This time, Jemma responded with silence.

Sighing and dropping her head back on the couch, Frazer bit her lip. “Sorry. That was uncalled for.”

Jemma squeezed her legs in a mock hug. “Not really. You know it’s just, well, Mum. Traditionalists and all that. She still loves you. Dad does too.”

They sat for a moment, drinking their beer. The ticking from the clock behind them was abnormally loud. The fizz in her beer was making her feel ill. Internally, Frazer kicked herself. This was one thing she really just had to keep her mouth shut about. Her mum tried, and her dad tried to make her mum try harder. It wasn’t Jemma’s fault that their mixed-descent southern Indian and Australian parents had had certain ideas so impressed upon them by their own parents and grandparents.

In the end, Jemma broke the slightly uneasy silence. “Anyway, stop detracting from my original question with your fake problems.” The nudge from her foot took the sting from the words. “Where have you been?”

“Nowhere, I swear. I’ve just been, well, busy. I’ve been swimming again.”

“Really? Like, not the one where you float by with the geriatrics but actually swimming? Like, with speed and purpose?”

In spite of wanting to strangle Jemma half of the time, at least she was amusing. There was no sulking with her little sister, even if it was mostly from bemusement. “That would be the one.”

“Wow. I’m impressed. Now, the real question is—what drove you to that? I ran into Andy last week—you do remember her, right? Your best friend since university? You two were joined at the hip for years? About yay high?” Jemma held her hand up as high as she could from the couch. “Awesome dreadlocks and does wicked dot paintings and other traditional art with her cousin—her cousin Daniel, who’s dating your other friend Rob? That Andy?” Jemma ignored the dirty look sent her way. “Well, she said she hasn’t seen you in, like, three weeks. So that means you’re not even going out.”

“I’ve been busy.” Frazer took a sip and tried to ignore the intense gaze on her.

With an abrupt movement, Jemma jerked up her legs and pushed herself onto her elbows, almost making Frazer chip her tooth on her beer bottle. “Oh my God. Did you get burnt?”

“What? No.”

“You so did. Did someone break your icy heart, big sister?”

Frazer poked Jemma’s leg and wished she hadn’t answered the door. “Seriously, I’ve just been busy.”

“Mhm. Well, the social butterfly sister I know sees her friends at least a few times a week. Oh my God.” Jemma sat up completely, her heels pressing painfully into Frazer’s thigh. “Did you re-enter the dating pool, and it went badly?”

“Jemma, I swear, you’re not too old to wedgie.”

Another glare, and Jemma looked five years old. “I swear to God if you ever do that again, I’ll photocopy the journal you left at Mum’s house and scan it to Facebook.”