“Is she sick?” The realtor looked surprised.
“She was in an accident over the Fourth of July weekend,” Sabrina said solemnly, not wanting to give her the details. “That's how she lost her sight.”
“Oh, I'm so sorry. When you said she was blind, I didn't realize it was so recent, I thought… The three of you are moving in together?”
“Until she gets used to things. It's going to be a big adjustment for her.”
“I can certainly see that,” the woman said sympathetically, and was even more inclined to help. “I'll talk to the owner and see what he says. It's nice of you girls to move in with her,” she said, looking touched. Her early slightly hard edge had softened instantly and disappeared in the face of what they were doing.
“Of course. We're sisters,” Candy said.
“Not all sisters are that close,” the agent said. “I haven't seen mine in twenty years.”
“How sad,” Candy said.
“What do we have to sign?” Sabrina asked.
“It's a standard lease, first and last months' rent, and security deposit. I don't think he wants a big security. I'll write it all up and have it sent to your office.”
“I'm not in this week. I'm in Connecticut at my dad's. I could drive in and pick it up.”
“I can have it ready for you by tomorrow.”
“That's fine,” Sabrina confirmed. She wanted to spend a night with Chris anyway, and Candy could hold the fort for one night. “Do you need all our signatures?”
“Just yours will be fine for now. We can add the others when you're all back in town, if that's easier for you.”
“It is. I'll get the others to you next week.” They shook hands on the deal, took another walk around the house, and liked it even better the second time. Five minutes later they were back in the car, chortling with glee. They could hardly wait to tell Annie. Sabrina called Chris from the car, and he was happy for them. He said he couldn't wait to see it. And they were going to tell Tammy as soon as she got off the plane.
Their father was out when they got home, although he had taken several weeks off from work. Sabrina made lunch, which Candy didn't eat, and she scolded her for it.
“You're not working right now. You don't need to starve.”
“I'm not starving. I'm just not hungry. It's the heat.”
“You didn't have breakfast either.” Candy looked annoyed, and got up to make some calls on her cell phone. She didn't like anyone keeping track of what she ate, or didn't. It was a sensitive subject with her, and had been for years. She even got mad at their mom whenever she used to mention it. She had started starving at seventeen, when her modeling career took off.
They went to see Annie at the hospital at two, and when they got there, she was asleep. She stirred when she heard them walk into the room.
“It's us,” Sabrina said, smiling at her, which Annie couldn't see, but she could hear the excitement in her voice.
“I know it's you. I can smell your perfume, and I can hear the bracelets on Candy's arm.” Sabrina didn't comment, but in subtle ways Annie was already instinctively adjusting to her disability, which seemed like a good thing, if you could call it that. Her hearing and other senses seemed to be getting more acute.
“We have a surprise for you,” Candy chortled with a grin.
“That's nice,” Annie said, looking glum. “Lately the surprises haven't been so good.” They would all agree with her on that. But they were hoping that hearing about the house would cheer her up. “What have you been up to?”
“We just got back from the city,” Sabrina explained. “We went right after Tammy left. She said to give you a kiss. So, kiss.” Annie smiled, and waited for the rest. “We went to see a house.”
“A house?” She looked suddenly panicked. “Is Dad moving to the city?” She didn't want everything to change so soon. She loved her parents' house, and staying there when she came to visit. She didn't want him to sell it, and hoped he wouldn't.
“Of course not,” Sabrina went on. “We went to look at a house for us.”
“Are you and Chris getting married, or moving in together?” She looked confused, and Sabrina laughed. Finding the perfect house for them on the first shot had been a major victory.
“Nope. Not now anyway. This is a house for you, me, and Candy. For a year, while you get organized, and… well… used to things.” She tried to be delicate about it. “And a year from now, you can figure out what you want to do. You can get rid of us if you want. Or we can rent another place. This one's only available for a year anyway. It's really cute. On East Eighty-fourth Street.”
“What am I going to do there?” She looked mournful and hopeless as she said it.
“Go to school, maybe. Whatever you need to do this year to get independent.” Sabrina was trying to be upbeat about the changes she'd have to make. They weren't even fully aware of what they were yet. They were waiting for her treatment plan for when she'd be released.
“I was independent, up to a week ago. Now I'm going to be like a two-year-old, if that.”
“No, you're not. We want to be your roommates, Annie, not your jailers. You can come and go as you please.”
“And how do you think I'm going to do that? With a white stick?” she said, as tears filled her eyes. “I don't know how to use one.” As she said it, all three of them thought of the people they had seen trying to cross the street in heavy traffic, and needing assistance. “I'd rather be dead. Maybe I'll just stay at Dad's.” It sounded like the kiss of death to them. Even their dad would be going back to work in a few weeks, and she'd be alone at the house all day, unable to escape.
“You'll die of boredom out here. You'll be much better off in the city, with us.” She could at least take cabs to get around.
“No, I won't. I'll be a burden to you. Forever probably. Why don't you just put me in an institution somewhere and forget me?”
“I might have liked that when I was fifteen and you were seven. But I think it's a little late for that. Come on, Annie. Let's try and make the best of this. It would be fun living together. Candy is going to rent the penthouse for a year, and I'll get out of my lease. And Tammy can come and visit for long weekends. Look at the opportunity. We keep talking about how much we miss being together. This is probably the only chance we'll ever have to do it. For a year. One year. And then we all grow up forever.”
Annie shook her head as she lay in the hospital bed, looking morbid. “I want to go back to Italy. I've been trying to get hold of Charlie. He can stay with me at my place. I don't want to live here.”
“You don't want to be in Florence on your own,” Sabrina tried to reason with her. This truly was an idea that would work, if Annie would only agree to do it. And Charlie was history. She just didn't know it, and Sabrina didn't want to be the one to tell her. Annie had been trying all morning to reach him on his cell phone. She mentioned it to Sabrina, and her oldest sister couldn't help wondering if he had turned off his cell gether?” She looked confused, and Sabrina laughed. Finding the perfect house for them on the first shot had been a major victory.
“Nope. Not now anyway. This is a house for you, me, and Candy. For a year, while you get organized, and… well… used to things.” She tried to be delicate about it. “And a year from now, you can figure out what you want to do. You can get rid of us if you want. Or we can rent another place. This one's only available for a year anyway. It's really cute. On East Eighty-fourth Street.”
“What am I going to do there?” She looked mournful and hopeless as she said it.
“Go to school, maybe. Whatever you need to do this year to get independent.” Sabrina was trying to be upbeat about the changes she'd have to make. They weren't even fully aware of what they were yet. They were waiting for her treatment plan for when she'd be released.