City Lights, Country Nights

2.Not unpacking

Liora was thoroughly displeased. She was drenched, her outfit reeked of dog, and it was caked in mud from the canine's exuberant greeting. Adding insult to injury, she found Cole, the self-styled playboy, emerging half-naked from the pool despite knowing they had guests arriving. This was not an auspicious start, and she was dreading the days to come.

"Come on, it's not as bad as it seems," Jackie reassured Liora as she stowed her belongings. Liora had yet to unpack. "We have our own rooms, and they're quite nice," Jackie continued, reminding Liora of the silver lining. Despite the numerous occupants in the house, they each had their own space. Jackie had claimed the art room, while Liora had been assigned what she assumed was the eldest son's room, though she couldn't be certain.

"there is what? like, 10 boys here?" Liora asked her sister as she settled onto her bed. "A musician, a playboy, a shutterbug, a brooding loner, two little terrors, and more all under one roof? All that moodiness in a single household," she mused, shaking her head.

"And you're the worst of them all," Jackie remarked, prompting an eye roll from Liora. "Look at it this way; you're moody, you play music, you've never been great with your emotions, and you've babysat for what, four years? You're good with kids," she pointed out.

"I am not like that!" Liora retorted, flipping over to face her sister. "I have every right to feel the way I feel!" she insisted. Jackie nodded in understanding.

"You do, we both do, Rory," Jackie acknowledged as she organized her belongings in her drawer. "They took us in, they have done nothing but help us. Can you just be nice, please?" she implored. Liora huffed and closed her eyes before eventually nodding.

"Yeah, okay. But, Jackie, the moment they do something to you or me, I'm telling you," Liora warned. Jackie cut her off.

"I know. Just try, okay?" she said. Liora opened her mouth to say something, only to stop when there was a knock on the door.

"Hey, it's me. Can I come in?" Liora looked at Jackie, who turned to acknowledge the voice of Katherine behind the door.

"Sure," Jackie responded. Liora sat up on the bed as the door opened, her eyes darting between the two before Katherine closed the door behind her as she walked over to the bed.

"Will told me about what happened at the pool. I'm so sorry about Albert. He just gets really excited sometimes," Katherine apologized, taking a seat on the bed. Liora glanced down at the muddy footprints on her once-white outfit. "I'm sure we can get them out," Katherine offered, prompting a small smile from Liora.

"So, how are you guys settling in? Can I get you anything?" Katherine inquired, looking at both of them. "I'm sorry that there's not more room up here yet, Jackie."

"It's okay. We're sorry for taking your space," Jackie replied. Liora stood from the bed. "Your artwork is just... beautiful," Jackie complimented as she walked over and sat where Liora had just been.

"Oh, please. I don't have time to paint anymore with all the kids running around. I want you to have it," Katherine insisted, graciously offering to move her artwork for Jackie.

"How did it go with the surgery?" Jackie inquired. Liora looked at her sister, puzzled by the question as she wasn't aware of what Jackie was referring to.

"Oh, um, it went well. Turns out Bo had a really bad ear infection. He's going to be fine. But it was bothering him, and it was bothering his owner," Katherine explained, offering a smile.

"Did you study veterinary medicine at Columbia? I saw the picture of you and my mom," Jackie asked.

"No, I got my first degree at Columbia, and then I went to vet school at Colorado State. Such a long time ago," Katherine replied. "You guys are so much like her," she added, looking between the two.

Their mother was a beautiful and intelligent woman, though Liora herself believed she looked more like her father than her mother, despite many people saying she resembled both.

"Everyone says that," Jackie remarked, looking down at her fingers.

"Lucy looks... um..." Jackie began, then hesitated. "Lucy... looked more like Dad," she finally said. Liora closed her eyes for a moment and turned away, not in the mood to dwell on the topic.

"Well, it's not just your looks," Katherine interjected. "Jackie, you have her poise. And Liora, you act almost just like her when she was your age," she observed. Liora smiled to herself at Katherine's words.

"She talked about both of you and Lucy all the time."

"She talked about you too," Jackie added, recalling their mother's fond words about Katherine.

"So, how come we hadn't met you before the funeral?" Liora inquired, shifting the focus away from their mother.

"Actually, we did meet when you were really little. But then it became so hard for your mom and me to get together. We'd manage every couple of years, but we talked on the phone and we'd text. The last time I saw her, she was at Telluride for that film she did the costumes for," Katherine reminisced. Liora hummed in acknowledgment.

"I remember," Jackie said softly.

"I was actually planning a trip to come see her when... the accident happened," Katherine revealed, casting a somber shadow over the room. Liora wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, nothing would come out.

"I know coming here is hard for both of you, and I cannot even begin to imagine what you're both going through. But you know it's what your mom wanted. I mean, your Uncle Richard, he loves you. But he travels so much for work. And your mom really wanted you to have a stable family around you. You guys get that, right?" Katherine expressed, seeking their understanding.

Liora understood, of course she did, but that didn't make her any happier about the situation. What if she wanted to go back to dancing? How would she do that here? Or what if she wanted to start giving piano lessons again? She couldn't do that here; right now, she would rather be with her uncle.

"We know," Jackie responded, once again speaking for the both of them.

"I loved your mom, and we made a promise to each other that we would always be there for each other's families if they ever needed us. And I want to be here for you guys, if you'll let me," Katherine stated, the weight of her words hanging in the air as silence fell over the room.

"I'm going to my room," Liora announced, walking toward the door, only to pause when the redhead called out to her.

"Are you hungry? We're about to have dinner," Katherine offered, prompting Liora to shake her head as Jackie looked over at her.

"Uh, not really," Liora confirmed.

"We're both really tired," Jackie added.

"Okay. Well, just come down if you change your mind," Katherine said as she walked over to the door to leave. Liora stepped aside, letting her pass.

"Katherine," Jackie spoke up. She turned around, looking over her shoulder. "Thank you," Jackie expressed, smiling at her as she tilted her head.

"For what?" The question slipped off her lips, sounding as if she hadn't just offered them a rent-free room at the expense of her own living situation.

"Everything," she said, her tone heavy with the weight of her decision, as Liora looked down as Katherine walked out.

"Well, this should be good," Liora remarked, closing the door as she looked at Jackie, who rolled her eyes.

"Go unpack your stuff," Jackie instructed. Liora licked her lips.

"I'm not going to," she declared, the look on her face communicating more than her words.

"Not unpacking is not going to get you back to New York," Jackie pointed out, sensing Liora's defiance.

"It could," Liora countered, walking out and ignoring her sister's calls for her to come back.