again once she was back on her feet. She told me about the recurring nightmare she had been having since the third grade where an octopus with sponges for hands attacked her while she floated in a wooden boat in the middle of the ocean.
On their own, none of the things I was learning about her would seem like they meant much of anything, but piled together, I felt like I had gained a sister. I mean, I’d had a sister since I was three and my parents told me Mommy had a baby growing in her tummy, but our relationship had jumped to another level, one I would never let go of. Myla was turning into my best friend and someone I truly admired.
“Hey, Brayden?” Myla looked up at me from her plate.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think we say it enough, but I love you and I am really thankful you’re my brother.” Tears were welling up in her eyes as she broke eye contact.
A goofy grin spread across my face. “I love you, too, My.”
Chapter 7
Karla
“To another girls’ night!” Our sake glasses clanked together before we threw back the warm peach flavored shots.
“Karla, how has it been back in your place?” Martha asked while checking off the boxes to finalize her order.
I shrugged. “It’s been hard not having the dogs.”
Kari threw her hands up in the air. “I still cannot fucking believe that all that shit happened.”
It had been just about a month since my apartment had been destroyed. The investigation was closed and at the end of the day it was not able to be determined that James was the one who broke into my apartment. Officers Whistler and Todd did all they could to figure out how to prove it was him, but their efforts just didn’t cut it. The hardest part was that James didn’t have Nike or Thor. They seemed to have just vanished. I knew that it was more likely that he sold them or gave them away, but that was only speculation.
“I am still pressing harassment charges against him. We’ll see. Hopefully he gets at least probation.”
Kari was still huffing, dramatically flailing her hands around as she spoke. “I am going to make his life a living hell. He doesn’t know what he is up against. There will be no deals made. I will make him sit through a trial.”
I put my hand on Kari’s arm, trying to calm her tantrum a little. “I really don’t want this to go to trial, Kari. Think about how awful that would be for me.”
Martha raised up her praise hands. “Amen!”
Kari crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. We will see how this all plays out.”
The server came and we all handed over our orders, quickly. Jill smiled at us. “Thank you. It is nice to see you all again. It has been too long.”
“We’re glad to be back for sure! Life just got in the way.”
Jill pointed her finger at each of us. “All work and no play, makes for sad people. You need to have fun and enjoy each other’s company.”
We filled our sake cups again, raising them in the air. “Now that is something I can definably drink to.”
Martha put her elbows on the table, leaning over to us, while eyeing the front door. “Hey, isn’t that some famous figure skater walking in?”
Kari and I looked at the middle-aged man that was walking into the restaurant, hand in hand with a gorgeous Hispanic man that was half his age.
I recognized him right away. “Yes! That’s Simon Abramson. He has won a crap ton of gold medals.”
“Isn’t it so weird when you see celebrities out?” Kari asked.
Martha laughed a little. “I would hardly call him a real celebrity. Now that hunk he is with could be a damn underwear model. Now, that is what I would call a celebrity.”
I threw my napkin at Martha. “Damn girl, keep it in your pants.”
She threw her hands up innocently. “With the damn dry spell that I have been having in the guy department, you should be proud that I am not over there trying to turn him straight right now.”