The doorbell rang. Eren looked up from her book and got slowly up from the couch, laying her wire-rims on the table as she went. She approached the door and looked through the peep-hole, before letting out a girly shriek. "Sis!" she bounced, hurrying to fling open the door to her modest apartment, "How long have you been off assignment?" Her sister Sharni, laughed, and shut the door behind her.
"Oooooh, 'bout a day or so, I couldn't wait to come and see you guys."
She stepped over the threshold and wrapped her sister in a hug. Though Eren was twenty one and Sharni only twenty five, Eren would always be her kid sister.
"So, how you been?"
"Well, I got a new job at the local secretariat, working as a temp for a bit while a couple of staff take maternity leave." Her voice changed, "Apart from that not much else."
"How's Jim?"
Eren's eyes flashed, "He's ok, I guess." she shrugged, looking at the floor, "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure." Sharni sat down on the couch. She watched Eren disappear into the kitchen.
"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
She heard a clatter as Eren dropped a spoon on the bench.
"Eren?" Silence.
Sharni got up and walked into the kitchen to find Eren in tears. She went over to her, putting a palm on her shoulder, "You split up, didn't you?"
Eren nodded, tears trickling over her cheeks. "Ohhhh honey, do you need to talk about it?" Again, Eren nodded, the tears falling off the end of her chin. "Never mind about the tea." Sharni soothed, taking Eren into the lounge and sitting her onto the couch, "Tell me what happened."
Eren took a large breath, sobbing as she tried to regain control of her voice, "Well..." she started shakily, "Jim and I have been having trouble for a long time; he chased anything in a skirt, and when I tried to talk to him about it, he brushed it off, saying that he still loved me, and that nothing is wrong with our relationship." Sharni looked sceptical, "What was it that ended the relationship?" Eren looked at the floor, her large brown eyes misting over with a fresh batch of tears. Sharni handed her a tissue, leaning in to listen. "I told him that I wanted something new and exciting, and that there was this woman at my old job that was interested in me. That was all it took for him to blow his stack." Eren began to sob, her well manicured hands covering her face, "He called me a slut, and told me to not bother sleeping with him again, let alone living in his house...hypocritical bastard."
Sharni must have looked amazed, because Eren looked up and smiled wryly, "You aren't that surprised, are you? We always knew he had this in him."
"No, not really." Sharni admitted, "How long have you had an attraction to other women?"
Eren looked ashamed, tapping her fingers at the top of her knees.
"It's ok hon." Sharni soothed, "The feelings are totally normal."
Eren looked up and smiled slightly, "Ever since I saw you and Mel kissing in college."
Sharni smiled, and patted her hand, "If there is anything that you want to know, just come and talk to me, you know you can do that, right?"
Eren nodded, the smile growing a little larger, "Thanks sis." Her eyes sparkled as she looked Sharni over, "What does it feel like to 'be' with a woman?"