“Sounds like a terrific woman.”
“She is and I owe everything to her.”
“Poppy, she may have been your cheerleader, but it’s you with the talent.”
“Yes, but at seventeen-years-old, I wasn’t mentally equipped for the stress. While all my friends were enjoying parties, football games, and beach weekends to celebrate the last year of high school, I was in a dance studio preparing for auditions. It took a toll on me, and each time I was breaking down, Mrs. Canon would lift me by reminding me to dance to my destiny.”
My fingers go to her ribcage, sliding along where the words are inked on her skin. “The meaning makes the tattoo more beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“That’s a lot of stress on you. What I don’t understand is how your parents were so removed.”
“That’s the funny thing. They weren’t. It sounds stupid, but even with all the blood, sweat, and tears, I have significant memories from that year. With Tasha gone, it was the first time I had my parents to myself. They did not fill my house with negativity and tension; it was the opposite.”
“They basically told their teenage daughter to find her own way to support her dreams. I can’t foresee how that would be a loving home.”
“From what you’ve told me, my upbringing was nothing like growing up with Edward and Annie Graham, but it was our way. Marco and Karen never missed one of my performances, nor any of my special moments. They praised my hard work. When it came time for auditions, Karen took me to every single one.”
I shake my head, trying to wrap my head around what I’m hearing. “Now I have whiplash. Are you telling me they finally came around?”
“They changed their tune. Karen saw my determination and spun it as grit and ambition.”
“They were testing you with tough love?” I grind out, getting pissed at the thought of a teenage Poppy putting herself through this while they stood by.
She shrugs nonchalantly. “Maybe, but it didn’t matter because I was offered several scholarships, including a spot at Julliard.”
“I know nothing about dance, but I know that’s fucking impressive.”
“Thank you.” A flicker of pride lights in her eyes. “But in the end, I chose UNC because it was closer to home and had an unbelievable program.”
“Did your family finally catch on and get on board?”
The flicker of pride dies and she nods sadly. “Yes, they were proud of me and relieved I was only a few hours away.”
“No offense, baby, but you’re losing me here. And seeing as you keep referring to your parents by their first names and they aren’t in your life now, it leads me to believe there’s a lot of shit to come.”
She gets up, moving to the bar to refill my glass. When she returns, I tug her into my lap.
“That was the prelude to you understanding how the rest of the story goes.” Her voice is faint and hoarse, setting my nerves on edge.
Dante’s warning rings in my ears.
“The family she grew up with chewed her up and spit her out. They fucked her over on the concept of loyalty, love, and moral values.”
I take the glass from her and swallow most of the liquor in one gulp.
“What did they do to you?” I press her to continue.
“My college years were amazing. I met friends, had exceptional training, and life was awesome. My parents visited, and we never discussed their original disdain for my choice to pursue dance. Marco was busy ramping up his political sights and getting involved with local and state government interests. He was a natural, too. Many times, he’d call me and ask my opinions on issues. We’d discuss his stance, his platforms, his ideas. It made me happy that he valued my insight. Everyone was living their own lives. Because of our schedules, Tasha and I only saw each other during holidays or breaks. We grew distant because she didn’t keep her opinions to herself on my choices. Marco and Karen stayed out of it, or so I thought.
“November of my senior year, I began dating Isaac. He may have been the football star to everyone else, but to me, he was just Isaac. Over Christmas break, he visited and won over Marco and Karen’s approval within minutes. Tasha had graduated and was living at home while looking for a job.”
“Is that when he slept with her?”
“No, I’ve looked back at that weekend a million times, and I don’t think it started then. At least not for him. She is a different story. Isaac and I went back to school and things were good between us. It was slowly progressing, and he didn’t seem to mind. But there was a one-eighty shift with Tasha. She suddenly became interested in being a real sister. I welcomed her visits, our calls to each other became more frequent, and the kinks in our relationship disappeared. Isaac and I were getting more serious, and because of this, when she visited, it was often the three of us. She seemed happy for me.
“That’s why it was odd she insisted on coming Valentine’s weekend, knowing I had plans with him. The first night out at a bar, she hooked up with a friend of his. We all went back to my apartment, and Isaac and I went to bed immediately.”
The knot in my stomach coils tighter at the image of her in bed with another man. Regardless of the years that have passed, the thought sends my blood pressure spiking.
“Sweetie, you need to take a breath.” Her fingers sift through my hair, urging my face to hers. “Maybe I should skip this part.”
“Is this the part where your sister fucks your boyfriend?”
“Not him.”
I catch onto her meaning. “She fucked the other dude?”
“She did, and she did it loudly, clearly enjoying herself, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Isaac froze and curled me into him. I thought it was a sweet gesture and he was protecting me from the embarrassment of hearing people going at it in my living room. Later, I found out it was her laying the groundwork.”
“I not sure you need to tell me the rest. It’s coming together in my head. She used her body to get to him.”
“I guess.” She nods slowly. “Whatever it was worked. The next month, I threw myself into rehearsals and preparations for my final performance. My schedule was grueling. I barely had time to eat or study, and Isaac understood.”
“That photo in your room?”
“Yes, that was the one. Everything was perfect. With the stress of the show off of my shoulders, I was ready to take the next steps with Isaac, too. I walked out of the performing arts center and found my family with Isaac. The moment Tasha saw me, she took his hand, leaned into him affectionately, and kissed him. I can still picture the look of satisfaction and conquest on her face.”
“What the hell did your parents do?”
“Nothing. Tasha weaved a web of lies, and they bought into it. They thought Isaac and I had decided we were better off as friends and I’d played matchmaker.”
“They believed that bullshit lie?”
“She was very convincing.”
“Parents aren’t that stupid, especially Marco Bindel.”
“I’ll rephrase. They believed what they wanted to. But my devastation was too blatant to ignore. In the interest of not causing a scene, Karen tried to keep the peace. I walked away without a word. It was almost a full day before she showed at my apartment. She took one glance at my bloodshot eyes, swollen cheeks, and trembling body, and for a split second, the compassion of the mom I loved was there. Then she vanished. She tried to convince me to overlook the issue and move on.”