The Other Sister by Dianne Dixon

Author:Dianne Dixon
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2016-09-13T04:00:00+00:00

Matt

“This is unfair, Matt. It’s not like I’m asking for the moon.”

Matt understood why Ali had kept her voice low—because she didn’t want to wake Sofie—but she’d made no attempt to hide her anger.

They were driving away from a dinner party hosted by one of the actors on Matt’s show. Sofie was asleep in her car seat. The argument, which had started during the party, was boiling over now. Matt tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “I didn’t say you were asking for the moon. I’m simply telling you I don’t think I can make it.”

Matt switched the radio on—thumping hip-hop. Ali slapped the power button and shut it off.

“Matt, since Sofie’s been with us, you haven’t gone to even one of her pediatrician’s appointments.”

He could feel Ali looking at him, trying to get him to look back. He kept his attention on the road. “Give it a rest, Al.” It was a warning.

Ali lunged toward him and was yanked back by her seat belt, her words coming out choked and clipped. “Don’t bother to give me the ‘I’m too busy at work’ speech.” She angrily loosened the seat belt. “Every time I go to the pediatrician’s office, there’s a waiting room full of parents, and plenty of them are fathers. I doubt they’re all unemployed.”

Without giving Matt a chance to respond, she added, “It’s not that off the charts. It happens all the time. Kids go to doctor appointments with their parents.”

“We’re her temporary guardians.” Matt was jaw-clenched, pounding-headache angry.

It was obvious Ali was equally angry—ready to scream at him or hit him, or both. He told her, “I know you’re in a tough spot, Al. You and I haven’t been the same since…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word rape. “Ali, it isn’t just what happened to you or what’s going on with us. It’s this thing with your sister. You being cut off from Morgan. That’s not doing you any good either.”

The mention of Morgan brought a quick silence. Afterward, it sounded like Ali was fighting tears. “I don’t know how to get it all done,” she said. “I don’t know how to take care of myself, and Sofie, and Morgan.” Ali looked exhausted. “When Morgan’s around, she leans her entire weight on me, expects me to be her rock. Right now, I need a rock…somebody I can lean on.”

“Then lean on me.” Matt said it with gentleness and tenderness. There was nothing he wanted more than to have Ali lean on him—and be close to her again.

“What good would it do…to lean on you? I’d just fall flat on my face. You wouldn’t be there. You’d be at work.” She’d said it sarcastically, with disgust.

His feeling of gentleness had vanished—Matt was aggravated now. “Ali, there’s no reason for me to play daddy at a doctor’s visit for a kid who’ll probably be gone before it’s time for her next appointment.” The left turn he made was deliberately hard; the car rocked. “We’re her temporary guardians.

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