“What happened to you?” Alex says finally. Her arms are crossed over her stomach as if my presence makes her physically sick.

I could ask her the same thing—Where have you been for a decade? But I don’t.

She studies me suspiciously with her sea-gray eyes. But it’s a two-way mirror: she’s different—familiar and yet a silhouette of herself—the years she’s spent away from me like a shroud. Maybe I shouldn’t have come here, but what choice did I have? I bought the bus ticket. I got on. I ran away hoping never to look back. And yet now, the past is right in front me.

“You own this place?” I ask, rather than answer her question. “How’s that?”

“I’m sorry.” Model Guy leans out. “I’m Chase Kennedy, Alex’s boyfriend, and this is my apartment. I mean, we live here together. Your … sister and me.” He stretches past Alex with his hand, which I shake limply. I don’t really like his fingers. “And you’re Ruth? Am I getting that right?”

Another glance passes between him and her, one that makes me feel I’m a ghost that’s suddenly begun to haunt. What did she tell him about me?

“Yes. I’m Ruth. I’m Alex’s sister. I always have been.”

“I’m sorry,” Alex cuts in. “But you’ve shown up here rather unexpectedly. This is all kind of a … shock.”

The way she stares at me, it’s pretty clear she doesn’t think it’s the good kind.

Chase tries again. “Are you in town for a while, Ruth? You’re welcome to stay.”

Alex’s back goes ramrod straight. “She probably isn’t. She might not want to.”

Chase looks from her to me and back again, like we’re a tennis game.

“I’ll get out of your hair for a minute and take a shower while you two … chat.” He stands, touching Alex briefly on the arm, searching her face for some kind of explanation.

She ignores him, though. I can see this makes him simmer.

His neck tenses. “Take your coat off, Ruth—at least stay for dinner?”

That gets Alex’s attention, but she doesn’t utter a word.

“Thank you,” I say.

He pauses with his hands on his hips, then disappears to the far end of the loft, behind a sliding Japanese door that’s almost see-through but not quite. Alex sits stiffly.

“So why are you here? And where have you been for, you know, ages? You didn’t say.” Her hands are fists in her lap.

I bypass the sarcasm. “I’ve been out east. Here and there. You look good.”

“So you’ve been with him. With Hal?” She can’t hide the effort in having to say his name out loud.