A Sister's Power. Cydney Rax

shops named Baller Cutz.

      Because they ran in the same circles, she and Edmund would cross each other’s paths at various civic events. They’d meet for lunch and discussed the highs and lows of restaurant ownership. But, last summer, he confided in her about the recent divorce that he had endured. She and Edmund were the same age. Ambitious and attractive, they shared easy-going, frank conversations and found themselves becoming close friends as well as business associates.

      Since Nate died, they’d become even closer.

      With him now in her house giving her a much-needed hug, Burgundy shut both her eyes and felt herself relax. It felt wonderful yet strange to be locked in an embrace with another man.

      She enjoyed the feeling of skin touching skin. His body felt tight and solid, comforting and oddly delicious.

      “This feels good,” she finally allowed herself to murmur. Edmunds’s lips brushed against the top of her wayward-looking hair. That’s one of the qualities she appreciated about him. No matter how imperfect she looked, he still treated her with utmost kindness and respect.

      “It does feel good, and you look good too, Burg.”

      “Please don’t call me that.”

      Burg was the nickname that Nate had given her.

      “Okay, sorry about that. You look damned good, Burgundy. That better?”

      “Much better.”

      Burgundy allowed her eyes to close as she leaned into Edmund for a friendly, much-needed kiss. She pressed her body into his. The heat from his chest made her moan. She felt herself weakening.

      “Mommy!”

      Burgundy’s eyes flew open.

      Natalia gave Burgundy a vicious look.

      “Mommy, what are you doing? Who is this man? Why is he always at our house?”

      “Natalia Anne Taylor!” Burgundy stared apologetically at Edmund.

      “Hey, no problem,” he said. He relinquished his protective hold of Burgundy and tried to offer Natalia a friendly smile.

      “Natalia, is it?”

      For the past few months since they’d been hanging out, Burgundy had talked to Edmund about her daughters on numerous occasions. Friendly chatter about her girls’ activities but nothing too personal. Then Nate had died unexpectedly. It was a shock to Burgundy’s system and shattered her entire world. Edmund quickly comforted her in private and was there for her as long as she needed him. Lately, he’d just begun to pay a few visits to her house in a suburban area called The Woodlands, Texas. Burgundy made sure the girls were tucked in bed long before Edmund came by, but somehow Natalia always knew when he visited her mom. Usually it would be late at night. When she’d hear Edmund’s voice, she’d sneak out of her bedroom and quietly tiptoe halfway down the staircase. Natalia would sit on the steps, lean in and listen, her mind wildly racing in multiple directions as she assessed the situation. One time, Natalia even boldly came all the way down to the first floor and nearly bumped into Edmund when he rounded the corner as he exited the powder room. He gave her an awkward stare, said hello, and dashed away.

      Since then, Natalia had seen him come to the house to check on Burgundy. Of course, many relatives, friends and associates had also come by the house to help out, but Natalia perceived there was something different about this man.

      But on this particular day, when everything came to a head as she saw her mom embrace Edmund, Natalia was ready to stand her ground and not just look, wonder, and quietly walk away.

      When the girl responded to Edmund, she bore the demeanor of an aristocrat.

      “Yes, I am Natalia Taylor,” she finally said. “I’m named after my father Nathaniel Taylor. He died. Did you know he was dead?” Anguish was written firmly across her childlike face.

      “My father was supposed to take me to the daddy-daughter dance and teach me a lot of important things about life, but he can’t now. But I still wish that he could.”

      “I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

      “Thank you.”

      “He would be proud of you if he could see you right now.”

      “Hmm,” she said in a curious voice. “Did you ever know my daddy?”

      Edmund discreetly backed away from Natalia.

      Burgundy felt bad. She’d found out the hard way you can’t child-proof this child.

      “Did you know Daddy died when mommy wasn’t even at home? She was out of town when he died. Did you know that?”

      When Edmund failed to answer her question, she continued with her probe.

      “Why are you always here?”

      “Natalia?” Burgundy said, this time feeling very irritated. “Please. This is our company.”

      “He’s not my company. If he was my company you would have come and told me.”

      “He just got here,” Burgundy explained.

      “But what about the other times when he’d be here a long, long time and you never told me that we had company? It’s because he’s not real company.”

      “Natalia, don’t be rude.”

      Natalia stubbornly crossed her bony hands across her flat chest. For some reason it seemed like the girl had sprouted another inch or two. Not just in height but also in knowingness.

      The air was wrought with tension as mother and daughter continued to stare each other down.

      “Natalia Anne Taylor, did you hear me ask you a question? Are you going to tell your mother where you heard that mess from?”

      “I heard it from TV.”

      “What?”

      “Cable TV.”

      “How can you do that when I have child-proofed the channels?”

      “I learned how to unlock it.”

      “What? You’d better not be messing around with those parental controls.”

      Natalia looked frightened. “I’m sorry, Mommy. Am I in trouble?”

      “It depends. Who taught you how to do that?”

      “Daddy did. He snuck and did it and he didn’t want you to know.”

      Burgundy sighed. “Why would that man do something that doesn’t even make any sense?”

      Natalia asked again. “Am I going to get put in time out?”

      “I don’t want you to mess around with the TV like that anymore. And I won’t tolerate you speaking to my guest like you’re grown. You heard me, Natalia?”

      “Yes, ma’am.” She hesitated. “I don’t want to be in time out. I wanted to play with you, Mommy. But I can’t because you have company.”

      Burgundy gawked at Natalia in dismay, not certain if she should believe her or question if her quick-witted daughter was testing her.

      “Whoa,” Edmund said. “It sounds like I’m interfering with some mommy-daughter time. It sounds like she’s unhappy because I’m stealing you away from her. I’m sorry, Burgundy.”

      “Look, you don’t have to apologize,” she replied.

      “Oh, but I do.”

      “No, you don’t.”

      “Yes, he does,” Natalia replied.

      Burgundy had had enough. She yanked Natalia by the elbow and thrust her directly in front of her so that the girl had to look up into her mother’s fiery eyes. Burgundy wanted to box the child across her sassy mouth but she knew that the girl would call 911