Dad had built it when Daphne was four and I was three. Because Daphne had reigned supreme even back then, it was kind of girly. At the time it’d been pink (Daphne’s favorite color), but the years had eroded the paint and no one had bothered to redo it.
My sister had grown out of it by the time she was six, but I still visited it whenever I came home. Last year Matt and I had even refurbished a few of the wooden boards that were rotting.
Now, I kicked off my shoes at the base of the tree and slowly ascended the ladder (so I wouldn’t spill my beer). I pushed open the trapdoor and waved an arm around to break any spider webs before climbing into the house.
Because the shutters were closed, it was dark inside. Just as well. It suited my mood.
I closed my eyes and sat there in silence, taking occasional sips of beer. Rio would have liked it up here. It was peaceful. I imagined him climbing up the ladder—after me, so he could peek up my dress. And then when we got to the top, he’d pretend to be interested in the view for a minute before he pressed me against the floorboards and kissed the breath out of me.
I scowled and tried not to think, but somehow that’s impossible when you’re in a dark room by yourself. Especially when you miss someone as much as I missed Rio.
There was a knock on the trapdoor. “Doc?”
Because I knew he wouldn’t leave me alone, I scooted over and opened the door.
Matt eased his body through the opening and looked around. “Hasn’t changed much, has it?”
“Nope.”
Slouching because of his height, he walked over to the window and stared out. “It has a great view of the orchards and valleys though.”
I frowned at him. “You came up here to look at the view?”
“No, I came to see what was wrong.” He crossed over, sat down next to me, and took my hand. “You gonna tell me?”
I pouted. “What good will it do?”
“I’ll help you fix it.”
He couldn’t this time, but it was awfully sweet of him to offer. Tears clogged my throat so I just shook my head.
“Mena!” Daphne called from below. “What are you doing up there? People are going to start arriving soon.”
I scowled down at her. She returned it with a scowl of her own, her hands fisted on her hips. I crossed my eyes, stuck my tongue out, and slammed the door shut.
“Mature,” Matt commented.
Before either one of us could say anything else, the door banged open and a livid Daphne crawled through. “You little brat!”
Matt took her arm and helped her into the treehouse. The traitor.
He shrugged. “I couldn’t let her fall. I’d have to answer to your mom.”
Small point.
“And this is an excellent opportunity to straighten things out between the two of you,” he continued. “You’re sisters. You should be best friends.”
Both Daphne and I snorted at that.
“Daphne! Philomena! Are you up there?”
Great. Mom.
I scooted over to give her room as she entered the treehouse. Matt gave her a hand too.
I wondered about the weight capacity of the old boards, but if Matt was helping Mom inside he figured it was safe, and that was good enough for me.
Mom looked around. “It’s rather dusty up here, isn’t it?” When no one answered, she said, “You could use some curtains too.”
I grimaced and said “No way” as Daphne nodded and simultaneously said “I always thought so.” Then we glared at each other.
Mom sat down cross-legged, facing us. “How about you two tell me what’s going on?”
Matt started to get up. “Maybe I should give you some privacy.”
“No, sit, Matt.” Mom waved him back. “I might need a witness.”
He grinned. “Your daughters
are
fairly fierce.”
“And determined.” She eyed the two of us. “Though other adjectives might be more appropriate.”
I snorted. Daphne didn’t do anything but look miserable. Which set me off. “What’s your deal? You have no right to look like that. You’re the one who ruined my life.”
She sneered—at least as much of a sneer as she could manage. “Grow up, Mena.”
“Enough,” Mom said in her stern listen-to-me-or-else voice. “Tell me what’s going on right now.”
Might as well kick off the discussion. “Daphne’s ruined my life.”
Mom frowned. “What did she do?”
“She was born.” I gave her an evil glare.
Daphne rolled her eyes. “Like I said, Mena. Real adult.”
