Page 27 of Always You (A Lilac Bay Novel)

“Have you seen her?” I finally asked, my voice barely loud enough to be heard. It was a stupid question. Of the two of us, Rebecca was the one who made regular attempts at staying in our mother’s daily life.

“I went over last week,” my sister said, her voice equally soft. “She seemed to be doing okay. The house was clean.”

Well, that was a good sign. When our mother went on one of her benders, a clean house was the last thing on her mind.

“I’ll stop by sometime this week,” I said, already dreading the visit. But that was the reason I was here, the reason I had come back to Lilac Bay after school. I had always told myself that I did more than my share—I was, after all, the one who cleaned up the big messes, the sister that was called when shit really hit the fan. But that didn’t mean it was fair to leave the day-to-day stuff with Rebecca.

“I’m sure she’ll like that,” Rebecca said, and I recognized the pain in her voice. I was sure she could hear it in mine as well.

“Mommy!” Mason called from the side of the house. “Come look! We’re catching fireflies!”

“Isn’t it a little early for fireflies?” I asked.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, standing. “Unlike me and you—Miss Jade Windsor Emeraldton, celebrity television news anchor—these boys have very active imaginations. I suppose I should go back and participate.”

I laughed, picking up the bottle of wine and our two empty glasses. “I may as well help Andrew finish up. See you inside.”

I stood on the porch as she made her way around the side of the house, watching my little sister’s back until she disappeared into the gathering darkness.