“Thank you for letting me sleep.”
Jackson walks towards me from the side of the house. “Where’s Sammy?”
“Taking a shower. She won’t be long.”
“Is she feeling better?” Marcus tips his head to the side in what I believe to be curiosity.
“Much.” How long have you been back, Marcus? “Hang on, wouldn’t you have seen her when she grabbed her bag, Mosby?”
“No.” Mosby shrugs. “I’ve been outside shooting the breeze with Marcus for a while now. Well, since it stopped raining, that is.”
I didn’t even hear the rain.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t. It pelted cats and dogs after you went up to the room.”
“Excuse me, Marcus?” a sweet voice calls out from behind me.
“Lucy,” he says, walking towards the sound of the voice.
I look over my shoulder and see Marcus jogging the short distance, and although I can’t see this Lucy at first, I can tell he cares for her by his protective tone.
“Who the fuck is Lucy?” I mumble.
“Marcus’s friend. She seems really nice. I met her like maybe twenty minutes ago. She just went to freshen up, said it had been a long drive.”
Turning my body—keeping my eyes firmly planted in their direction, I wait for a glimpse of Lucy. A hint of red material flows past Marcus’s side before a curvy woman with light, long hair comes into view.
“You want to hear something weird?” Mosby continues.
“Hm.” I’m only half paying attention.
“She has the same unique eyes as you. I guess they aren’t as rare as I thought. Actually, come to think of it, she looks a little bit like you. Her face is rounder, though, and her—”
“She’s fatter.”
“Abs,” Jackson tuts.
“Well, she is. Look at her. What the actual fuck is she doing here?” I guess Marcus did replace me. Even worse, with someone who looks like me. Liar.
“I’m not sure.”
Holding hands, they smile adoringly at each other. I’m going to spew. This Lucy leans in and whispers something. Marcus seems to whisper something in return as they stroll towards us.
My hands become tight fists in anger.
“Abigail, I’d like for you to meet my friend Lucy.”
Lucy removes her hand from his grip and reaches it out for me to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Abigail.” Her skin is pale and her hand is soft when it touches mine.
“Lucy.” One word is all I can manage. The name of the tramp Marcus must love now. I hate Lucy.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” The loud boom of Sammy’s angry voice ploughs in our direction. “Marcus, what in God’s name are you playing at? Why is Lucy here? Get her away from Abi,” she snarls before standing between Lucy and me.
“Sammy, settle down. Think before you speak. Abigail doesn’t know.”
“Know what? That you lied and you never waited like you claimed, and this whore is your significant other? Wasn’t hard to figure out. Do you think I’m stupid? Why would you do this to me? You’re an arsehole, Marcus,” I snark before stomping around Sammy’s body.
“She’s not with me,” Marcus replies. He grasps my arms.
“Let me go,” I scream.
“Abigail, stop. Look at her,” Marcus says.
“I did. She’s a younger, fatter, uglier version of me. Bravo, arse wipe—you’re sick, twisted fucking plan worked. You got what you wanted. Let me guess: you wanted to fuck the real thing and now you have, you can show pony this tramp in front of me.”
“Stop, Abigail. Just stop. That’s not what’s happening here. It’s not.”
“Do you think I’m blind?”
“Lucy is your sister.” Sammy’s tone is almost regretful as the words leave her lips.
She…
What the actual fuck?
“My sister?”
“Yes.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t have a sister.” My limbs go weak. Marcus grabs my arm, taking some of my weight.
“Yes. You do. Lucy is your half-sister, your father’s daughter. You forgot her after you had your accident.”
My mouth falls open as bile rises into my throat, burning my mouth. Pushing my head forward, I vomit what little food is left in my stomach from breakfast. Marcus doesn’t let me go. His other hand rubs my back.
“She’s your sister,” Marcus whispers from above me.
Standing upright, air is harder to breathe. I gasp, clutching my throat. Everybody’s huddled around, too close. “Let me go,” I say, breathless, at Marcus.
“Don’t run,” he begs as he frees me.
“Sammy.” My lips quiver as our eyes connect.
“It’s true. You met her the night of your father’s death, at the hospital. It’s where you were going that day. You were going to Brisbane to meet Lucy for the first time with your dad.”
“He cheated on us. On me and Mum.”
“Yes,” Sammy confirms softly. “Your dad didn’t know she existed until a month earlier.”
“Mum knows?”
“Your mother found out first, before your dad did. Mrs. M. forgave him, Abigail. He made a mistake. You forgave him too.”
Twisting on my heel, I stalk towards Lucy, stopping dead at her feet. “Were we sisters until I hit my head? Did I like you? Did you like me? Were we in each other’s lives for two years?”
Lucy nods, slowly, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Yes. We were.”
“So why the fuck did you leave me then? Why didn’t you stay and make me remember?” I choke, fresh tears clouding my vision of the girl standing in front of me. Lucy, my sister.
“Honestly, I didn’t think you could handle going through anymore hurt. It took you a while to forgive and accept me. I only wanted to protect you. I wanted you to be happy. You didn’t remember me when I walked into your hospital room. You were scared when they told you who I was, just as you are now. I’m sorry I left you. I’ve missed you so much.” She wipes away tears that fall faster than she can brush them away.
“Every one of you are liars. Deceitful and pitiful people. Stay away from me. Stay the hell away.” The agony pulsing through my veins is soul-destroying.
Feeling as if I can’t breathe, I run into the house and barricade myself in my room. This seems to be becoming a new habit of mine. Running. Hiding in my room like a teenage girl. I tear the pillows and blanketing from the bed, throwing them to the floor. I kick, scream, and then bash my hands against the walls. Why is this happening? My breathing labours until I’m left sucking in a needy breath of air. They’ve lied and betrayed me. I pluck a pillow from the floor, scrunching it between my hands that now shake with pure anger. I flop onto the bed and press my face into the pillow, screaming, hoping the pain ripping through my heart ceases. It doesn’t.
I’m broken beyond repair.
***
Marcus, Sammy, and Lucy spend the best part of the night talking to me through the door, which I’ve locked to prevent them from entering. Their words are meaningless, and their apologies fall on deaf ears as time ticks away. Mum! She lied to me too. I locate my phone in the chaos of my room and call. It rings out. She doesn’t answer. Does she know, I know, by now? And if she does, why isn’t she phoning me? Telling me why? Fixing the damage? Mum lied! I throw my phone across the room.