Crystal Balls by Amanda Brobyn Read Free Book Online

just know, Tina.”
    I wouldn’t, Sam. That’s always been my problem.
    “I knew straight away but had to keep it quiet until I was sure he felt the same way.” She giggles. “That’s part of the reason you haven’t seen me for ages. I knew
I could keep how I was feeling from everyone else,” she pauses, “but not you from, Tina. You know me too well.”
    I swallow hard, hearing such words from my big sister. My aspirational role model. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    “It was meant as one. How soon can you get here? I’m desperate to see you!”
    “I can’t wait to see you too, Sam.” I really can’t. It’s true. “Just let me finish up here and I’ll meet you at Mum’s as soon as I can get
there. Don’t you dare leave.”
    “Where are you now?”
    “Oh, just out with Chantelle.”
    Now is not the time for a spiritual debate and, ever the lawyer, Sam likes a darn good debate. And always wins. She was always like that even when we were kids. She was captain of the chess team
and leader of the debate team while I shook pom-poms and practised the splits as part of my extra-curricular education. And look what good it did me . . .
    “Congratulations again, Sam. I’ll see you shortly.” I blow kisses down the phone until she hangs up. I stand there, staring at the floor, stunned yet overjoyed, jealous yet
swollen with pride, but almost wishing that the phone call had been my imagination.
    Sam was the one I would run to if I fell down. It was she who picked me up. Sam was the considerate sort who would buy gifts for our parents, always signing ‘ Love, Sam and
Tina ’, even though I was mostly oblivious to her efforts and was never asked to give a penny. Sam was and still is, the stable, wise daughter that most parents aspire to produce. I wish I
were like her, but I’m not. Sam and I have been chalk and cheese our entire lives. She was the brains and I, while not exactly the beauty, was the more attractive of us two. I busied myself
delivering all-singing all-dancing shows to family and friends, while Sam tucked herself away like a hermit, studying hard. It was no surprise that she was accepted to read Law and it was no
surprise to them that I chose to study Drama (to my mother’s delight, admittedly).
    Now even my love life has taken second place to Sam’s. In reality, it has practically been non-existent for the past two years apart from the odd one-night stand here and there. But even
those have diminished lately, through my own choice. How embarrassing would it be to negotiate the property sale for a guy you had bagged after a drunken night out with the girls? No doubt
he’d be expecting some type of rate reduction as old pals! Yeah, right. As a respectable businesswoman, alleviating the risks to one’s reputation has its drawbacks. No sex.
    The back of Chantelle appears through the gap in the curtains, snapping me aggressively from my sorry train of thought.
    “Thanks very much!” I hear her say. The pitch of her voice is definitely higher than usual. She waves at the mother and daughter with gratitude before pulling me away from the stand
with urgency. Her slender fingers grip my arm.
    “Oh my God, Tina!” she explodes. “She knew about my mother! That she had passed on when I was a child! How could she have known that, how, how?” She pulls me further from
the stand, her nails almost piercing my skin.
    When Chantelle was nine, her mother died of breast cancer.
    “You must have given her some indication,” I say dismissively “Did she say your mother specifically or did she simply say a female relative who was dead?”
    Chantelle’s forehead wrinkles as she frowns intensely. “She said my mother is no longer of this world. They don’t actually say dead , Tina.” Her tone is
clipped.
    “I’m sorry, Chantelle – that was insensitive.”
    “It’s okay.” A watery smile materialises. “She said my mother’s spirit is guiding me.”
    “But you must have