Sister Tiff

“I’m trying for her sake, Colette, but he gives me the creeps. How can she stand him? Dad would be turning over in his grave if he knew he was having Thanksgiving dinner with us. Do we really need his help with Hennessy & Co? I think we can fix the company without him.”

“Ari,” Colette said in a repressive tone, but Ariana was on a roll. 

“Did you see the way he looked at my kids? It’s chilling. He acts like he’s never seen a child before. I don’t want my kids anywhere near him. Can you imagine if…”

Ariana stopped abruptly as Jasmine propped herself in the doorway. She met her sister’s startled gaze head on. She hoped her mask was working because she didn’t want to upset the kids who were on the floor playing with blocks. 

“Can you imagine what?” she asked softly.

Ariana looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”

“I know you didn’t.” 

“Minnie,” Colette began in a consoling tone as Jasmine advanced into the room, her unblinking gaze on Ariana.

“You think Roth would hurt your kids?” 

Ariana crossed her arms defensively across her chest. “Can you blame me for being extra cautious after what he did to Thea?”

Her heart beat doubled. “He wouldn’t harm a child.“

“How do you know that?”

“Because I know him.”

“You know him,” Ariana said flatly. “Yet you didn’t know Dad was blackmailing him or that he would put a defenseless old woman in the hospital.”

“Ari!” Colette turned away as Polara began to cry. “This isn’t the time or place for this.”

Ariana took a deep breath and held up her hand. “I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m just pointing out how little you really know about him. You jumped into an affair with him because you wanted to be rebellious and married him just to spite Dad. You spent most of your marriage apart, run into him two weeks after Dad dies, and marry him again a month later. When it comes to him, I don’t think you’re the best judge of what he is or isn’t capable of. Where he’s concerned, you’re blind.”

**This is an unpublished draft of Mia's work. Please do not share or distribute.