Just Remember to Breathe (Thompson Sisters)

really busy; lots of commitments this year. I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch more. I’ll try to do better.”
    “Your father and I would appreciate that.”
    Jessica blurted out, “Carrie’s home. And she has a new boyfriend.”
    Sarah turned around in her seat and glared at Jessica, then muttered, “ God!” and turned back around.
    I raised my eyebrows. “Carrie has a boyfriend?”
    My mother interjected, “It seems so. But she’s being very mysterious about it. She’s been home two days, and she’s constantly texting, or giggling on the phone, or locked in her room talking on her computer. It’s really undignified for a woman her age.”
    I grinned, suddenly happy for the first time in days. “That’s great, Mom!”
    “Well, of course you would think so,” she said, putting me neatly in my place.
    I guess I wasn’t in the mood, though, because I replied instantly, “What’s that supposed to mean, Mom?”
    She sniffed. “You know we’ve not always approved of your choice of boyfriends.”
    I shook my head, keeping a smile plastered on my face, and looked out the window. “Yes, Mom. I know that.”
    “Well, let’s not get into all of that, it’s all over now anyway.”
    I took a deep breath. If she only knew.
    For the first time since I’d seen her, Sarah spoke. “What happened to Dylan, anyway? I thought he was cute.”
    “Sarah!” my mom said, in an injured voice.
    “Well, it’s true, he was cute. Didn’t he join the Army or something?”
    I replied, my voice calm, trying desperately to not reveal anything. “Yes. He was badly wounded in Afghanistan.”
    “Oh dear,” my mother said, her voice low.
    I looked at her, trying to discern from her expression what she knew. My dad emailed Dylan when he was in the hospital. He knew. He saw how miserable I was last year, and he knew, and didn’t tell me.
    “Did you know about that, Mom?” I asked.
    She shook her head. “No, I’m so sorry. I hope it wasn’t serious. Even though we didn’t really approve of him, he’s a nice boy.”
    “It was serious,” I answered, still trying to gauge her reaction. We were sitting at a red light, and she met my eyes in the rear-view mirror. “He nearly lost his leg. And his best friend was killed.”
    She went pale, then whispered, “I’m so sorry, Alexandra. I know you cared for him.”
    I exhaled and sat back in my seat. My mother was, as usual, inscrutable. She could have made millions as a poker player, though I suppose being the wife of a diplomat was much the same thing.
    This drive was excruciating. I took my phone out and turned it on. I knew it was too much to hope for, but maybe there was a message from Dylan. Or an email. A text. Something. Some clue that he’d really heard what I was trying to say. Anything.
    As soon as the phone turned on, text messages started coming in. None from Dylan, but one from Kelly, and two more from Sherman, then one from Carrie.
    Kelly’s message was short and to the point:
    Call me the moment u land. Urgent.
    Sherman wrote:
    Alex, do not turn on the news. Call me or Carrie ASAP.
    Carrie’s was far less cryptic, but but no more helpful.
    If mom wants to stop for lunch or something, pretend you are sick. Tell her u need to come home. Now. Call soon. Luv u.
    Oh, God. What was wrong? Did something happen to Dylan? What was wrong? I blinked back tears, trying to erase them before my mother saw.
    “Your phone sounds like a car alarm, dear, what’s wrong?”
    “Oh, nothing,” I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “It’s just Kelly, I’m going to give her a call real quick, okay?”
    “Alexandra…” my mom started to interject, but I was already dialing. Jessica gave me an odd look, eyes falling to my hands, which were shaking, but I brushed it off.
    Carrie answered on the second ring.
    “Alex?”
    “Hey, Kelly,” I said a fake cheery voice. “I got your text messages. What’s this about a paper?”
    Carrie immediately understood what I was up to. She asked, “Are you in the car with Mom?”
    “I am! On my way home right now, we’ll be there soon.”
    Mom looked over her shoulder at me as I said that and said, “I thought we’d stop for lunch.”
    I frowned. “Hold on, Kelly.” I said to my mom, “Mom, do you mind if we skip lunch? I don’t really feel well; the flight and all.”
    Sarah shook her head and muttered something, then crossed her arms over her chest.
    “Oh, hon, your sisters were so looking forward to