Page 85 of The Sun Sister

‘Electra, is it necessary for you to swear? There are many words in the great English language that describe what that man was far more adequately.’

‘Sorry.’

I saw she was watching me with those gimlet eyes of hers.

‘Want one?’ I asked.

‘As I said, I don’t take liquor. And nor should you. That’s the fourth enormous vodka you’ve poured yourself since I arrived.’

‘So what?’ I said as I took a gulp. ‘And anyway, who are you to walk in here telling me what to do and say and what to drink?! How come you’ve suddenly appeared in my life anyway?! Where were you when I got adopted?!’

I watched as Stella stood up.

‘Are you leaving?’ I asked her.

‘I am, Electra, because you’re completely out of control, as your Pa told me you were. Not only have you had liquor, but when you said you needed to go to the bathroom, you came out and I could see from your eyes that you’d been doing a line or two of cocaine in there. And I’ve probably wasted my breath telling you all I have tonight, because you won’t even remember it tomorrow. I’m here because I am your flesh and blood and because your Pa sent me to you. And along with him, I’m begging you to get help before it’s too late and you destroy your young life. I doubt you’ll want to see me again because you’ll be so angry with me for saying this. You’re in denial right now but someday soon you’ll reach the bottom, and when you do, call me and I’ll be there for you. Okay? Goodbye now.’ And with that, she walked across the living room, opened the apartment door and left, shutting it with a bang.

‘Wow!’ I chuckled to myself. ‘Justwow!’ I walked to the bar to grab some more vodka and saw the bottle was empty. Reaching for another one from the cupboard below, I poured myself a large glass and gulped it down.Jeez! She’s a seriously crazy woman! How dare she walk in here when she’s never set eyes on me before and accuse me of that stuff?! Who the hell does she think she is?! No one has ever spoken to me like that.’

She’s your grandmother, your flesh and blood...

‘And what was that shit about Pa “sending” her?’ I asked the empty room. ‘Pa is dead, isn’t he?’

I felt the anger building up inside me and went to do another line to try and brighten my mood. Anger was dangerous – it made me say and do all sorts of stupid things. Like call Mitch and tell him what I thought of him.

‘Maybe I should call his fiancée instead, give her a few home truths,’ I spat as I stood in front of the windows, gazing out at the New York skyline. My heart was banging and my head felt like it was going to explode.

‘Christ! Why do my sisters get sweet, cuddly relations and I get the granny from hell?’

I began sobbing loudly and sank to my knees.

Why does nobody love me?And why does everybody leave me...? I just need to sleep. I really need to sleep.

Yes, that was the answer. I’d put myself to sleep. Dragging myself from the floor and taking my glass of vodka with me, I stumbled into the bedroom. I opened my bedside drawer and found the bottle of sleeping pills that a doctor had prescribed me recently when I’d had bad jet lag. I twisted the top off the bottle and tossed the contents out onto the duvet. I threw back a couple with some vodka, because one didn’t work anymore, then laid my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes. But my head spun, so I had to open them again. I wished Maia was with me to tell me stories like she’d done in Rio.

‘She loves me, I know she does,’ I whimpered. I tried closing my eyes again, but tears dribbled out of them and the room was still spinning, so I sat up and took another couple of tablets.

‘I want to speak to Maia,’ I said and climbed off the bed to find my cell.

‘Where are you? I need to call my sister!’ I sobbed as I searched the apartment for it. Finally finding it on top of the bar by the vodka bottle, I grabbed both and sank to the floor because I was feeling very woozy by now. I managed to find Maia’s number even though my eyesight was blurry, and pressed the button to make the call. It rang a few times then went to voicemail.

‘Maia, it’s Electra,’ I said in between sobs. ‘I really need you to call me back. Please, call me.’

I studied my cell, willing it to ring, and when it didn’t, I threw it across the room.

Then itdidring and I had to crawl across the floor to reach it.

‘Hello?’

‘It’s Maia, Electra. What is it,chérie?’

‘Jus’ about everything!’ I cried, tears exploding at the sound of my sister’s gentle voice. ‘Mitch sen’ back my stuff from his house ’cos he’s marryin’ someone else, and I jus’ met my granny an’ she’s a witch an’...’ I shook my head and wiped my running nose with my arm. ‘I jus’ wanna go to sleep for a very long time, y’know?’

‘Oh Electra, I so wish I was there. What can I do?’

‘I dunno,’ I shrugged. ‘Nothin’, there’s nothin’ anyone can do.’

And as I said the words, I realised they were true.