"Massimo? Gay? Not even close!" Then she laughed like a sailor who'd been told the raunchiest joke on the high seas. But then came that sideways look Charli flashed whenever she was up to something. Shanice nibbled on her bottom lip and eyed her sister closely. Hmm, what was that about?
"I swear I'm not up to anything!" Charli threw up her hands and blurted the words before Shanice could even ask, which meant she was most definitely up to something.
"You'd better not be. The last thing you want is my sore size nines planted up your backside."
"Yes, ma'am," Charli demurred with a big bright smile. "As for Massimo, he graduated top of his class and passed the bar on the first go. You remember, he was at the grand opening party for my boutique."
"No, I don't remember. As for lawyer related topics, I still can't get over the fact you went to law school, passed the bar exam, then decided to become a fashion designer, er, tailor."
"Yeah, but I'm a highfalutin tailor," Charli sassed.
After clearing the dishes, a bit of sisterly hugging and laughing over Shanice's stint in the hoosgow, and the thankfully dismissed charges, the two ladies kissed, made up and set plans to get together for a family dinner the following weekend.
Before driving away, Shanice's only sister planted another big wet smack on her cheek and said, "I'm glad everything worked out, Shan. You've taken care of me forever. You deserve to be happy. You're the best sister a girl could have and I love you."
Shanice held back the tears gathering behind her eyes at the tenderness pouring out of her sibling. She felt cherished, special...even if nobody loved her but Charli.
With a sigh, she watched Charli put her little black sports car in reverse and back out of the driveway.
Shanice thought about dragging herself up to bed. An image flashed into her brain of herself laying in the big king-sized number with her body wrapped around an oversized pillow. Going to bed lost its appeal, especially when one side of it was always empty and cold.
But Shanice was a realist. She'd been so devoted to taking care of Charli she'd already missed the "family and kids" boat. At her age, most women were settled into their families by now while all she had was work. Hell, her biological clock had stopped ticking so long ago she was sure the thing had suffered battery corrosion. And there was no expectation for a damn thing to change now.
Oh well, may as well get back to work. Sigh.
