Page 88 of The Sun Sister

As I voiced the words, I felt a sudden sense of release, or relief, orsomethingthat felt better than where I’d been for the past few weeks – ‘Be honest, Electra, for the past year...’

It was what Tommy said that had done it, I thought.

You’re just flesh and blood, like all of us. Human...And he was so, so right, because I was.

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

‘You okay in there?’ asked Mariam through the wood.

‘Yeah, I’m okay.’

‘Maia is on the line for you. Do you want to speak to her?’

‘Yes.’ I stood up, went to the door and opened it. Mariam handed me my cell as I walked back into my bedroom. ‘Thanks, Mariam. Maia?’

‘Oh Electra!’ came Maia’s soft voice. ‘Thank God you’re okay! I was so worried about you when you said you just wanted to go to sleep. I—’

‘I wasn’t trying to kill myself, Maia. I genuinely wanted to go to sleep. Nothing more than that, seriously.’

‘Mariam says you’re okay now, but you weren’t when she found you.’

‘No, I wasn’t. I took too many sleeping pills by mistake, that’s all.’

‘You sounded so terrible, so I called Mariam straight after you put the phone down on me, and asked her to go and check you were okay.’

‘Yeah, I know. Well, thanks for doing that.’

‘Electra, I—’

‘Before you tell me I need help, I know I do.And’ – I swallowed, like,reallyhard – ‘if you can give the details of that clinic you mentioned to Mariam, she can see how soon I can get checked in.’

There was a pause on the line and I heard a couple of gulps and realised Maia was crying.

‘Oh my goodness! That’s amazing! I’ve been so worried, we all have. It’s such a brave thing to do, to admit you need help. I’m so proud of you, Electra, I really am.’

‘Well, I’m not saying it’s gonna work, but at least I can give it a try, can’t I?’

‘Yes, you can.’ I heard Maia blowing her nose. ‘Are you okay for me to tell Ma and Ally? They’ve been worried too.’

‘JustMa and Ally. Yeah, sure. And I’m sorry I’ve worried everyone.’

‘Well, we wouldn’t worry about you if we didn’t love you, would we, little sis? And we do love you, so very, very much.’

‘Okay, I’m gonna go now before you get me crying too. I’ll hand you over to Mariam. Bye, Maia, and thanks again.’

‘Maia wants to give you the details of a rehab clinic in Arizona,’ I said lightly as I passed over my cell to her. ‘I’ll go as soon as they can have me.’

Before I witnessed her reaction, I put on my robe then left the bedroom, which stank of all the reasons why I needed to fly down to Arizona tomorrow, and went back out onto the terrace to see Tommy.

‘Hi there, Electra,’ he said, turning towards me from where he’d been leaning over the glass barrier. ‘Helluva view you got from up here.’

‘Yeah, it is. Could you get me some water? I’m thirsty.’

‘Sure, course I can.’

He came back with water for both of us. ‘Cheers.’ I clinked my glass against his and we both drank. ‘I need to say thank you again for your help tonight.’

‘Hey, you’re my queen! I was glad to help and always will be.’