31. Hurricane (part 2)

**Avery**

When Conroy found her, Jasmine leaned over the sink of the kitchen. She released a heavy sigh. Conroy knocked in the door. “Hey, what is it? You can tell me if you’re not feeling alright.”

Jasmine shook her head. Despite her insinuating that nothing was wrong, she was clearly upset.

Conroy drew closer until he was near enough to put his hand on her shoulders. “Yeah, try all you might but you’re not doing a good job at fooling me.”

“I don’t want to sound selfish,” Jasmine admitted.

Conroy furrowed her brows. “It doesn’t matter if it sounds selfish or not. You deserve to be a little selfish after all you’ve been through. Don’t hold back.”

She finally turned around and glanced up at him, one hand covering her mouth. Then, she relented.

“I feel like… like you’ve been ignoring me and only focusing on your phone. I understand that you care about her, but I was really looking forward to catching up on everything that I missed. And most importantly, to spend time with you. Yes, yes, you and her are together and she’s not answering your texts, but at least you know that if she truly isn’t okay she has a family that can help her. Yet you think about her more than you think about me, and I’m right in front of you.”

“Jasmine.” He paused, taken aback. “I didn’t know you felt that way. That wasn’t my intention, at all. And you’re right.”

He tucked his phone into the back of his pocket and pulled her into an embrace. “You’re right, you’re absolutely right. If there was a problem I would have known by now. This time is for us. I shouldn’t be so focused on someone else when we still have a lot to discuss. I’ll just call her later. I’m sorry for being so insensitive.”

Jasmine’s arms sneak around her torso. She buried her face into his shoulder. “Do you love me? Or should I say, still love me? I must seem like a stranger to you now. And I even have this awful injury on my legs… I must seem horribly disfigured.”

“No.” He tightened his hold. “You’re my one and only sister. I’d love you no matter what state you’re in. The same way that I love you now.”

A satisfied smile spread across her face. Jasmine buried her nose into the crook of her neck. “Do you promise that we’ll always stay together?”

“I promise. That’s all I ever wanted.”

The comfort of the silence was addictive. The oven was still hot enough to radiate heat. The whole atmosphere resembled a small home that a couple bought and moved into with plans of having children and starting a little family of their own. Jasmine clearly enjoyed every minute of this moment where it was only them.

That would be true if I wasn’t hiding behind the wall, watching them. I heard the whole thing.

“Interesting,” I said to myself.

As I observed them, I bit into another macaron. Damn, these were good.

The following day, Conroy told me that he brought Jasmine around town and showed her how things have changed. A little sibling time. I wished him good luck and hung up the phone.

“Has anyone seen Cinderella?”

I glanced down at Bianca who was leaning against my bare chest. “Not as far as I can tell. I even tried calling her myself. Still no answer.”

She looked down and adjusted herself on the couch.

“I feel so weird.” Bianca Glanced back up. “Is it bad I don’t feel happy she’s back? Jasmine, I mean.”

“I think this is just something new we’ll have to adjust to.” I kissed the top of her head and Turned off the TV. Neither of us were watching it anyway. “How about we go somewhere this evening? Take our minds off things. Go to a little cafe or diner, take a walk and chat when night falls, eat something while we listen to some music by the river?”

Her lips turned upwards. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Dates? People still do that?” I caressed my chin. “Never would have thought. Wow, this is new information to me. But if you’re asking me on a date I won’t say no. But that’s only if you’re extra nice.”

She slapped my shirt, causing me to laugh.

“So what will it be, Princess?”

“Hm. I might want to go. But only if you ask nicely.”

I placed both my palms together despite one of my arms being around her shoulders.

“Pwetty, pwetty pwease!”

Bianca burst out laughing. “Oh my gosh, stop!”

“Only if my sweet and beautiful girlfriend says that she’ll bless me with her company.”

She leaned her head against my chest once again. “You forgot, Avery.”

“Hm? What did I forget?” I lowered my hands.

“You’ve blessed me with your presence. You blessed me with all that you are. Thank you for showing me more of yourself, Babe.”

In silence, I was captured by her earnest smile. Then I hugged her and squeezed as hard as I could while I inhaled the perfume on her blouse, only letting go when she started hitting my shoulder.

I saw Conroy once again when another day passed.

He, Jasmine, Bill and I decided we would go do some late night mini golfing. We chatted and I behaved like I always did. But I decided to watch everyone without being too obvious. When I realized what I was doing, I scolded myself.

Conroy got his sister back when he thought she was dead, so why was I so pressed? I’m letting my own cynical nature take over. Sure, she’s way too intimate, but maybe that’s an effect of someone who has lost everything they knew and found a lifeline. Maybe if I was in the same position, I would have done the same. I was very lucky that most of my relatives are still on this plane.

However, Conroy soon felt compelled to get in contact with Cinderella. She still hadn’t responded and the concern was showing on his face. Bill reassured him that nothing was wrong. I offered to come with him to check on his girlfriend first thing tomorrow morning.

Only Jasmine offered him no reassuring words.