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And it is so hard not to cry right now

I fluff ainst mine "I love you, Tahoe," I say a little emotionally I kiss his jaw and his beard pricks my lips

"Love you too" He ru back in the pouch and shoves it into his jeans pocket

I get the phone call froht She tells ement party and Tahoe and she would like to pick me up on their way there

I don’t usually dawdle onin a corporate suit all week really makes it enjoyable to have an excuse to pull out a cute white lace skirt and a gold shihetti-strap top I’m also nervous because I’ood to cover the fact that I feel utterly stupid

I wear my hair loose, add a dab of lipstick, and slip old heels, then I head downstairs

I climb into the back ofGina and tell her, "I alanted a sis!"

She squeezes rab my brother’s face and smack a noisy kiss on it "You brute I’m so happy for you!"

"That hs and elbows him He playfully elbows her back, starts the car, and then we’re pulling into traffic

I reach out and e--round, with no little sister or brother dialory "Ohirl," Tahoe boasts

Gina snickers "Let’s just say it’s the only thing flawless aboutand I feel a pang of soh I was sure he’d never co breath

I suppose I do have a ro down the sidewalk, or holding hands across a table, and sos on Gina’s hair, I get warm inside Even when my dad still does stuff for my mom, like cook her breakfast when she sleeps late, I h to know relationships like that are an exception, not the rule

We head into the upscale Gold Coast neighborhood, and although I’ve heard it equates to the Upper East Side of Manhattan in tere wrought-iron gate and waves at the guard

We’re allowed inside and drive up to a sprawling white ets Myhappily as I take in the expansive s and the double steel doors We walk up a set of liest paradise