My Sister's Cure Was Always My Man novel · Chapter 2 of 24

Chapter 2: Wrong Bathroom

Bianca slips into the bathroom and falls into the tub instead of onto Caleb; the family blames Josie, and Josie says no for the first time. Dad dares her to apologize on her knees if it's a trick.

The doorknob stopped turning, and the door opened.

Bianca came in wrapped in a bath towel, her blonde hair loose, her feet bare.

She saw the two of us on the edge of the tub, our feet in warm water.

She froze.

"Why are you in here?" she said.

I looked up at her, innocent.

"Bianca. Did you need the bathroom?"

She bit her lip and glanced at Caleb.

I watched her decide.

Then she threw herself at him with both arms out.

"Josie, don't blame me," she cried. "I can't control it. I think I'm having another episode."

Caleb had already moved.

He stood, pulled me up with him, and put me behind his shoulder in one smooth step.

Bianca missed him completely and went straight over the side of the tub.

The water went everywhere.

She screamed, her towel came half undone, and she sat there soaked in the foot bath with her mouth open.

For one second the whole bathroom was quiet except for dripping.

Then the footsteps came pounding.

My parents got there first. Aunt Gwen and her husband were right behind them in their robes, and then my cousin and my other aunt.

Mom took one look and grabbed a bathrobe off the hook.

She wrapped it around Bianca and pulled her out of the tub.

"What happened?"

Bianca's eyes went red and wet in an instant.

"I had another episode," she whispered. "I couldn't help myself."

Mom stroked her wet hair. "Shh. It's all right. I know you didn't mean it."

Then she turned to me, and her face changed.

"Josie, your sister and Caleb had physical contact. The decent thing is to step aside."

"She can't help being sick," Dad said. "Don't hold it against her."

"Don't fight your sister over a man," said Aunt Gwen. "He's a grown man. A touch, a kiss, what's the big deal?"

"The sick person comes first," said my other aunt.

My cousin patted my arm. "Just let her have this. You can find somebody else."

Caleb's hand tightened around mine.

His other hand had gone to his ear. The shouting was too much for him.

I felt that, and I got very calm.

"What physical contact?" I said.

They all turned.

"She never touched him," I said. "She fell in the tub. I watched her do it."

Nobody said anything.

Bianca lowered her head and started to cry.

Mom opened her mouth to scold me, and I spoke first.

"Good thing we're all going to the lodge," I said. "Caleb says anyone can come. Bring your cousins, bring your boyfriends."

I looked straight at Bianca.

"The hot springs there are supposed to be amazing for what you have. Maybe they'll cure you."

Everyone perked up.

My cousin started asking what to pack.

Only Bianca did not smile. She kept her eyes on Caleb.

I smiled back at her, slowly.

She wanted a cure.

I would give her every chance in the world to test it on somebody else's man.

My parents herded everyone out and left the bathroom wet and loud.

I thought it was over for tonight.

It was not.

Mom came back to my bedroom door ten minutes later with Bianca behind her.

Bianca held a pillow against her chest and looked small.

"Josie," Mom said, in the careful voice she uses when she is about to take something from me. "Your sister had a scare. She shouldn't be alone tonight."

"So?"

"So she'll sleep in here with you and Caleb. You can take the couch downstairs."

Caleb sat on the edge of the bed with his headphones back around his neck.

He did not say anything.

He looked at me.

I knew that sentence. I had said "okay" to it in my last life and gone down to the couch.

I did not say okay.

"No," I said.

Mom blinked. "Excuse me?"

"No. Bianca is not sleeping in my room. Caleb is staying in my bed and I am staying with him."

My mother's face went white and then red.

"Josie, she is your sister."

"She has her own bed."

Bianca's eyes filled again. "I just don't want to be alone. Why is she being so cruel?"

Dad's heavy step came down the hall.

He looked at Mom, at Bianca, at me.

He does that when he wants the noise to stop.

"Josie," he said slowly, "this is a lot of fuss over a night."

"Then it won't hurt her to sleep upstairs."

Dad rubbed his forehead.

"Fine," he said. "We'll go to your lodge and see if it helps. But Josie, listen to me."

I waited.

"If this turns out to be some kind of trick, you will apologize to your sister in front of the whole family. On your knees."

Everyone in the hallway looked at me.

Caleb's hand found mine.

I looked at my father and I smiled.

"Deal," I said.

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