“It’s true.” I turned to my mom. “You and Dad
always
paid more attention to her than you did to me. Don’t try to deny it,” I said when she opened her mouth. “You guys never include me. It’s always Daphne-this and Daphne-that. Well, I’m sick of it.”
Just thinking about it was working me up. I got up and paced. Sure, I was hunched over, but you work with what you’ve got. “All I ever wanted was for you guys to acknowledge that I’m just as valuable as Daphne. But I’ve never done anything right. Until I dated Barry. How frickin’ screwed up is that?”
“Language,” Mom said with a frown as Daphne said, “Don’t curse, Mena.”
I chose to ignore them. “With Barry, suddenly
I
was the ex34p5ample. Do you know what kind of rush that was?”
Guess I said it a little bit too forcibly, because they just gawked at me with wide eyes.
My laugh didn’t have an ounce of humor in it. “It’s too bad I didn’t know how you and Dad felt before I broke up with Barry.”
Mom gasped.
“What?”
I nodded grimly. “Barry and I weren’t right together. So I broke up with him. Then when I tried to get him back, I fell in love with his friend, an ex-military boxer who drives a gas-guzzler.”
Mom shook her head. “Philomena, only you’d be able to turn life int34p5o a soap opera.”
Of course she’d criticize me. I plopped down on the floor, away from their cluster.
“You should be thanking me,” Daphne said, her nose righteously in the air. “You found Rio because of all this.”
“I lost Rio because of all this.” I dropped my head to my knees and tried to breathe through the pain.
“What?” everyone gasped at once.
“He found out I started going out with him just to make Barry jealous.” I looked up defensively. “But that was only part of the reason I went out with him that first time, and it wasn’t even in my mind after. I really, really liked him,” I said miserably.
Silence.
Then Daphne sniffed indignantly. “Well, you ruined my life too, if it’s any consolation.”
I snorted. “Right.”
“You did. Do you know how much I hated having to be the good example for you?” Two red spots colored her cheeks. “I’m sick of it.”
Mom frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”
She gazed at Mom and said evenly, “I never wanted to go to all those science camps growing up. I never wanted to be a research scientist.”
That was news. Even I thought she loved science. She was always such a geek. It didn’t occur to me until then that we had that in common. Different fields, but basically the same outcome.
“I’m sick of it,” she said tentatively, as if she were afraid of what Mom would say. “I decided to go on sabbatical until I figure out what to do.”
“What?” Mom exclaimed.
“Is that why you’ve been camping out with me the past two weeks?” I asked.
Oops. I mentally slapped my forehead at the look Daphne gave me. I glanced at Mom. I didn’t mean to spill the beans. Really.
Mom frowned. “You’ve been here the past two weeks?”
My sister scowled at me before answering. “I didn’t tell you because I needed some time to think.”
Mom rubbed her forehead. “I could use a gin and tonic.”
I considered offering to go get her one, but the look she flashed me warned me to stay put.
“You girls have impeccable timing. The guests are due to arrive any moment. But we’re going to sort this out right now. Philomena.”
I started at the way she barked my name. She should have gone into the army—she’d make an excellent commander. “Yes, Mom?”
“Come here.”
She wouldn’t spank me, would she? I got up hesitantly and crawled to where they sat.
She took my hand. “I’m sorry you felt like you weren’t loved enough.” She pushed back a strand of my hair that had escaped from the tight bun. “You were such an independent thing, right from the time you were born. So capable. So we gave you the space you needed. We gave Daphne more attention because she was more delicate than you.”
Daphne blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Huh?” I frowned. Daphne? The woman who was on the verge of finding a cure for childhood diabetes? Delicate? Ha!
Mom took Daphne’s hand in her free one. “You were always so unsure of yourself as a little girl. That’s why we pushed you. To accomplish what we saw in you.”
Daphne opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before she finally said, “How horribly unfair.”
Ouch. I winced.
Mom’s spine stiffened and her chin jutted higher. I prepared for an onslaught, but was surprised when she only nodded. “We did the best we could. Neither of you can deny you’ve turned out well. You’re successful, beautiful women. Both your father and I are proud of you.”
