SUGAR (bxb)

27. Ebony (Ave)

   I pace from the kitchen island to the sofa and back. I can't stay in one place. I'm desperate.

   It's been three days since I haven't seen Casey.

   He was released from the hospital yesterday with severe concussion, a fractured cheekbone and an 'extreme anxiety' diagnosis.

   I can't help but think that this all is because of me. What did I do? How did I trigger all of this?

   The girls won't let me see him. They made me swear that I won't call or text him either. I tried every way possible to pull out some information from them about what's happening, but they were firm that they did not want to interfere.

   I'm going totally crazy. This situation will kill me. 

   I palm my face on the verge of crying when my phone rings.

   I cringe away when I see the name on the screen, Ebony. My sister is insane.

   Yeah, my mother is obsessed with The Beatles and mostly with Paul McCartney. So, I'm Avery and she's Ebony, after his duet song with Stevie Wonder.

   My guts twisted when I saw her with her sleek husband at the mall that day. Why would she call me now?

   I contemplate for a while, but in the face of the fear of her coming here, finally pick up.

   "You weren't going to pick up, were you?" she shouts without greeting.

   I only shrug mu shoulders and don't find it necessary to retort. She wouldn't care anyway.

   "Don't think I didn't see you, crawling under that table on Sunday, just to avoid me," she barks.

   I'm still not convinced that an answer is expected, so I keep quiet.

   "Which of the chicks you were surrounded by, was your girlfriend?" is the next obnoxious question.

   "I don't have a girlfriend," I hiss, unable to restrain anymore. "And even if I had one, you'd be the last person I'd tell."

   She snorts, "Oh, sorry, I forgot that you consider yourself gay."

   "I don't 'consider myself'. I am gay," I bellow. 

   How is she able to get on my nerves for three fucken seconds?

   "It'll pass," she sneers. "Anyway, I called to remind you of mom's birthday tomorrow. Be sure to appear on time."

   "I'm not coming," I firmly state.

   "Oh, yes, you are, little bro. You don't want the undeserved stream of money, flowing to your direction to cease, do you?" she chuckles.

   "Mom has nothing to do with my money and you know it very well," I grumble, ready to hang up.

   "She's still a trustee and on the Bord of Directors, so you need her signature," Ebony stubbornly states.

   "Not for long," I retort. "Don't forget that I'll be twenty-one in few months."

   "Oh, I'm thinking about it all the time, my dear," she snorts. "I can never forget that grandpa was stupid enough to leave the company to you, to ruin it when you become of age. Robert would've been the best choice. Even I would've been a better one than you. But you've always been his little golden boy."

   "Your husband is a thief," I yell, "and the only reason our family is still in business is because I found those documents before he was able to hand them to the competition. You should be glad that grandpa didn't file charges."

   "Oh, my little genius brother," Ebony huffs. "I'm sure you would've come up with another brilliant software development, if this one had gone to another company. Grandpa would've still been able to retire to his Greek Island and mom and dad would've still been able to bathe in luxury, ignoring your gay adventures."

   "Ebony, I hope you realize that you're not a very good person," I sigh resignedly. "This conversation is over."

   I prepare to press the red button when she quickly adds, "Hmm, so if it wasn't any of the girls, then it must be that blond cutie with the glasses. Since when do you fuck nerds? What happened to the chiseled jocks who circle around your house like a flock of vultures?"

   "Fuck you!" I shout and hang out.

   My hands are shaking with anger. Stupid bitch! With even more stupid husband! The hell I was going to let her meet Casey. This could happen only over my dead body.

   I smile, despite my frustration, remembering him saying the same thing when I asked him to sit on my lap. He's so sweet! Thanks God he refused. There was going to be no way to avoid my leech of a sister, gluing herself to us, if she had seen him there.

   She thrives on embarrassing me. God knows what bullshit she would've blurted just to make me uncomfortable.

   Mozart is sitting at my feet, gazing at me pitifully. I pet his head.

   "I know, buddy. We both miss him. We weren't good to him. Both of us. Now we need to find a way to get him back, right?"

   The tears finally reach my eyes and Mozart soothingly licks my hand.

   We both can't be happy anymore without him.

___________________________________

A/N

Hello everyone at the end of Chapter 27.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting! ❤❤❤

What are your impressions of the sweet sister? 🙄

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See you in the next chapter.

Love: Anny