“No. If you have to be there then I should be there too. Come on, misery loves company.” Susan and Ronnie walked back inside and headed for the waiting room. “I um…I told Mother I agreed with you about the drug thing.”


“You did?”


The redhead nodded. “I thought maybe she would believe it more if I told her I thought he was doing drugs too.”


“What did she say?” Ronnie saw her answer on Susan’s crestfallen face.


“She doesn’t believe it’s as bad as I told her, and I even mentioned what you told me about those pills missing from your house and the bank loan.” She looked up at Ronnie and they shared a quiet but sad understanding. Nothing they said would change their mother’s opinion. They reached the outer doors of the emergency room.


“Well…one good thing, I guess…” Ronnie began. At the expectant look, she smiled. “It’s nice to know you’re on my side in this. It makes it easier.”


“Hey, we may not be best friends kind of sisters but we’re still sisters,” Susan said. “Besides, I’m holding you to the winter barbecue this weekend.”


“Deal.” Together they walked back to face the long evening of waiting around as the wheels and paperwork of justice turned slowly.



* * *

The sound of a car door woke Rose from her sleep. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, noting by the red numbers of the clock that it was well past midnight. “Ronnie? I’m awake,” she called when she heard the sliding glass door close.


“Oh.” A moment later the executive appeared in the doorway. “I’m sorry, did I wake you?”


“No,” she lied while turning on the lamp. “I wanted to be awake when you came home anyway.” Patting the empty space on the bed next to her, she asked, “So what happened?”


Ronnie sighed and flopped down on the bed, her head gratefully sinking into the thick pillows. Both shoes hit the hardwood floor and pantyhose covered toes wiggled in relief. “Ah, much better.” Her watch followed her bracelet to the small side table. “Tommy was drunk and loaded with heroin and ran his car into a telephone pole.”


“Was anyone else hurt?”


“Thank God, no. He walked away with a busted nose and a few bruises. They found some cocaine on him when they searched him at the jail.”


“Cocaine? Oh Ronnie, that’s awful.”


“You should have seen Mother’s face when they added possession to the list of charges.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe they gave him bail.” She rubbed her face vigorously with both hands. “I don’t know, Rose,” she sighed. “I knew something was up but I figured it was pot, not coke.” She took a deep breath. “That stuff’s going to kill him and he doesn’t even care. I tried to talk to him about going to rehab but he wouldn’t listen.” A brief look of hurt crossed Ronnie’s face at the memory of her brother’s hateful words. “I guess whatever I say doesn’t matter.”


Rose heard the sadness in her friend’s voice and knew there was more to what happened than she was letting on. She shifted on the bed, turning so her upper body was facing her companion.

“Has he always had this animosity toward you?”


“No.” Ronnie stared up at the ceiling. “When we were younger, Tommy was my shadow. Anything I did, he wanted to do. If I was interested in something, he was interested in it.”


“What happened?”


Ronnie shrugged. “I don’t really know. We started getting older and things changed. I think he always assumed that since he was the only son, he would be the one to take over when our father stepped down. I think he resented me because of that.”


“Yet you still try to help him.”


“He’s my brother. What else can I do?” She laced her fingers behind her head. “He had such potential, Rose. I hate seeing what these drugs are doing to him.”


“Maybe there’s still hope that he’ll seek treatment on his own.”


“Maybe,” Ronnie conceded. “I suppose anything is possible. God, he just gets me so angry sometimes. I could have had him arrested for embezzling and I didn’t. You think he cares? No, I try to help him and he turns around and calls me a d…” She stopped the word before it left her throat. “…a damn bitch,” she amended. “Ah, doesn’t matter, I guess.”


“It matters.” Rose reached over and placed her hand on Ronnie’s shoulder. “Maybe your family doesn’t care but I do. He had no right to hurt you like that. You don’t deserve it. You, Veronica Cartwright, are one of the most loving, gentle people I have ever met and anyone that doesn’t see how special you are is blind.”


Ronnie reached over and tousled the younger woman’s hair. “That goes both ways, my friend.” There was more, so much more she wanted to say, but fear held her back. Part of her wanted to pull Rose into her arms and keep her there for eternity and the other part screamed the truth that would keep them forever separated. Her playful mood disappeared as the latter part won out.

“Hey, I think we’d better get to sleep.”


“Oh…okay.” Rose was surprised by the sudden change but realized perhaps it was better to wait than to push the issue. There were still parts of Ronnie that were closed to her and she did not want to do anything to make her friend uncomfortable. She settled back on her own side and waited for company under the covers.


Ronnie looked at the woman waiting for her and Tommy’s words echoed through her mind.

“Maybe I should go to my own room. You’re sleeping through the night without pain and you’d probably like to have the bed all to yourself again.”


“Um…I guess…if that’s what you want,” Rose said quietly, biting her lower lip. “I suppose you’d probably be more comfortable in your bed anyway.”


“Yeah, I suppose so.” Ronnie noted her companion’s voice held the same tone of regret as her own yet she still sat up and collected her shoes. “I’ll see you in the morning.” She stood up and walked to the door. Her hand was on the handle when she heard a quiet sniffle. She turned to see sad pools of green looking at her. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked softly.


“N-nothing, I’m sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ronnie.” Rose turned her head away but not before Ronnie saw a tear roll free. A second later the bed shifted as she added her weight. Long fingers cupped Rose’s chin, forcing her to turn and meet the concerned gaze.


“What’s wrong?” Without thinking, her thumb began stroking the soft skin beneath it. “Tell me, Rose.”


“Are you still happy having me here? I know it’s been an inconvenience and…” She was stopped by Ronnie’s finger on her lips.


“You listen to me. You are not an inconvenience to me. And yes, I’m still happy with you here. What brought this on?” She could have kicked herself as she immediately realized the answer to her own question. “I just thought you’d be more comfortable without me in your bed. It’s not that I don’t want you here, I swear.”


“Are you sure?”


“I’m sure.”


“I guess I’m just being silly. Getting all upset just because you want to sleep in your own bed.” Rose wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I can just imagine what your family would say if they found out you were sleeping with me. They’d probably think I was turning you into a lesbian or something. We can’t have that, now can we?”


Ronnie let out a deep breath and shook her head. “No, we can’t have that.” She stood up and gathered her pillows.I’ll see you tomorrow, Rose.”


“Would you leave the door open so Tabitha can get in, please?”


“Sure. Good night, Hon.”


“Night, Ronnie. Pleasant dreams.”


“You too.” She shut the light off and left the room, a heavy blanket of loneliness settling over her.


Opening the door to her room, Ronnie was struck by just how foreign it seemed to her to sleep without Rose. The silk blouse and skirt landed in a pile on the foot of the bed, followed quickly by her bra and pantyhose. She pulled the blanket back and sat down on the cool sheets. Seconds ticked by as loneliness gave way to anger. Anger that grew until sleep was no longer an option. A few minutes later her sweats were on and she was heading for the basement to work out some aggression.


Over and over the punching bag took the fury and rage of a woman torn between what she needed and wanted and what was expected of her. “Damn it! Why can’t they understand?” Ronnie cried out to the empty gym. “I’m not hurting anyone!” Her gloved fists struck the bag over and over.. “Why is it so wrong? Why?” Her only answer was the creaking of the punching bag on its hinge as her blows caused it to sway.


On the floor above, Rose lay in the dark, listening to the muffled sounds coming from the basement.She hugged the pillow tightly against herself, wishing it were her friend she was holding. Suddenly the sounds from below stopped, followed a few minutes later by the sound of the basement door opening. “Ronnie?” she called out.