Chapter 7
"Jill! What are you doing here?"
"Can't a big sister just drop by to see her baby sister?"
"No. You never just drop by. At least not without calling first. So, what's going on?' Then she answered her own question. "Charlie."
Jill has the grace to blush. "He did call me, yes. He was worried about you."
"Well, he doesn't need to worry. I'm fine."
"Are you sure about that, Kris?"
"Yes. I'm sure about that. Why wouldn't I be? I know better than anyone how I am."
"In theory, yes. However, in light of what happened to you, I'm just really worried about you."
Kris stalked by Jill. "Well, don't. You don't have to be."
Jill followed Kris into the kitchen. "You can say that but it doesn't really reassure me. What happened to you was something real heavy. It would be hard for anyone to deal with."
Kris wished that Jill would leave so that she could just break down and cry. But that obviously wasn't going to happen.
"Kris, I'm sorry. I certainly don't mean to intrude on your life. But when Charlie calls me and tells me that my little sister has been hurt on the job...well...I just had to come."
Kris took a deep breath. "All right. I guess I can see that. And you're always welcome here, you know that. Hell, this used to be your house."
"That still doesn't give me the right to just come barging in. This is your house now, Kris. You deserve to feel safe in it."
"I do." But did she, really? Did she feel safe anywhere? Would she ever feel safe, anywhere again? These were questions she did not want to get into with Jill here. And maybe never, ever.
"How long are you staying for?"
"I'm on a break so I can stay for awhile. As long as you need me."
"Jill."
"No, Kris, I don't mean it in a you can't take care of yourself kind of way. We all need to be cared about and cared for. We all need family. That's all that this is. I want to be here for you. Please let me?"
"All right. You can stay."
"Great! It'll be just like when we were kids."
Somehow Kris doubted that.
.