She let go of our hands and started to ease up to her feet. Matt immediately jumped to help her up. Patting his hand, she smiled at him before turning back to us. “Don’t hide up here too long. We have guests.”
We watched her negotiate the ladder in silence. When she was out of view, Daphne and I stared at each other. For the first time I saw her not as the invincible, perfect older sister, but someone who was more messed up than I was.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry I let it slip that you’ve been here.”
“It’s okay.” She frowned. “Were you telling the truth about Rio?”
I nodded. Tears filled my eyes again. “Damn allergies,” I said with a sniff.
“Oh, Mena.” She took my hand and squeezed it as Matt came to my side and put his arm around my shoulders. “Did you try apologizing?”
“I tried everything. He won’t listen. The bastard.” I rubbed my nose, willing the tears back. “He couldn’t have loved me like he said if he won’t give me another chance, right? We should go down,” I said, wiping my eyes.
Daphne grimaced. “This is one birthday I’m never going to forget.”
“Look at the bright side,” Matt said after we were all on the ground and walking back to the house.
“What?” Daphne and I both asked at once.
He put his arms around us. “You just lost an enemy and gained a sister.”
Daphne and I looked at each other around Matt. Maybe he was right.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lessons Learned from MacGyver
#83
When something’s broken, it’s easiest to throw it away and forget about it. But if you step back and take a look at what you’ve got, you find a totally different way for it to work.
I hit redial and waited. Four rings later, Rio’s answering machine picked up.
Again.
I sighed and clicked off. I’d already left a bunch of messages for him over the past week. One more would have tipped the balance from
anxious ex-girlfriend
to
stalker
.
Sighing again, I dropped my head back against the couch and stared at the ceiling. Another woman might have wondered where he was or who he was out with. But I knew I didn’t have to worry about any of that. Rio wouldn’t have found a new girl a week after we’d unofficially broken up. He was too loyal, too good a guy. He was just nursing his wounds.
Not that the bit of knowledge made it any easier on me.
I had to do something. Only I couldn’t figure out what.
Daphne walked out of her room, yawning, and headed for the kitchen.
“Morning,” I said from my spot on the couch.
She shrieked and whirled around. “Mena! What are you doing here?”
“I own this house,” I reminded her.
“That’s not what I meant.” She frowned, hands on hips. “It’s six o’clock. On a Sunday morning. What are you doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep.” I fidgeted under my sister’s shrewd gaze.
“Did you call him again?” she asked wisely.
Only like five hundred times.
“Do you know what I think?”
Oh, God. “Do I have a choice?”
“I think you need to see him face to face. Apologize and work this out.”
“I did apologize.” I grimaced at how childish that sounded, but it didn’t stop me from huddling even more into the corner of the couch.
“Philomena Donovan,” she said in her best stern older sister tone, “are you pitying yourself?”
I stuck my tongue out at her.
“What happened to my spitfire little sister—”
“I’m only thirteen months younger than you,” I interrupted.
“—who would take on the world to get something she wanted?”
“I’m not like that, Daph.”
She didn’t even bat an eyelash at me calling her
Daph
. “Yes, you are. Remember that time you wanted that expensive Erector kit? You hassled Mom nonstop for three weeks before she broke down and bought it for you.”
“Big whup.” Oh, for those Erector days.
“And the time you wanted to join the science Olympiad in school, but they said you were too young. You argued with the teacher for days till he finally let you on the team.”
I made a face. “You remember that?”
She sat down by my feet. “Don’t you want him, Mena?”
Want him? I was shriveling up inside at the prospect of being without him. “
He
doesn’t want me.”
“Then make him want you,” she said decisively. When I didn’t say anything, she sighed and continued on to the kitchen.
As loath as I was to admit it, she was right. I needed to go see Rio. But I could guarantee he wouldn’t see me if I went to his home or the gym.
