Read Online Class Reunion by Linda Hill - Free Book Online Page A

her sister.
    “When?”
    “From when we were about thirteen. Until” — she gauged her sister’s reaction and cringed — “well, until the night before she got married.”
    “Holy shit.”
    “That’s a bad word, Mommy.” Allison reprimanded her without looking up.
    “You’re right, sweetheart. I’m sorry,” she apoloŹgized absently. “Why didn’t you ever tell me? My god, that’s six years.” She stopped and stared at her younger sister, mouth agape. “You were lovers all that time?”
    Jennifer nodded. The difficult part was over. She’d said the words. Now she just had to fill in the details. So she started at the beginning, quietly tellŹing the entire story, stopping only to answer one of Sally’s many questions along the way.
    “I was a complete fool,” Jen sighed, coming to the end of the story.
    “You were a kid,” Sally countered.
    “Actually, I was referring to this morning.”
    Sally’s eyebrows lifted, and a smile touched her lips. “Well, okay, you might have something there,” she agreed, her tone light as she shrugged her shoulders. “It is a little messy.”
    Jennifer appraised her sister. She’d expected someŹthing different. A reprimand, at the least. But Sally was smiling, a faraway look on her face as she returned Jen’s gaze and chuckled softly.
    “I know that you’re in a fix right now, but I’m just so glad that you finally told me about you and Sheila. It explains so mueh.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Sally took a deep breath, her eyes distant again. “I was so jealous of her when we were young. I alŹways felt that she got between us. I know that’s silly. But once she came along, I felt we weren’t as close anymore.”
    Jennifer’s heart sank. “Sally, I’m so sorry. I was running around with this huge secret that I didn’t know what to do with.”
    “I know. But I didn’t know that.” Her eyes beŹcame wispy. “All I knew was that we weren’t close anymore, and I blamed Sheila.”
    “God. I’m so sorry. I was such an idiot.”
    ‘You were in love. It’s okay. I understand. Thanks for telling me about this.”
    Jennifer smiled, a rush of fondness for her sister tugging at her heart. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. It would have made both of our lives a little easier, I think.”
    Sally nodded her head in agreement. “There’s a lesson here, my dear.”
    ‘You’re right. Absolutely. And I won’t forget it.”
    “See that you don’t,” Sally teased her briefly before turning the conversation to her sister’s current dilemma. “What are you going to do now? About Sheila, I mean.”
    Jen shook her head. “Absolutely nothing. Pretend nothing happened. Play it by ear. I don’t know,” she sighed. “Any ideas?”
    Sally laughed. “None at all. What do you want to happen?”
    Jennifer’s eyes dropped as she frowned. “I’m not sure. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I don’t know.”
    Sally regarded her sister carefully. ‘You can’t still want her after all this time. She was an absolute bitch last night.”
    “I know. I know.” Jen’s cheeks grew crimson. “Believe me, I’m not proud about what happened this morning. I wish I could tell you that I don’t feel anything for her. But I’m not sure.”
    “Jenny, she’s married.”
    “I know.” Jen lifted wounded eyes to her sister. “She has this hold on me,” she shrugged. “I can’t explain it.”
    Sally watched her sister carefully, her lips curved in a worried frown. “Whatever you decide to do, it’s bound to be an interesting afternoon. Too bad I won’t be there to see it.”
    Jennifer’s eyes lit up. “Why don’t you come? Bring the kids. It’s a family picnic, isn’t it?”
    Sally smiled slowly. “Why not? For a couple of hours, maybe. But only if you’re not going to complain about being there the entire time.”
    “I promise,” Jen relented, hoping that maybe the afternoon wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Chapter 8
    Greendale Country Club