We step outside, and he takes me by the hand. We walk together down the sidewalk toward Destiny’s house, down her driveway, and down the little footpath to her front door.

I ring the bell without hesitating, and I wait. When the door opens, I realize I’ve been holding my breath the whole time.

It’s Dillon. My Dillon. I hadn’t recognized him from so far away when he got out of the car, but looking him in the face, it’s him.

“Oh, Dillon.” I say. I can’t tell if I’m angry, or hurt, or disappointed…or…

“Maddie,” he says, holding up a hand apologetically. “I begged her to tell you.”

“I…” I stammer, “I didn’t think you two were…together.”

Destiny walks into the hallway, looking up at me in surprise. “Oh, shit, Maddie.”

“We seriously should have told her,” Dillon says, moving out of the way to make room for Destiny.

I look up at the two of them. I see the way they look at each other, and I realize with astonishment that I really don’t care. Not only do I not care, but if they have been together this long, they must be happy together. I’m actually happy for my sister.

I look back and see Dominick and Dillon shaking hands, whispering introductions to each other. They think I’m going to be angry, and they are treating me like I’m made of glass, ready to break at any moment.

“How long have you guys been together?” I ask. I realize my voice sounds confused more than anything. I should tell them I don’t care, but I can’t get the words to come out.

“Three years,” Destiny says.

“Destiny,” Dillon says in a sharp voice.

“Okay,” Destiny says, “Two years the first time, and three years now. I guess that’s a total of five.”

“You never were very good at math,” I say, grinning.

She looks confused as I smile, as if a smile was the last thing she expected to see from me given the circumstances.

“Let’s sit down,” Dillon says, looking nervously at Destiny and me.

“I’m pregnant too,” I say, feeling like an idiot as I say it. Like a little girl trying to one-up her sister. “Dominick is the father.”

“Oh, uh, congrats,” Destiny says.

“Anyway,” I say. “I came here to apologize. To forgive you. I decided before I came in here that I forgave you. I didn’t know you were still with Dillon…but I don’t care. I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me, but after how I reacted, I understand why you didn’t tell me. I just want all the bad feelings to be over, we’re too old for this, aren’t we? And we’re going to both be moms now, so I’m sorry, Destiny. And Dillon, I’m sorry too.”

“I’ll get you a beer,” I hear Dillon say to Dominick.

We all sit down at the kitchen table, Dillon and Dominick with their beers, and Destiny and I with bottles of Sprite.

Dillon takes a big swig of his beer. “Look, Maddie, I never told you I was sorry either. I am sorry.”

“I guess I was being a bitch,” I say to Dillon. “Not that it really justifies what happens, but I guess we were all just dumb kids. I felt like I was so much more mature than Destiny at the time, but I was only a few years older.”

“Erm,” he mumbles. “It felt like you were forcing yourself to be with me just because, and I was afraid to break up with you. I was wondering when you would finally do it. Destiny said you complained about me all the time.”

I laugh. “Yeah, I really did.”

Destiny grins. “Not as much as you complained about me!”

“At least I did that to your face,” I say. “I complained about Dillon behind his back.”

“Well,” Dillon says, putting a hand on Destiny’s stomach. “Hopefully you won’t complain about me now that I’m your brother-in-law.”

“You’re married too?” I ask, taken aback.

“Common law,” Destiny says. “We were…delaying the ceremony.”

“Not—“ I start, but a lump forms in my throat. “Not delaying because of me…”

I point to myself, feeling like the world’s worst sister.

They give each other looks, but Destiny says, “Look, Maddie, the important thing is we can have the ceremony now. I can invite everyone, and you can be my maid of honor. How does that sound?”

I start to cry. I jump up and hug Destiny while she’s still sitting in her chair. “It sounds like more than I deserve! I can’t believe I ruined your wedding—“

“You didn’t ruin it!” Destiny says, “You delayed it. Now it will be even better because we’ve waited so long.”

She finally peels me off and I sit back down. I feel like I’m totally out of breath, like I’ve run a marathon. Forgiving and saying sorry is exhausting, but I should do it more often.

“So,” Dillon says, “Enough about us, how did you two meet?”

Destiny looks up at Dominick, and her mouth drops wide open. She points at him and jumps out of her chair.

“Wait a minute,” Destiny says, “You’re... you’re... you’re the sex slave guy!”

She jabs a finger at Dominick. “That means…” she turns her eyes toward me, and they bulge. “Holy shit, Maddie, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Sex slave guy?” Dillon asks, looking confused.

“Do you never read the news?” Destiny snaps. “Or watch TV, or—okay, don’t answer that, I know you don’t.”

“It’s me,” Dominick says. “I’m the sex slave guy, yes. But I’m free now.”