I needed a different plan. I needed to get him on neutral territory and make him listen to me.
There was only one way to do that.
I picked up the phone and dialed. “Pick up, pick up,” I urged.
“Hello?”
“Barry,
don’t hang up
,” I rushed to say. “Just give me one minute. I need your help.”
“Mena?”
His voice was sleep hoarse, and I heard sheets rustling. “Do you know what time it is?”
“Barry, I need to win Rio back. I know I screwed up, and I know he’s angry but I thought if you talked him into giving me a chance to explain—”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
He gave an incredulous chortle. “I’m not going to help you. He’s better off without you. I wouldn’t subject an enemy to you, much less a friend. I can’t believe you’re asking.”
I gritted my teeth and reminded myself I had no choice. If I wanted Rio back, I needed to grovel big time. “Please, Barr y. I just want to talk—”
“No.”
Grr. “Barry—”
“No,” he said more forcibly.
Forget groveling—I was going to be myself. “You owe me.”
“Excuse me?”
“You owe me. I saved your ass with your sweet blossom.”
He sputtered incoherently before he finally said, “You’re the one who messed things up in the first place.”
God, he was so detail-oriented. “Does that mean you aren’t going to help?”
“Damn right—”
There was some static, a little fumbling, and more rustling. I heard a muffled feminine voice and Barry’s in response, but no matter how hard I strained I couldn’t hear what they said.
Then, “Mena?”
“Cindy?”
“Barry will help you,” she said firmly.
“Listen, Cindy, I don’t want to cause trouble between you two—”
“There’s no trouble with me and Barry. We’re perfect. In fact, he proposed to me. Isn’t that right, Pookie?”
I wasn’t even tempted to gag at her saccharine tone. “That’s great. Congratulations.”
Cindy lowered her voice to a whisper. “I owe you. I don’t think he would have proposed without the scare from you.”
What could I say to that? “Um. Cool.”
“You’ll be one of my bridesmaids,” she said enthusiastically. “I’m thinking of pink dresses.”
I imagined fluffy pink cotton candy dresses and felt nauseous. Guess I deserved the harsh penance though. “That sounds super. Listen, Cindy, about Rio—”
“Tell me what you want and I’ll have Barry do it.”
I outlined my plan twice, to make sure she got it, and then another time just to be sure. When I was confident she understood what I needed, I got off the phone and made another call.
“’Lo?”
“Matt, can I borrow your beach cabin?”
“Doc?
Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Time is relative,” I answered philosophically. “Can I borrow your cabin? Just for the day. And maybe the night.” MacGyver said you’ve got to be more optimistic. Dwight always said you had to speak what you wanted into reality.
“What’s the urgency?” But Matt’s no dummy, so two seconds later he said, “This is about Rio, isn’t it?”
I made a pouty face even though he couldn’t see me. “Is that a yes?”
He sighed. “You know it is.”
Yes
. “You’re the best.”
“I know.”
“So be over here in half an hour, okay?”
“Wait a minute. You never said anything about me going along. I have soccer today.”
“Please, Matt,” I whined pathetically. “I need you with me.” To help tie Rio down in case he wasn’t willing to stay and listen.
Matt sighed, long and suffering. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Twenty minutes,” I said quickly. “Make that fifteen.”
He snorted and hung up.
“Yes.” I hopped up. It was all coming together. I pulled up short when I saw Daphne leaning against the kitchen counter, watching me.
“Seems like you have a plan.” She lifted her mug of Folgers to her lips.
“I do. Get dressed. We need to get going.”
She frowned. “We?”
I frowned back. “You didn’t think you weren’t going?”
“Uh—” Lowering the cup, she blinked a few times. “I guess not.”
“Good. I’m taking a shower.” I headed to the bathroom. “Don’t dawdle.”
“You should take a bath instead,” Daphne suggested.
I glance suspiciously over my shoulder. She was up to something. I couldn’t resist going to the bathroom and seeing what it was.
