'Nate is a total jerk and I'll tell you all about it later. First, I want to know what George did to you.' She had a straight face and she was staring at me intensely.
'Nothing. Nate did something to him though. Nate raped his cousin.'
'Yeah, but you sounded like he did something to you. Did he touch you? Or hurt you?' Alicia looked genuinely concerned.
I could not help but laugh. Alicia and I never got along until Nate and it made me start wondering if that saying of good things coming out from bad things was really true.
'You're laughing? Did I say something funny? Or is there broccoli in my teeth?' She sounded very sarcastic.
'No. George did not do anything to me but he said stuff about rape being our family thing and he did not want to be a victim. And he called me a pig.'
'He said not to call him. He was really angry.'
Everything that had happened that morning with George came rushing back to me. I was scared all over again.
'What did he say about his cousin?' Alicia was visibly irritated.
It was definitely because she had no choice but to go through everything she was going through. Nate had made our difficult lives even more difficult.
'He said she came to visit and could not sleep at night and she didn't trust men anymore. It was too much. He said therapy was not helping and Nate dying might just be the cure to her PTSD.' I leaned back.
'She has PTSD!?' Alicia asked.
'I'm guessing she does. Don't you? All the girls Nate ever raped certainly do.'
With each passing moment, I realize how much damage my brother caused everyone that came in contact with him.
'Do you have any idea where George lives?'
Was Alicia insane? Did she really want to see George's cousin? After seeing George that morning, the idea was definitely suicidal.
'We can't go there today. Or any day in fact. George hates me. He hates us. We'd be crossing a boundary if we went over to his house.' I knew Alicia was not listening to me but I was going to try to make her understand no matter what.
'This is not about George. It's about his cousin and she sure sounds like someone that wants to talk. Look Kassy, I don't care if she reacts like Hannah, I need to talk to her.'
Alicia sounded like her mind was made up but it was insane to go over to George's especially in the heat of everything.
She stood up and paced a little.
'Don't you think there's too much heat now? Can't we wait till everything is settled a little?' I was scared of George. He was a totally different person that morning and he had this aura like he could destroy anything and anyone in his way.
'Kassy, the heat is what makes it better. What if she goes back to her own home tomorrow? Or before you get enough morale to go over to your dearest George's house?' She stopped pacing and stood in front of me.
'Alicia, this is not about me or what I feel for George. It's about how George feels about the entire thing. This guy is huge, I mean, he's a basketball player and he definitely could beat both of us up if we go over to his house.' I could not think about any other thing that could scare her.
'Kassy, you know George would not do that. The more time we waste here, the worse it'll be for us. Let's just go to his house and talk to this cousin of his, please.' She had done it again, I was going to give in to her crazy idea.
'Fine. But I need to tell Emily I'm leaving.' I stood up and stretched a little.
'Be quick, we really have no time.' She sat down.
I made my way upstairs. I did not know whether to knock and go in or to just knock and say what I wanted.
When I got to Emily's room, the door opened. It was Albert.
'Kassy, I'll be back some other time, maybe then I'll get to sit and talk to you, right now, duty calls.' He tapped my shoulder and walked away.
'Okay.'
Albert looked somewhat sad. Maybe he really did want to get back with Emily and she turned him down. It was the only option he left her with and I knew he saw it coming.
I walked into Emily's room. The ceiling was very high and the room looked too big. I had never gone in there ever because there was no reason to.
I was stunned. I had never seen such expensive looking furniture before. The walls were cream and it had this homely feel. The room was simply magnificent.
'Kassy. Is anything the matter?' Emily was sitting on her bed, holding a picture of Lily.
'Not at all. Alicia is here but we have to leave now.' I wanted to go over and hug her but I could not move. She looked so small in her very large room.
'Oh. I can't go down to see her right now, I look a mess. Say hi to her for me and I hope you come again soon. I really need someone to talk to and be with.' She smiled a little.
'Sure thing. See you soon.' I left.
I might have been wrong. Maybe Albert did not want to get together with her, maybe he only came to talk about Lily's burial.
I went back down and saw Alicia talking with Albert. She was smiling. Alicia hardly ever smiled at people she was not very familiar with.
'Come by whenever you can, I'm sure there will be an opening just for you. Bye.' He handed her his business card, waved at me and left.
'I think mr. Haris might employ me.' She was looking at his card and smiling.
'Good for you. Emily said to tell you hi. Now we can go to George's.' I knew I was going to regret going to see George's cousin but I had to do it anyway.