Page 46 of Summer Affair

Amy stiffened slightly but didn’t pull away. “What do you mean?” There was a hint of aggression, but Andrea overlooked it.

She took a deep breath and decided it was time to be honest. “Your attitude, Amy. It’s hurtful. I’ve never felt like I had a sister who accepted me as I was. You were never the kind of sister who would do my hair, show me how to do my makeup, teach me how to talk to boys. We didn’t enjoy music together or have fun with one another. I can’t remember a time when we laughed or stayed up all night talking.” Even doing it now felt odd. “It always felt like you were in competition with me.”

Amy’s eyes widened, and she looked away, clearly taken aback. “I didn’t realize you felt that way.”

“Well, I did. I still do,” Andrea said, her voice softening. “I’ve spent so much time feeling like I wasn’t good enough, like I had to prove something. But we’re sisters. We should be supporting each other, not tearing each other down.”

“I was jealous of you,” Amy said after a moment of silence. “When we were young, everyone gave so much attention to you, the baby. I felt left out, like I wasn’t important anymore. And that jealousy just…snowballed from there.”

There was so much animosity in her tone. Andrea blinked in surprise. “Jealous? Of me?”

“Yes,” Amy admitted, her voice trembling slightly. “You always seemed so happy, so confident. Even when you were just a kid. I wanted that attention, that confidence. I didn’t know how to deal with it, so I acted out.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Andrea. I really am.”

Andrea’s heart softened towards her sister for what seemed like the first time. She reached out and took Amy’s hand. “We can’t change the past, but we can work on the future. Let’s try to be there for each other from now on, okay?”

Amy nodded, a small, hopeful smile forming on her lips. “I’d like that.”

“You can stay here as long as you need. We’ll figure it out together,” Andrea added after a moment of silence.

They stayed like that, sitting close to one another by the fire. They chatted and laughed about stories and the past while the warmth of the flames matched the newfound warmth between them. For the first time in a long time, Andrea felt like they were truly sisters, ready to face whatever challenges came their way, together.

Even though she didn’t fully trust Amy not to revert back to her old ways, at least it was a step. She felt like her sister was at least honestly trying. Deep down inside, she did care for her.

Amy nodded against her shoulder, her sobs quieting. “Thank you. For being here for me.”

“Sure thing,” Andrea said with a sigh.

A week later, Andrea was kicking herself for offering to let Amy stay with her.

Andrea sighed as she walked into her home and stepped over a pile of discarded clothes—her clothes—in the hallway. It was like a tornado had blown through her once tidy space. Amy had not picked up after herself once. Every room had a trail of her sister’s mess. So far she hadn’t even offered to help pay for anything, let alone contribute to the household chores.

Since she hadn’t left the house once, she was borrowing Andrea’s clothes and leaving them in heaps everywhere. She’d even ruined a few tops and her favorite yoga pants by spilling chocolate sauce on them.

In the kitchen, Andrea opened the fridge to find it nearly empty. Amy had eaten almost everything in the house. She had expected her sister to be a little more considerate, maybe even go grocery shopping or at least ask if she needed anything. Instead, Amy had taken over the living room, transforming it into her personal theater, staying up late and watching romance movies at full volume.

Andrea’s frustration boiled over when she noticed the shattered remains of their grandmother’s porcelain vase on the coffee table. It had been a cherished heirloom left to her, and Amy hadn’t even bothered to apologize for breaking it. She just shrugged it off, saying it was an accident and leaving the pieces for Andrea to clean up.

The past week had been a whirlwind of chaos and irritation.

She knew Amy was refusing to take any of Brad’s phone calls, letting her phone ring incessantly until Andrea was forced to silence it. She had even turned their mother away when she came to visit, claiming she wasn’t ready to let anyone else in on her struggles.

As for Dean, Andrea missed their time together terribly. She hadn’t been able to have any private moments with him since Amy had moved in. Their plans for quiet dinners and intimate conversations had been replaced by Amy’s constant presence and her disruptive behavior.

Andrea dropped her bag on the kitchen counter and rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She needed to talk to her sister, to set some boundaries. But every time she tried, Amy brushed her off or changed the subject. It was exhausting, and she felt like she was at her wits’ end.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and walked into the living room, where her sister was sprawled on the couch, wearing a pair of Andrea’s favorite cotton pajamas with a bowl of popcorn balanced in her lap and another romance movie playing on the television.

“We need to talk,” Andrea said firmly, standing in front of the screen to get her sister’s attention.

Amy looked up, a hint of annoyance crossing her face. “Can’t it wait until after this movie?”

“No, it can’t,” Andrea replied, crossing her arms. “I’ve been patient, but this has to stop. You’re taking over my home, and it’s affecting my personal life.”

“What personal life?” Amy asked.

Andrea crossed her arms over her chest. “One that was going pretty great until you moved in.”

Amy sat up, setting the popcorn aside. “What do you mean?”