Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 26

"You look like shit."

Vera didn't have to look up to know that it was Romy who had just walked over to her, but she did. She turned her head up, surprised by how bright the sun was shining on such a cold winter morning. She hadn't slept at all, that might account for the headache, and she was absolutely sure that should looked just as bad as she said. 

Romy looked perfect, as always, even down to the last strand of hair on her head. Her clothes were impeccable, her make up flawless and now she sat lazily on the chair she habitually occupied while on the terrace.  Vera studied her for several seconds, wondering what she was thinking as she stared out onto the snow covered lawn. 

"You look perfect." Vera said, wondering how she did it. How did Romy manage to look so undisturbed despite everything that happened? 

"You didn't sleep." Romy said, deliberately ignoring the compliment. She usually did, had heard enough compliments her entire life and was never much impressed by them. She didn't know how to accept them very gracefully either, always deflecting or brushing them off.  Today was no different, today was just like ever other day to her. 

"You did." Vera said, almost accusingly. Romy sighed.

"Of course, I did." Romy said without flinching. "I usually sleep very well."

"Usually..." Vera said with a nod, still staring at Romy in almost disbelief. "But yesterday was anything by usual.

"Certainly true." Romy murmured, seemingly undisturbed. 

Vera continued to watch Romy. How could she be so... so... calm?

"It's okay if you're upset, you know." Vera said after a few moments.

"Thank you." Romy replied, still as calm as ever. 

Vera stared on in disbelief. She'd spent half the night, pacing back and forth around her room, trying to process everything that happened, trying to understand how things had gotten so upside down. Eventually, she'd found a moment to sob uncontrollably and after about fifteen minutes, she'd washed her face and taken to the task of cleaning her room. She tried to go to sleep a few times, but she couldn't. She tossed and turned and felt sorry for herself. Then, when she was done with that, she'd sat up for hours, picking at her hair and feeling guilty.  Guilty because she hadn't thought of Romy even once, guilty because a few doors down her sister was  probably replaying the images of a man's death over and over. 

Now she sat in front of Romy, who was just as quiet and tranquil as she always was. 

"You had a rough day yesterday." Romy said after Vera hadn't spoken for several minutes. 

"I did." Vera conceded quietly. 

"So what happened?" Romy asked. 

"Tom and I broke up." Vera said simply.

"Well..." Romy said, suddenly sitting up. "Wow."

"Wow? You seem surprised." Vera said. Now she looked forward and it was Romy who studied her closely.  

"You seemed pretty convinced before. I mean... the both of you seemed smitten at Christmas." Romy muttered, more to herself than to Vera. 

"Well, it turns out you were right." Vera said, surprising Romy yet again, this time with the bitterness in her voice. That was certainly new. She couldn't recall ever hearing Vera this way. There was something oddly unsettling about it, the way she sat so stoic, despite the tremor and deep timbre of her words. Vera's voice had always been  the bright voice of reason... this was entirely new.