The house was too quiet. Only the hum of the dishwasher filled the silence. Betty sat cross-legged on the living room floor, her laptop opened as she was pretending to focus on a school project. Across from her, Stacey lounged on the couch, legs stretched out as she scrolled through her phone.
“This place feels so… empty now,” Betty said softly, closing her laptop. Stacey glanced up at her over her phone. “Like it’s too big for just the two of us.”
“Yeah, I know. But what are we supposed to do? Sell it? Move into some apartment?”
“No. Of course not. This is—this was their house. It’s all we have left of them.”
“That’s exactly why we’re staying,” Stacey replied, turning back to her phone. “I’ll handle the bills, the repairs, whatever it takes. We’re keeping this place.”
Betty looked up at her sister, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. “You’ve taken on so much, Stace. I know it’s not easy. Thank you.”
Stacey shrugged, though her expression softened. “Neither of us asked for this, but here we are. We’re doing the best we can. Together.”
“I miss them.” Betty’s voice cracking slightly.
“I know.” Stacey looked away. “Me too. Every day.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their loss shared but not spoken.
Then, Stacey nudged Betty with her foot, breaking the silence. "So… Marcus?"
Betty groaned, leaning back against the coffee table. "Can we not?"
"Oh, come on," Stacey teased, setting her phone down and leaning forward with a grin. "You’ve got to admit, he’s hot in that broody, ‘I don’t need anyone’ kind of way."
"He’s also infuriating," Betty said, crossing her arms, though the corner of her mouth twitched in amusement.
"Infuriating can be fun," Stacey shrugged.. "Speaking of fun, when are you going to tell Brent to stop pretending he doesn’t still want you?"
Betty’s smirk faded. "I don’t want to be wanted out of guilt," she said quietly, picking at a loose thread on her sweater.
"You deserve someone who’s all in, Betty. No half-measures."
For a moment, the quiet returned, but it didn’t feel as heavy as before. Betty glanced at Stacey and managed a small smile, grateful for her sister’s unwavering support.
"Maybe," she murmured, leaning back against the couch.
"Definitely," Stacey replied, leaning back herself with a satisfied smile.