Three's A Crowd

Exclusive Short Story By S. Bee

“I don’t believe it. We’ve got the same top!” my older sister, Jess, exclaimed. “Wow. Isn’t that amazing!” said my friend, Kate. I smiled at the two of them. “Shall I get the drinks?” “Yes, please, Laura,” they both chimed. As I joined the queue in the cafe, I realised that, after the introductions, I should have asked Jess to go. Or Kate. It’s funny how these split-second decisions can change our future. I didn’t know if it was the matching tops or the queue that temporarily broke my friendship with Kate.

Jess and I were total opposites. She was loud, bright and attractive, while I was quiet, plain and reserved. We didn’t really get on. Mom became fed-up with our squabbles and Dad had the job of breaking them up – he was quite strict. As teenagers, with only two years separating us, Jess and I often mixed with the same crowd. The gushing comments of “Your sister’s such a laugh” from friends began to grate. Although I was quiet, I didn’t lack confidence but, at times, Jess’s popularity pushed me aside.

When we reached our twenties, she became a butterfly, changing jobs and boyfriends, while I settled into a steady job. I realised that, for some reason, she felt insecure. A distance sprang up between us and I was relieved when we went our separate ways. Then, out of the blue, she turned up on my doorstep after a grape-picking stint in France, asking if she could stay with me. I offered her my sofa bed. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay my way. I’ll get a job in no time,” she breezed. To my surprise, she did. Split shifts in a busy bar in town.