The 3 Month Plan

Fake Sister-in-law

Daniella watches me for a second. "Are you going to talk or am I supposed to read your mind?"

I clear my throat and turn to face her. "What I tell you cannot reach Rocky, promise me that."

She gives me a questioning look. "Why?"

"Promise me or else I can't have this conversation with you."

"Okay," she sighs. "Promise."

"Tell him I'm married."

Daniella practically spits the drink out in shock. "What?!"

"Tell Rocky I'm married," I repeat myself.

"Why would I do that?"

"You can choose to tell Rocky that or you can give him this letter," I say sliding the envelope across the table.

She picks the envelope. "Can I look inside?"

I give her a smirk. "Up to you."

"Is the letter private though? Like something that only Rocky should read," she asks.

Again I look her dead set in the eyes. "Daniella, it's up to you if you want to read the letter."

I can tell she doesn't want to open the letter in case there is something private and personal there for Rocky but at the same time her other option is to tell him I'm married.

"What are you playing at, Sky?"

"Seeing as both your brother and yourself don't keep secrets, this should go down well for you both. I mean, you already knew our marriage was a sham."

Daniella sighs and looks at me in disappointment. "We don't hate you Sky. We love you dearly, all of us. You clearly love Rocky too, you just admitted it so just tell me why you want me to tell him you're married."

"Your call," I tell Daniella. "The envelope or tell him I'm married."

Daniella places the envelope back on the table and stands. "And if I don't do either, what then?"

"Then that's your call."

Daniella stumps her foot on the ground in frustration. "You're too freaking much!"

She picks up the envelope, opens it and her mouth drops wide open. She looks up at me to read my expression.

"You see," I tell her. "This is why you should've told him I was already married. It would save him the heartbreak."

She holds the envelope up. "Please tell me this is a joke."

I shake my head. "Nope."

"I can't give him this, Sky," she says and I notice her wipe her eyes. "It'll break him, just as it has broken me."

Getting up, I turn to leave but her voice stops me.

"So all I ever got to be was your fake sister-in-law, and now, I guess I won't ever be your real sister-in-law," and her voice breaks as she delivers that line.

I try not to react. I try not to turn and comfort her. This had to be done, to get both her and Rocky off my back.

They don't understand. I can never be good for them. Everything they went through including the abduction of Daniella was all because of me. I cannot put them through that again. This is for the good. For their safety.

————————

I stare at my phone, waiting for either Rocky or Daniella's call. Rocky because Daniella has probably delivered one of the two options, and Daniella's call because perhaps she'll tell me to get stuffed.

However in order for my plan to work, Daniella needs to either tell him I'm married or give him the envelope.

The door bell rings and that snaps me out of my thoughts. I look at the clock on the wall which shows nine at night. Who could possibly be here this late?

Grabbing a silk robe, I wraps it around my body and walk over to the front door. I open the door to notice Rocky standing by the front door.

He hands me the envelope. The exact envelope I gave to Daniella. "This is low even for you."

I shake my head. "It's not low, it's the truth."

"Is it?" He says. "Who is Frank?"

"Who do you think he is, Rocky?" I say. "The card is there for a reason."

He looks me deadset in the eyes. "You're telling me that if I show up at the venue in one weeks time, there'll be an actual wedding and it'll be yours."

I nod.

"So when did you meet Frank. In the 3 months you were away or were you cheating on me when we were married?"

"It's not exactly cheating if we were never married. There was no contract, no actual marriage and no relationship so how is it cheating. I love Frank and you can attend our wedding and see for yourself. That is what the invitation was for."

Rocky walks over to me. "The rent is four thousand a week now."

"What!" I protest. "You can't do that."

"I just did."

"Then I'll find another place."

Rocky leans against me, his breath warm against my cheek. "Good luck with that. You and I both know that I will not allow that to happen."

He turns to leave but stops to look at me. "The rent is due tomorrow by the way, remember to transfer four thousand."

"You're a pig!" I shout at him. "I've been paying two thousand the past two weeks, was that not enough?"

"Bye, Sky."

————————

The morning after, I look for several houses in the six hundred a week vicinity considering I'm struggling. It won't be by the beach and it won't be a decent house but it'll have to do.

The calls made to two of the places immediately say they're no longer available for rent, the third hangs up after asking my name.

I get dressed for the open house of the fourth one but when I show up, there is no open house.

"Tsk tsk. What a pity you cannot find a place."

I turn to see Rocky coming out of the front door.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I scream.

"I'm doing exactly what I said I would do. That I would not allow you to find another place."

"Why do you need to do this?" I ask almost breaking down. "If I'm not yours then am I not allowed to be someone else's? Do you own me? Is that it?"

I fall on my knees against the grass and tears fall down on my face.

Rocky is immediately by my side. He grabs my face and forces me to look at him. "It's not that, Sky. But how can a man walk away when he not only loves her but knows she loves him too, it's just she's too stubborn for whatever reason to go back home."

"There is no home, I told you that," I say through the tears. "Your place was never mine because I was never yours to begin with — I was never your wife. And my place, well that no longer exists. There is no home for me, Rocky."

Rocky pulls me into his body and wraps his arm around me. "You may not be mine, you may not be my wife but my home will always be your home. That door will always be open for you. And if you give me a chance, I would like to make you mine, just as I'll be yours. I would like to make you my wife."

I push him away and get up. "I should go, I have to transfer four thousand into your account. I have a wedding to plan."

Rocky watches me in hurt as he too gets up and brushes the grass off his suit. "I guess I will see you at the wedding," he says. "Oh, and Sky. Once you get married, I have a delightful gift to give you."

I storm down the street and grab a bus back home.

My head spins as I sit in the bus waiting to reach home. I fumble through my phone contacts and stop at the name Frank.

I miss you. I send him the text.