Leap of Faith

Day Thirty-Eight

Unbeknown to me, Anna had a fake ID printed for me before our trip. It had my date of birth down as a year before my real one, so I seemed old enough to mutilate my body, but not old enough to go out and get drunk. Apparently, making me twenty-one would have been a stretch, but eighteen was ok. Of course, Anna didn’t force me into getting a tattoo, but once she showed me the design, I had to smile.

“And why butterflies?” Libby pouted as we made our way through the arrival terminal. “You know I love butterflies. Why couldn’t you get moths instead?”

“Because life is too short,” Anna winks in my direction. It went back to that speech she gave me about Georgie, so at least the tattoo had meaning. “Look, Libby, if you’re really that jealous, we can go with you next year after the baby arrives, and we can get your sprogs name inked if that’s what you want.”

Libby smiled momentarily before she gasped. “Don’t call my baby a sprog. That’s it, Cate gets to be God-mother.”

“Fine by me,” Anna beamed. “I hate babies anyway.”

Libby stomped her foot and went to stand with Mom and Vivian. Every now and then, she would glare in our direction and shake her head disappointingly. I gave her a reassuring smile but Anna just waved and wound her up further.

Anna and I waited together and I could feel her eyes burning against my skin. She always did this when she wanted to say something, but she didn’t want to be the one to initiate conversation. Instead, she would bide her time and stare us out.

“What?” I finally give in to Anna’s techniques. I huff and put my hands on my hips, letting my head hang low as I try to avoid eye contact with my sister. “Make it quick, Anna.”

She fishes in her purse for something and pulls out my cell phone, handing it towards me. “You really should keep an eye on this thing,” Anna laughs. “You keep leaving it around and anyone could pick it up and hear your boyfriend’s accidental phone calls.”

“Huh?” I frown as I unlock the phone and go straight for the call logs. Sure enough, TJ called last night. “You spoke to him?”

“No,” Anna shakes her head with a glint in her eye. “Like I said, I think the phone call was accidental. I tried to get his attention but he was busy telling some other girl how much he liked- no, wait, loves- you.”

“What girl?” I demanded.

“I think it was his sister,” Anna shrugs her shoulders. “Does the name Elliott mean anything to you?”

I laugh nervously. “Yeah,” I nod. “He was talking to his sister. You had me worried for a second.”

“Worried?” Anna snorts, placing her hand over her heart as she giggles. “He loves you, you idiot. You know that right?”

“He may have said it a couple of times,” I laugh along with my sister.