I noticed it the moment I stepped in and turned the light on. Gasping, I climbed up on the bathtub’s rim to get a closer look.
“I had it laminated.”
I turned to see Daphne in the doorway, gazing up at the poster of MacGyver that was back in its rightful place.
“It was disgusting how much mold was on it.” Daphne’s perfect nose wrinkled. “You should clean it more often. And get off the bathtub before you fall and break something.”
For once I did what she asked without comment; shock does weird things to a person. “I think I’m going to take a bath.”
She nodded, a pleased smile slowly curling her lips. “Great idea.”
“How much longer?” I asked, kicking my foot against the back of Matt’s seat like a little kid. You might say I was a touch impatient the whole ride there.
“Half an hour, I think,” Matt replied. “And quit it. I’m driving.”
Daphne tapped her lips with a long finger. “That’s cutting it close.”
Matt frowned. “I don’t like this idea, Doc. Why can’t you just do what normal people do and send him an email?”
“He’d probably just delete it without reading it.”
“Dealing with relationship issues over email is wrong,” Daphne said.
I frowned at her. “You say that like you have experience.”
When she glanced back at me, I could see she was in full big sister mode. “Do you know what you’re going to do when he arrives?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to correct that to “if he arrives” but I remembered MacGyver and Dwight. So instead I said, “I’m going to tell him I love him and throw myself on his mercy. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to tie him up and give him oral sex till he breaks down and takes me back.”
Daphne gasped and covered her ears. “I didn’t need to know that.”
Matt chuckled.
We pulled onto a gravel road so bumpy I had to anchor myself or be tossed up against the ceiling. Finally Matt’s shack came into view. Truthfully, it was more like multiple shacks smashed together to form a house. Of sorts.
“Here we are.” Matt grinned at the two of us.
“Nice beach chalet,” Daphne said dryly as she hopped down.
“Thank you,” Matt replied modestly.
Inside, it was a completely different story. The wooden floors were polished, the walls were white with seaside watercolors lining them, and the entire space was open and airy. Matt kept it sparsely furnished, but it was perfect for a getaway.
I hoped it’d be perfect for an intervention too.
Rubbing the tip of my nose, I walked down a hall to the master bedroom. Fluffy down comforter on the bed, dozens of pillows in various shades of blue, and white curtains that billowed open to reveal glimpses of the ocean. I added a couple of candles from my bag on the bed stand. “Perfect.”
“Wait.” Daphne walked in, rummaging in her purse. She took out a box and set it next to the candles. “Now it’s perfect.”
“Daphne! Where did you get that?” I flushed beet red when I saw the humongous box of condoms. I was optimistic, but that was plain physically impossible.
“I brought it with me from California. Just in case.” She shrugged. “You’ll need it before I ever do.”
Matt chuckled. “Now it’s perfect.”
“What about Johnny?” I asked.
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not going out with him anymore. He wanted me to dress up like a Catholic schoolgirl.”
We all froze as we heard a car on the gravel driveway.
Rio was here.
Daphne glanced at me and then left the bedroom, Matt close on her tail. I stayed, trying to calm my suddenly frantically beating heart. “Now or never,” I told myself and then went to greet them.
As I walked into the living room, Rio turned around from the front window and frowned at me. A deep, never-forgiving kind of frown. I stalled, hopelessness tingeing my previously upbeat outlook.
Then I heard a shriek and was engulfed in a sweet floral embrace that could only be one person.
“Ohmigod, Mena! I can’t believe you’re here.” Cindy held me tighter and jerked me around so my back was to the room. “Barry’s thinking of buying a beach house and his real estate agent told us we really needed to look at this one. What a coincidence!”
Excellent coverup. I stared at her with new respect.
“Isn’t it fantastic?” she gushed. She let go of me and grabbed Barry’s hand. “Show me the outside. Do you think I can have pink roses around the house?”
Barry grunted and escorted her out, but not without shooting one last glare at me. I read the message loud and clear.
Don’t mess with my friend.