“Oh no.” Ronnie shook her head. “You aregoing to leave her here with me. When you go, she goes.” She cast a glance at the living room. “Speaking of which, what’s she up to?”
“I don’t know. After you walked away she kept going on and on until Rose asked her something about Tommy and his trophies. I saw that as my escape and took it.” The redhead leaned in and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. “Personally, I don’t think she’s really interested in his trophies.”
Ronnie smiled with pride. “She isn’t. She’s trying to keep me from committing matricide.”
“Did you want to bring her along tonight?” Susan offered.
“No. Hopefully we won’t be there long.” She paused for a moment, then added “but it was nice of you to ask.” She sighed and rapped her knuckles on the countertop. “I suppose I can’t hide out here forever.”
“I’ll take Mother with us when we leave. You won’t have to suffer much longer.”
“How did I ever survive eighteen years with her?” Ronnie asked, shaking her head in bewilderment. “I can’t get through one day without wanting to tell her off or wring her neck.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” the redhead smiled. “I was there most of the time.”
“That’s right, you were.” Ronnie tapped an elegant finger on her chin. “I remember you.” She dodged a playful shove. “Weren’t you the one that ran into Dad’s car with your bike and blamed me?”
“Um…well that was a long time ago, Ronnie. Weren’t you the one that forgot to unlock your window one night and had to sneak back in through mine?”
“Ah, true.” She wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulders. “But weren’t you the one…” she began as they walked back into the living room.
Ronnie put the key in the lock. “What’s that smell?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. Susan shrugged her lack of an answer and pulled a scarf out of her pocketbook. The door opened and the executive flipped the switch. “Son of a bitch,” she breathed. Clothes were tossed everywhere, the couch cushions were on the floor, the coffee table and every other horizontal surface was covered with beer cans and trash. Stale beer and unwashed clothes mixed with another unidentifiable smell.
“Oh my God,” Susan said as she took in the scene. “This is disgusting.”
“Sad is more like it,” Ronnie muttered, picking up a small square mirror she found lying on the counter. The telltale razor blade was resting next to it. “It’s a good thing we came here first.” She showed her sister the mirror clouded with a fine white powder. “There is no way we can have Mother see this place looking the way it does.” Susan nodded in agreement. Ronnie tossed the offensive mirror onto the counter and unzipped her jacket. “I guess we’d better look around for some boxes and trash bags for all this shit.” To her surprise, the redhead, who was adverse to any kind of domestic work, did not argue.
“I’ll put some music on,” Susan said, kicking a path to the stereo. “Let’s see, how does this one work?” She hit the power button and was immediately blasted with an insanely high decibel of noise.
“SHUT THAT THING OFF!” Ronnie yelled while covering her ears. A second later there was peaceful quiet again.
“How could he stand listening to it that loud?”
“Damned if I know. Maybe the drugs affected his hearing. Come on. Let’s get to work. I want to get home at a decent hour.” The kitchen shared a half-wall with the living room, allowing the two sisters to talk while packing up the garbage. Ronnie lifted the lid to the trashcan in the corner. “Oh God.” She covered it up quickly. “I think I found out where that smell is coming from,” she choked, taking a few steps back.
“I can’t smell that anymore,” Susan called from the far side of the living room. “All I smell is beer.” She moved a cushion to find a half-eaten pizza glued to the carpet. “Oh Ronnie, I don’t want to touch this.”
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll clean up whatever it is you’re looking at if you get these dishes out of this…um…I guess you’d call it water.” She reached closer with the tips of her fingers but just could not bring herself to touch the slimy liquid. “I know I’m not touching it.”
“We should have brought gloves.” The redhead picked up an empty beer case and started throwing bottles into it. “So things are good between you and Rose?” she asked casually.
“We get along fine, yes.” Ronnie arched an eyebrow. “Susan, I told you…”
“I know, I know. You are not lovers, you’re just friends.” The younger sister waved her hand dismissively. “I give up trying to figure it out.” She put the case down and walked over to the counter that separated the living room and kitchen. “She gives me the same story you do but you don’t act like friends.”
“We have a lot of work to do here, Susan.”
“Ronnie, look at me.” When she spoke again, her voice was softer. “I don’t care. I’ve watched the way the two of you act around each other.”
“And what did you see?”
“What do I see?” Susan gave a small smile. “I see you happy in a way I never thought you would be.” She laughed at her sister’s blush. “Come on. You asked the question. Really Ronnie, it’s obvious to me that you’re hooked on her. As for how Rose feels about you…” The dark-haired woman’s head snapped up. “She is not Chris.”
“No she’s not,” the executive agreed emphatically. “Rose has never asked me for anything. Whatever I’ve given her, it was because I wanted to.”
“I see that,” Susan replied. “You don’t think I’ve been watching? You take more days off than you ever have and you don’t go anywhere. I don’t see any new cars, although I didn’t see your Porsche around. Did you sell it?”
“Yes.” The truth was, as soon as it was repaired, she had signed it over to Hans to sell at whatever price he could. “She doesn’t want cars or expensive things. She doesn’t even have a driver’s license. She’s not trying to get anything from me.”
Susan held her hands up. “You don’t have to defend her, Ronnie. I was just saying I didn’t see any of the things that would tell me she was using you and I don’t believe she is. I like her.”
“You like her?” Surprise showed on her face. That was a rare admission from her younger sister.
“So…it would be okay with you if we were…a couple?”
“I’m not going to pretend that I understand why you want to be with a woman. It doesn’t make any sense to me.” She raised her hand to keep her sister from speaking. “But it is your life. If Rose makes you happy, then that’s all that matters. So yes, it’s okay with me if you two are a couple.” She watched Ronnie come from behind the counter and happily accepted the hug. “It’s your life, Sis. If Rose is the one for you then don’t let anyone keep you apart,” she whispered into the dark hair.
Ronnie pulled back until they were an arm’s length apart. “What made you change your mind? I remember you calling her everything but a reincarnation of Christine.”
“I was wrong,” Susan shrugged. “Hey, it happens.” She brushed her hands together.
“I’m making her my secretary,” Ronnie volunteered. “I’ve been bringing work home for her to do and so far there have been no mistakes.” She smiled softly. “She’s got a good head for figures too…and organized?” If anything, the smile grew wider. “You know how bad I am about sorting my email?”