Chapter Thirty Bee

Chapter Thirty Bee

Monday morning, December 25, 2023

Bee pressed the phone to her ear so hard that she swore she felt a migraine coming on, or maybe that was just preparation

for the conversation she was about to have with her twin as she paced the living room of the Big House. “Pick up,” she muttered.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up.”

“Hello,” Beth answered.

“Did you sleep with my Vacate guest?” Bee asked.

Beth took too long to answer, and Bee thought she’d die right then and there. Oh my god, she thought. “Oh my god,” she said. “How? I mean, why? I mean. Tell me everything!”

“I don’t think that’s something I should talk about with you,” Beth said.

Bee huffed. Fine then. “I made out with her ex-fiancé.”

“You what ?”

Bee collapsed on the sofa and told her sister everything, with Beth stopping her periodically to ask how that happened, and why this happened, and what was Knox like? In a shocking turn of events, Beth responded with actual details when it was Bee’s turn to ask rapid-fire questions about Beth’s last two weeks with Clover.

That this would turn out to be how Beth and Bee would have their first non-work-related exchange since they were teenagers

was not on Bee’s bingo card for the year, but she was getting used to the unexpected. Her sister’s laugh, for example. She

didn’t know when she’d heard it last. And almost better than that was the fact that Bee wasn’t the only one getting chastised.

“I can’t believe you slept with her,” Bee said again.

“You’ve said that three times now.”

“So you have to admit it then.”

“Admit what?”

“Admit that you’re glad I went on a somewhat reckless, totally impromptu vacation.”

Beth was silent.

Bee waited.

“Fine,” she said, as if it physically pained her to do so. “I’m glad. Really glad.” Bee could’ve laughed herself silly, but

Beth kept talking. “I didn’t go to dinner with Mom and Dad last night.”

Bee felt her heart stop. “You didn’t?”

“No,” Beth said. “I decided to take a page out of your book and actually enjoy myself. I spent it with Clover.”

“But Mom and Dad love you.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “They love you too. You still went across the country to avoid spending a day with them.”

Bee considered this. It hadn’t occurred to her that Beth could feel the same way. After all, Beth was the golden child, the

one with all the accolades. “Didn’t you win some tech award this year?” she asked.

“They’ll be more impressed if I meet a handsome man like you,” Beth deadpanned.

“Oh,” Bee said. Oh. The gears in her brain spun as she put together the pieces: all their histories, all their potential futures. “Bethy,” she

murmured, and Beth groaned over the phone.

“It’s fine, Beatrice.”

“It’s not, Bethy!” The idea that her perfect, polished sister—so accomplished and brilliant that she was literally terrifying—was still not enough for their parents simply because she wasn’t straight made her... enraged. “Do they not

know how amazing you are? They’re so... so... ugh .”

“I concur,” Beth said.

“I’m coming home,” Bee said.

“Sorry?”

“I’m coming home,” she repeated. “You’re not spending the last of the holidays alone. Clover has to be here with her dad,

and our parents are literally the worst, so I’m coming home. We’re spending New Year’s together.”

“I...” For once Beth seemed entirely speechless. There was a pause that seemed to stretch into eternity, and Bee steeled

herself for a lecture or, worse, another familial rejection. “Okay,” Beth said at last.

Bee resisted the urge to press the phone fully into her ear. “Really?” She heard Beth shifting on the other end, and thought she’d let her sister take her time and potentially give something longer than a two-word response.

“I like spending time with you,” Beth said finally. “I mean, it’s hard, when we’re focused on business, and Mom and Dad are

always breathing down my neck to ‘take care of you.’ I guess I’ve... let myself get resentful. Of you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Bethy,” Bee whispered.

“Yeah, you do.” Beth laughed, and Bee remembered how much she loved her sister. “I mean, with our parents the way they are,

it doesn’t hurt to have someone else have your back. That’s...” She coughed. “I’ve been trying to do that ever since we

started working together. When Dad suggested it. I’m sorry if, um... I’m sorry that it’s hurt more than it’s helped.”

Bee fought back the tears that burned at the corners of her eyes. “It’s okay,” she said. She took a deep breath and wiped

her eyes. “Honestly, now that I know you were actually trying to help, it means a lot. But it’s not a one-way street. You have to let me have your back too. Like, actually talking to

me about stuff—stuff that isn’t related to our bank accounts.”

“Sure,” Beth agreed. She sighed. “I guess that makes sense.”

“New Year’s resolution: next year, we’ll actually work together. Like, as sisters, and not just business partners. Deal?”

“Gross,” Beth said. Then she laughed again, and Bee made another resolution: to laugh more with her twin. “Yes,” she said. “Deal.” She cleared her throat, then: “But if you’re spending New Year’s with me, what are you going to do about Knox?”

That made Bee hesitate, but she shook her head resolutely. “He’ll still be here,” she said.

“If you go back,” Beth said. “Have you guys talked about long distance?”

“No,” Bee said. “Have you and Clover?”

“Sort of,” Beth said.

They were both silent. Then Bee asked, “What if we did something completely ridiculous?”