Raquel's Abel by Leigh Barbour Read Free Book Online

He’s newly-divorced, too.” She patted my hand. “Oh, and he wants to take me to the Caribbean when he’s finished with this case he’s working on.”
    I wondered how long this Barry would stay with my sister when he realized how shallow she is. The only hobby she had was replacing the man who had just left her. Even though she tried to hide it, these break-ups were hard on her. I knew she cried herself to sleep for nights on end. As each relationship ended disastrously, her eyes dimmed a little each time.
    “When do we get to meet him?” I asked.
    “Well, you know, he’s still going through his divorce and he’s trying to get joint custody of his two kids…” Her mouth momentarily turned down at the ends.
    “You? A stepmother?” It slipped out before I thought about how it sounded.
    “At least I know treating them both equally is a priority.”
    I knew where that came from. It was really meant for my father and not for me.
    “And you, I hope you’ve given up on that idea of getting that surgery.”
    “Absolutely not. I’m going through with it.”
    “Well, if you’re too nervous to have it, then you should listen to your inner spirit.”
    She’d probably heard that term at some new age seminar her ex-husband Carter dragged her to.
    “I’m not nervous,” I said a little too defensively.
    “It was the ghost,” Maria Elena interjected.
    “What?” Regina asked.
    “He a very smart ghost,” Maria Elena was standing up and wagging her index finger. “He taking things that belong to Señorita Raquel.” She giggled.
    “A very respectable man,” Grandmother said with her nose in the air.
    “Respectable and a ghost, that’s the kind of man I’d expect for you, Raquel.” Regina wrinkled up her cute little nose.
    “I’m calling in the morning for another appointment. I’m having that surgery.”
    “He won’t like it,” Grandmother said in a low deep voice.
    “ Si, Señorita Raquel, he won’t like it,” Maria Elena chimed in.
    I wondered if I’d scared Abel Rollins away for good by the way I’d acted this afternoon. I really hoped not. Around him I felt special and appreciated, and even attractive.
    Regina frowned. “Sounds like you three have your little secrets from me, just like father used to.” She touched me with the back of her hand. “Don’t you remember that? How father used to tell you things that he wouldn’t tell me.”
    I didn’t respond. I felt guilty that Daddy had liked me more.
    Maria Elena stood up to push Grandmother up the hill to the house. “You know, Señora Regina, if Señorita Raquel have the surgery, maybe she prettier than you.”
    Regina got a look on her face as if she’d just been served a rat for dinner.
    As Maria Elena pushed the wheelchair up the hill, I heard Grandmother say, “Tatiana, you shouldn’t talk that way to my granddaughter, you know her father never gave her the love she deserved.”
    Regina sat for a few minutes playing with her newly manicured nails, trying to act like Maria Elena’s comment didn’t bother her. “Sorry to visit for such a short while, but you know, Barry wants to take me to dinner tonight.” She looked at me. “I like to eat before I go out so I don’t pig out in front of him.” She waved her long fingernails. “Toodle-oo.”
    I watched her walk up the hill. Here I was as big as a side-by-side refrigerator yet happier than my gorgeous sister. That’s because apart from the weight issue, I was very content with my life and I liked who I was.
    I turned and saw Abel sitting right where my sister had just been. I jumped and grasped my chest my heart as it pounded uncontrollably. “Don’t do that to me!”
    His eyebrows rose. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
    Feeling my heart beat so rapidly scared me.
    “I came to apologize for my terrible behavior earlier today.” He leaned over, digging his elbows into his thighs.
    I was relieved he’d come back. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did.” I