“It’s been ten minutes, are you going to tell me what that was about or not?” Cadence pulls the car into a Sonic parking lot. He hasn’t said a word the entire time, but I can tell he’s agitated, his shoulders are all tense and he’s practically squeezing the blood out of his hands on the steering wheel.

“Seriously Cadence, why are you stopping, Serenity’s making dinner, and there’s heavy whipping cream in the backseat.”

I’m glad he seems too distracted to address the fact that I still can’t say Mom when referring to Serenity. I know it’s been bugging the whole family, but it just feels weird.

“It’s fine. I placed it next to the frozen peas and ice cream, and I’ll explain everything… after milkshakes.” He rolls down the window to order.

“A large pineapple chocolate shake and a large strawberry peanut-butter shake, extra whip cream and cherries on both.”

I can’t hear the tinny reply very well, but Cadence pulls out his wallet and starts counting out exact change.

“You didn’t ask me what I wanted.” I point out. He looks up for a moment before continuing to count out his cash.

“I know what you like. I got your favorite.” He gives me a sideways glance. “Well, used to be your favorite, I guess we’ll find out.”

“Both those combinations sounded disgusting.”

“Believe me, you loved it.” I sigh, rolling my eyes. But the tension has left his shoulders a bit, so I can’t really stay irritated. A few minutes later there’s a tap on the window and our shakes are handed in.

“So, which of these weird concoctions is mine?”

“The pineapple chocolate,” I make a gagging face and he chuckles. “Just give it a try.”

He takes a long draw of his own disturbing drink and relaxes into his seat. I take a tentative sip and find it doesn’t taste nearly as bad as it sounds, but I don’t want to give him that satisfaction just yet, so I make a grossed-out face. His expression crumbles a bit and I can’t hold the fake disgust.

“Cheer up, it’s delicious.”

“Oh, now you’re just being cruel.” But he’s laughing and so am I.

“Sooo… why’d you go all crazy back there? You about flipped out on her.”

Cadence takes another long draw of his shake and then turns in his seat to face me.

“Ok… where to begin… see umm… uh, well you see—”

“How about you just start with how we know her.”

“Ok, yeah, that’s a little easier. So, up until a few months ago… not even two weeks before your accident Analise was Clef’s fiancée.” Okay, so not what I was expecting.

“What, seriously?” That explains a little, but still not why Cadence was ready to explode on her for talking to me.

“Yeah, they hadn’t been dating long, it was actually the cause of a bit of discontent.”

“So… I take it that I wasn’t all buddy buddy with her?”

“No, actually the two of you were close.”

“Okay you lost me now.” Cadence’s phone beeps and he glances at it.

“It’s Mom, guess we gotta head back,” he focuses on getting the car out of the lot without comment.

I’m thinking that I’m going to have to start interrogating him when he lets out a long sigh. “You hated her actually, you and Mom were the only ones that saw through her, she had the rest of us practically fooled.”

Cadence lets out a bitter laugh. “You said she had to be hiding something to want to get married that quickly.”

“So, how long did they date?”

“They’d only been official for two months, but they’d sort of known each other for six. They intern with each other at the hospital. Clef was smitten after she suddenly confessed to him one day. Heck, we all were.” Well, she was gorgeous, can’t argue with that.

“So, Serenity and I weren’t fans of her… and we were right? What happened? Was it my accident?”

“Yeah, you and Mom were both right, she had a secret, and no it wasn’t your accident that caused the breakup… she was cheating on him.” Cadence pauses to take another sip of his shake. “He… Clef caught her in the act, at work, and cut her off. It was with someone else at the hospital.”

Ouch, now I wanted to rip the girl’s hair out. That certainly explained Cadence’s hostility.

“Poor Clef, how’d he take it?” Cadence let’s out another bitter laugh.

“About as well as one can. He’s sworn off women for the time being apparently. To be honest she was the first serious relationship he’d had. Clef has always been too focused on his schoolwork to date, and so she did a number on him. She keeps trying to get him back too, which isn’t helping the situation, and he’s actually considered getting a restraining order.” Cadence gives me a side glance.

“He gave her a second chance before you were released from the hospital, but he said he just couldn’t bring himself to trust her again or even see her the same, and so he broke it off. I honestly don’t think it was just the cheating, he realized how narcissistic she was. For instance, she got angry at him for canceling a date to check on you.” Cadence brushes his wet hair back again.

“She seems to think if she bugs him enough he’ll relent and give her one more try, though.”

“Goodness, and no one thought to mention this?” Cadence shrugs.

“Didn’t think it was that important, what with trying to help you remember and all, but I bet anything that that narcissistic witch thinks that if she can get his amnesiac sister to be friendly again, that that’s the best way to get back in his good graces.”

Yeah, I’m definitely going to rip her hair out the next time I see her.

“If I hated her then why did I befriend her? Obviously, she didn’t get the memo that I couldn’t stand her.” Cadence chuckles.

“Well, you were keeping your enemies close. I believe your exact words were, ‘I refuse to let that viper sink her fangs into Clef.’”

I sit back and sip my shake for a moment mulling it over. Here was a side to me that hadn’t been mentioned before, a side that was calculating and protective. I’m not sure why, but it’s a side that I want to get to know more.

“But she never told you about her guy on the side.” Cadence says.

Well, that was obvious, no matter how close you are, or think you are, you don’t tell a person’s sister that you’re cheating on them.

“But enough of this,” Cadence says as the car pulls into the driveway. “Let’s just focus on celebrating Harp’s birthday…” He puts the car in park and turns to look at me.

I can read his expression before he says a word and I’m already nodding as he asks, “And let’s not mention running into Analise to Clef.”