Episode 928: Sisters

Yelling. Again. It sent Caroline’s pale purple line skidding out of control.

“Ugh!” She threw up her hands. After a deep breath she reached for a makeup wipe and worked at the wayward eyeliner marring her face.

A light knock came at the door.

She and her littlest sister, five year old Abby, had separate rooms, though lately it didn’t feel like it. Abby became seriously clingy during the shouting matches. That’s why Caroline, on her prom night, knowing she wouldn’t be home for her little sister, made sure Abby agreed to go to her first slumber birthday party even though Abby was the only one in the house who’d expressed an interest in seeing her in her prom dress. Since Caroline had to go out that night and hadn’t wanted to leave Abby struggling through the fighting on her own.

It hadn’t occurred to Caroline that Samantha was home until she slipped inside Caroline’s doorway. Her older sister had been away at college for so long. Too long.

“It’s like world war three out there,” Sam said, flopping down on Caroline’s bed.

“I know,” Caroline replied with a sigh. She tried a second time to line her eyes.

“What’s it about? I mean, I listened a little but the argument seemed to be all over the place.”

“It always is. Keep your door closed and well, you hear, you know, they’re yelling, but it’s mostly muffled with the door closed. It’s better not to hear details.”

“What do you mean always? This is a regular thing? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I hoped it was a phase. I thought it would stop. And you’ve been so busy at school since the summer session last year, I didn’t want to mess with your concentration or if you were having fun or whatever. You’ve been hard to reach, it’s not like we’ve talked a bunch since you left. Plus, somebody has to be here for Abby, there’s only so much time in the day to talk a sister through stuff and I’m all booked up.”

“Well, Abby’s out, we could talk now, I could take my turn at talking you through it.”

“I’m going out, too.”

“Where? Maybe I could tag along, or is it too lame to hang with your big sis?”

“I’m pretty sure big sis would find the high school prom lame. Besides, I already have a date.”

“Tonight’s your prom? How do I not know something that major?”

“It’s how it is around here, Abby and I are the only ones who notice and it isn’t great that Abby notices, she’s practically my daughter these days more than theirs.”

Episode 929: Dance With Somebody