Abby.

I grab a bar stool and sit at the kitchen table, staring at the phone in my hands as I scroll through the texts from Morgan.

They’re vicious, as usual. My heart sinks deeper with every word, my anxiety growing by the second.

The lawsuit Morgan had been threatening had become like a constant song in my head, but I can't stop thinking about Simone. About what I did to her earlier, the hurt in her eyes. The betrayal she must have felt.

I hate this impulsive side of me. I should have thought before lashing out at her like that—and in her weakest moment.

I swallow, glancing up at Beth. She’s standing by the stove, her back to me, stirring something. I came here to talk, but the words are stuck in my throat, as if saying them out loud will make everything worse.

I miss the days when Beth and I were naturally close, when I could tell her anything and she could do the same. But now, we're grown up, and I think she expects me to solve my own problems. Truth be told, I’d rather not burden her with them.

I take a deep breath. “I have something to tell you.”

Beth turns, giving me her full attention. “Go ahead.”

“There’s been so much going on over the past few weeks, and... I didn’t want to—” I cut myself off. I want to say it, but I don't want her to be offended. So, I go straight to the point. “Morgan texted. At first, it was just him insisting on seeing the twins, but it escalated to a lawsuit if I didn’t comply.”

Beth’s eyebrows knit together, and I can tell she’s about to say something, but I don't let her.

“I know you're going to hate me for this, but I had like... a fling with Simone. But that’s over now. I ended it. It wasn’t worth it anymore.” The words hurt coming from me, but that’s the reality of things.

“Abby...” Beth brings a hand to cover her mouth. I don’t know what she’s feeling or thinking, but she stares at me for a while.

“I’m so lost.” My voice cracks, and before I know it, the floodgates spill open.

Beth comes to my side without a word. She lets me bury my face in her arms. She doesn’t stop me from crying, and I’m glad the kids are upstairs. I don't think I would have managed to hold back. Everything has been building up, one thing after another, and I’m only human.

I can only take so much.

“I didn’t think I could tell you,” I say softly, wiping my damp eyes with the back of my hand.

“Why not?” Beth’s voice is gentle, but there’s hurt there too. “I’m your sister. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone, Abby.”

I shake my head, ashamed. “I didn’t want you to worry. You’ve got your own stuff to deal with.”

She sighs, gently running her hand through my hair. “That doesn’t mean you have to carry all of this by yourself. You’re not alone, Abby. You should talk to Mom and Dad about this—especially the lawsuit. They need to know, and they can help.”

My heart tightens at the thought of telling my parents. They don’t even know half of what’s going on. The thought of their disappointment feels like a punch to the gut, but Beth is right. I can’t keep all of this bottled up anymore. I nod slowly. “Yeah… I—I’ll talk to them.”

Beth squeezes my shoulder before letting go. “It’ll be okay. We’ll figure this out together.”

Beth’s reaction surprises me. I thought she would throw a tantrum about how I didn’t tell her all of this, but she’s calm. She’s mature about it, and I didn’t realize how much I needed that energy until now.

“Why don’t you seem surprised about Simone?” I let my thoughts slip out.

Beth chuckles as she washes her hands to get back to the pan. “Abby, you’re my sister, and she’s my close friend. I knew something was up when you showed up and she started smiling more. I just wanted one of you to open up at the right time.”

I swallow, feeling a bit relieved and a bit panicked. She knew the whole time? Even during the times we were trying to be sneaky about it?

But I think back to her words: you show up, and she starts smiling more.

Maybe I’m not just a backup for Simone. Maybe I’m more than that.

“What do I do about Simone?” I ask, knowing Beth is the only person with a clear head here.

She exhales, giving the question some thought. “Simone is in a really complicated space right now. Asking her to choose between you and Zack? That’s not fair. I know you’re hurting, but it’s not okay to put that kind of pressure on her.”

I bite my lip, hoping I can bite off the guilt too. I know she’s right. Deep down, I’ve always known that. Simone’s not the only one in this mess, but I’ve been so wrapped up in my own pain that I haven’t stopped to consider how this is affecting her.

I nod, Beth’s words settling in. “Great. Now I feel stupid.”

Beth smiles. “You should. That was very shitty of you. If you really like her, as bizarre as it is, you’ll let her work through this mess. I can’t promise you a happy ending because she’s married. There’s a high chance you’ll be the one broken.”

I love how brutally honest Beth is, but I need this now and then—just to remind myself.

Later that evening, I glance over at Simone’s driveway. Zack’s car isn’t there yet, and he seems to be hours late compared to when he usually gets home.

Yeah, call me a stalker or whatever.

I walk up to her door, my stomach in knots. When I knock, there’s a long pause before I hear footsteps, and the door creaks open.

Simone stands there, looking like she hasn’t moved much since this afternoon, though she’s changed into fresh clothes—a loose, oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. Her hair is tied up, and her face looks tired.

“Hey,” I say softly.

She steps aside, letting me in without a word, and I follow her into the living room. She sinks back onto the couch, lifting her legs to hug them.

I take a seat beside her, close but not touching.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt out after a few moments of silence. “I didn’t mean to put you in that position. I shouldn’t have asked you to choose.”

Simone closes her eyes, her shoulders slumping. “It’s just... everything’s so complicated, Abby. I don’t know what to do anymore.”

I take her hand in mine. “I know. I’m sorry for putting that pressure on you.”

She opens her eyes, looking at me—a mixture of relief and sadness. “I don’t want to lose you either, but... Zack...”

I shake my head, cutting her off. “It’s okay. Whatever this is between us, I’m okay with it. I don’t need any promises or answers. If this is just a way for you to unwind, I’m here for that. No pressure. No expectations.”

Simone looks at me, her eyes searching mine for any hint of lies, but there are none. I mean it. I can’t lose her, even if it means accepting this undefined situation. I will take whatever part of her she’s willing to give me because I know I can’t have all of her.

She leans in, her breath warm against my skin as her lips brush mine softly. I kiss her back, a rush of relief flowing through me. The world fades away for a moment, and it’s just us—just the warmth of her lips, the familiar lemon scent, the way her body fits so perfectly against mine.

We pull away slowly, our foreheads touching.

“I missed you,” I whisper.

Simone smiles, her hand sliding up to cup my cheek. “I missed you too.”

Maybe this is it. This is all I can get. It’s not perfect, but it’s okay.

+++

Homegirl settling for whatever.

Anyway, Beth knew the whole time. I think big sisters have like a sixth sense or something because even I can't hide anything from my big sister.