Jeez, Soph. Could you have found a shittier place to rent?" I stick my head into the rundown little bathroom and the putrid stench of urine and stagnant water makes my eyes water.

My sister shoots me a glare. "If you could be more supportive, that would be great." She pulls on a string and a cloud of dust rises as the blinds draw open. 

"I don't understand how the county hasn't had this place condemned." I cough and wave the dust away from my face. 

Sophia got a good price on a location for her daycare. But the price is the only good part of this deal. The building is located right in the middle of Copper Heights’ industrial row, between a huge hardware store and lumber warehouse.

I can’t believe I just watched her sign a long-term lease on this shithole. “Remind me again—how did you end up getting such cheap rent on this huge place?”

“The previous tenant was a huge plastic manufacturer, I think. This was their warehouse. They ran off when the state came after them for tax evasion. The landlord told me that he’s hurting for cash so he’s sectioning off the building into smaller units and renting to anybody with two nickels to rub together. And I, my friend, happen to have two nickels to rub together after pawning my engagement ring.” My sister grins manically. She’s really proud of herself for finding this deal.

"It's gonna be so much work, getting this place up to scruff. I mean, is this building even safe?" My eyes sweep over the paint peeling off of the walls, the cobwebs ornamenting the ceiling, the network of random rusty pipes sticking out of the walls. I need a tetanus shot just standing here.

She turns to me and deadpans. "Look—you don't have to help if you don't want to. I've got this, Angie. Whether you're involved or not."

“Of course I’ll help you, Soapy. That’s not even an issue. I just don’t want you to take on more than you can handle.”

She gives my arm a little shake. "I know you probably think I'm crazy, opening up this business but I have no choice. I can't just sit back and feel sorry for myself. I spent months in a ball on Reese's couch, feeling sorry for myself but I can't be passive anymore. I'm having a baby and I'm in this alone. I have to step up to the plate."

My eyes start prickling for her and I throw my arms around her. "You're not alone. I’ve got your back no matter what."

"Thank you, sis," she whispers as she crumbles in my arms.

"God, I hate Josh so much right now."

She sniffles. "This is so much bigger than Josh."

I pull back to look her in the face. "Ugh! Saint Sophia of Perpetual Faith. Please don't tell me that you've forgiven that rat."

She laughs and runs a finger beneath her eye to catch a tear. "I'm trying. It's a process."

"You're a better woman than I am." I shake my head bitterly. 

My sister smirks as she nods. "And I have better hair."

I roll my eyes and bump my ass into hers. "But I got mom's hips!" I grab a roll of packing tape and climb onto a rickety chair by the window.

"You did..." she concedes ruefully. Sophia picks up a stack of newspapers and hands me a sheet. I spread the paper over the window and tape it there. “You also got the goddamned heroic firefighter. Swoon…” She hands me another sheet of newspaper. Sure enough, it’s that article about Ben saving the family from the fire.

I take it from her and Ben’s handsome, sot-covered face smiles up at me. A swarm of butterflies get caught up in my knotted belly. “He’s so strong and protective. And complicated.”

“Complicated?” I hear the skepticism in Sophia’s tone.

A sigh rolls through my body as I tape another piece of paper to the window. “He’s been shutting me out,” I admit. “His stepfather was just diagnosed with cancer and the whole family is majorly spooked. I think they’re reliving the way things were when his dad died.”

“Oh, hun. I’m so sorry to her that.” Her face is twisted with sympathy.

“I just don’t want things to turn out like the last time. When his father died, he wouldn’t talk to me about it. He threw himself into his music and shut me off. And then, without warning, he broke up with me. I couldn’t handle it if that happened again.”

My sister’s eyes narrow with determination. “Then don’t let him close down on you. Force him to open up. In the most loving, supportive way possible, get him to talk to you about his feelings instead of bottling everything up. You’re his woman. Standing by him in hard times is part of your job—along with delivering strategically-timed blowjobs.”

We laugh together.

“Just make sure you let him know that you take your role in his life seriously and that you won’t accept him giving you the cold shoulder.”

I get off the chair and move it to another window. “How’d you get to be so smart?”

“From making my own share of mistakes,” she tells me and smiles. “I may be pregnant and alone now but I will find love again and it will be epic. And I just want you to have that epic kind of love, too. With Ben. You guys have gone through so much to get to this point. Don’t waste your second chance.”

I nod at her with newfound determination inside of me. “I won’t waste this chance. I promise.”