Chapter 7
795words
She'd clearly expected me to break the news gently—but I'd just blurted it out.
Mom jumped to her feet, eyes blazing at Katerina. "Katerina, did you really say that?!"
Katerina immediately tried to weasel out. "I didn't! Anya, stop making things up!"
Mom turned on me. "Anya, you've lost your mind—how could you make up something like this?!"
I pulled out my phone and hit play: "Anya, I think we should let Mom stay here..."
Lucky for me, I had the sense to record her exact words.
Katerina went pale hearing her own voice. She ground her teeth and lunged for my phone. "Anya, you've really outdone yourself. We're sisters, and you record me?!"
I looked right at her. Exactly because we're sisters, I know exactly what she's like.
The recording kept playing while Mom's chest heaved with rage.
She really didn't expect this—not from her so called golden child. "Katerina Kovarik, you better explain this right now! That $500,000—was I just being stingy?"
"Didn't I give it all to you?! What, did my money just vanish into thin air?!" Her voice shook. "I'm telling you, if you won't take me back to Amiraka, then GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!"
Mom shoved her hand in Katerina's face, yelling.
Katerina scowled and knocked it away. "Mom, it's not like I pocketed your money. We'll pay you back once the funds clear, right, Chris?"
Chris, who usually went full statue during these blowups, finally spoke—flustered but trying to sound cool. "Of course. $500,000 is nothing to us."
That was enough to settle Mom down—barely.
"Well, I'm definitely going back to Amiraka with you. I already sold my apartments. I'm moving there for good!" She jabbed a finger at them. "Once you pay me back—with interest—I'll buy a mansion!"
I did the math in my head. How much interest was she even expecting?
Katerina looked like she was about to puke. She glanced at Chris, and both went silent.
What I didn't see coming? The next day, without saying a word to Mom, they packed up the kids and disappeared.
***
Mom was bawling on the couch, smacking her thigh. "What a curse! You two are the worst luck I ever had!"
And somehow this was my fault?
Dad tried to play peacemaker. "Maybe they just went out for breakfast. I'll call."
Yeah, good luck with that—both phones were off.
I checked the flights. Next one wasn't for two hours.
Coat on. "Pavel, we're hitting the airport. Now." I glanced at Mom. "Relax. They're not slipping past us."
I was not about to get stuck with her again.
Pavel sped like his life depended on it. We stormed the terminal—and there they were, Katerina and Chris, chilling in the VIP lounge.
***
Mom launched herself like a missile, yanking Katerina by the collar. "Why didn't you bring me back with you? Do I even matter to you anymore?"
Her voice echoed through the terminal. Heads turned. Phones probably came out.
Katerina shrank, whispering, "We just thought... maybe you could stay a few more days. Please keep your voice down."
Mom was fuming, chest heaving, and flopped into a seat like a drama queen. "Doesn't matter. If you're leaving, you're taking me."
Katerina freaked. "Mom, the flight's about to leave! They already closed ticket sales!"
Mom didn't flinch. "Then change the flight! If you don't take me, nobody's going anywhere!"
Katerina spun toward me, desperate. "Anya, help! You can't seriously expect me to deal with this alone!"
Now every eye was locked on me.
People were whispering. A few even had their phones out.
Someone near the back muttered, "What's the point of having all those kids if none of them take care of their mom?"
Katerina turned bright red. "She's been living with me this WHOLE time. She spent one night with my sister and now she won't stop complaining!"
That flipped the crowd. Judgy stares swung my way.
"What kind of sister just dumps her mom like that?"
"Isn't the older one supposed to be more responsible?"
I raised my voice. "Katerina, seriously? We had a deal—you take Mom, I take Dad. AND you got all the cash from selling the apartments. How is this not your job?"
Then I leaned in, low enough for only Mom to hear. "You better back me up. Otherwise, she WILL ditch you."
Mom, never one to miss her spotlight, collapsed like her bones gave out. "Katerina! If you don't take me to Amiraka, I'll die right here! I gave you all my money!"
And then she went full meltdown—screaming, flailing, threatening to smash her head against the seats.
After all that chaos? Yeah. She got on the plane.
