The next morning Rosalyn was woken up by her phone ringing. Looking at the caller-id, she saw it was her sister, Chloe.
Gently rubbing her temple, she got ready for what was undoubtedly going to be an exhausting conversation.
It always was with Chloe.
Chloe had grown up being the apple of their parents' eyes. Ever since she was born, it was as if Rosalyn ceased to exist in their family. Chloe was their 'miracle baby'.
They had only adopted Rosalyn because they thought they would never be able to conceive a child of their own. The doctor had told them that their chances were so small, they were basically non-existent.
So, when their mother found out she was pregnant, everything ended up being about her 'miracle baby'.
When Rosalyn first found out she was going to be a big sister, she was extremely excited. But this changed over the years.
Rosalyn had now grown accustomed to put everything aside for her younger sister. What her sister wanted, was what the family would do. If Rosalyn had something her sister wanted, she had to hand it over to her.
This applied whether it was about their toys as children, where to vacation, or anything else.
Rosalyn remembered being annoyed about this before her accident, but after, everything was just a slight headache. Not bothering Rosalyn anymore. Her emotions not really there.
Adding a smile to her voice, she answered the phone, "Hello, Chloe."
"Rosalyn, why did you take so long to answer?!" Chloe's complaining voice was the first thing that came through the phone.
"Did you make me wait this long on purpose? Is that it? Do you not even want to talk to your own sister anymore?" Chloe continued.
It was true that they had talked less since the accident. Rosalyn, not having the energies she used to, decided to minimize the contact with her family to save herself their nagging.
It was always something.
Like Chloe now.
"Of course that's not it, Chloe… I was sleeping, that's why it took me some time to pick up," Rosalyn sighed gently. Placating Chloe had almost become a skill at this point.
"Oh… Well, okay then. As long as you weren't intentionally ignoring my call," she accepted.
"Anyway, enough about you, Rosalyn. Since your company is doing so well nowadays, I was wondering about when you were going to give me my pocket money?"
Feeling she wasn't following the conversation, Rosalyn asked, "what pocket money?"
"Well, of course, mine!" Chloe explained exasperatedly. "Since you are making more money now, of course you should give some to me. I am your younger sister, after all."
"Chloe, how does me making more money equal that I should give it to you?"
"Well, of course you should Rosalyn," she started beratingly. "You should pay back mom and dad for adopting you. And since I am their real daughter, that of course automatically also means me. I had to share their attention with you growing up, after all."
Rosalyn, feeling yet a headache coming, just remained silent.
"And it's not like I am asking for pocket money just because. There is a banquet this weekend, and I need a new dress."
"What are wrong with the dresses you already own. If I remember correctly, my old room should be full of your new dresses?"
"Well, yeah, but there was no more space in my walk-in closet, so I had to use your old room? Why is that important? The thing that is important is that Cesare Accardi will be there! The. Cesare. Accardi!" She Pronounced each syllable of his name to make her point.
Cesare Accardi? Why did that name sound familiar? Rosalyn tried to think back where she had heard the name before, but her headache just got worse the more she tried to remember.
"Cesare Accardi? Who is that?"
"What?! Rosalyn how can you not know who he is?!" Chloe shouted into the phone.
Rosalyn simply moved the phone farther from her ear and waited for Chloe to explain.
"He is the CEO of the Accardi group, Rosalyn. The Accardi family is like one of the richest families in the country! And he is currently single. Single! Do you even know what that means?"
"No… What does that mean?"
"It means that I have a chance! I heard that he has been out of the country looking for a mother for his son these last few years. Since he came back still single, it means that those women overseas didn't do it for him. So now he should be looking for someone more local," Chloe took a deep breath and with an almost dreamy voice she said, "and I'm local."