Succeeding Love

Interrogation

Vin

“So you’re the action hero?” Lynn’s sister asked, raising an eyebrow at me with a mischievous smirk on her face.

She looked a lot like my girl, which made me like her from the start.

“You’re the sister,” I grinned, looking down at her before extending my hand. “Kevin, but Lynn calls me Vin.”

“Lynn,” she giggled while shaking my hand. “That’s cute. No one’s called her that before. I like it. She calls me Kate, among many other things.”

“Other things?”

She shrugged. “I’m her favorite sister, favorite person, favorite creature in the world. She also calls me ‘The Cat Wrangler’ as of late.”

“Does she really?” I gave her a curious look. “Why?”

“Eh,” she lifted her shoulders. “I guess it’s more of an unofficial title. You’re welcome, by the way.”

I was more confused than before, but muttered out, “Thanks?”

“No problem,” she laughed. “Gosh, the things we do for our siblings sometimes. Tell me, action hero Vin, do you have siblings?”

I shook my head, “No, it’s just me.”

“Huh. So, do you know the importance of sharing? Because I need to know how willingly you’re going to share my sister with me. I’m a little needy, and if you two get more serious, we might fight over her once or a million times.”

“I think I can hold my own,” I scoffed.

She frowned deeply. “So you don’t like to share?”

I laughed at her serious face. She was a little crazier than Lynn, and definitely not as sweet, but the quirkiness was definitely a family trait.

“I can share, but only for family.”

“Clingy, are we?”

“Clingy?” I repeated as we crossed the road towards my house. “I don’t know about being clingy. More worried than anything.”

She gave me a confused expression, so I elaborated.

“Your sister is adorable. Literally the cutest and sweetest woman I have ever met. But…. She isn’t always the most aware.”

Kate snorted, “Aware. Ha!” she snickered behind her hand. “She’s a flipping airhead. You can say it.”

“No,” I laughed with her. “She’s just too sweet for her own good sometimes. I worry.” I thought back to the woman who was sitting in her living room with her. “Lynn doesn’t consider herself enough. I learned that the moment we met. I just can’t stomach the idea of someone taking advantage of her selflessness.”

Kate studied me for a few seconds as we slowed outside my house. “So you want to be the bad guy for her? Is that it?”

A guilty smile lifted my lips. “You could say that.”

“A real action hero,” Kate laughed. “My sister was right. The name fits.”

“Thanks, cat wrangler .” I still didn’t have a clue what that could mean, but Kate got a kick out of me calling her that.

“Okay,” she chuckled. “You passed.”

“Did I?” I raised my eyebrows. “I didn’t know I was being tested.”

“Sure you didn’t,” she smirked. Then she sighed while looking me up and down. “You’ll do. You’ll do nicely.”

“Thanks.” I twirled my keys around my fingers, then stared off toward Lynn’s house. “So that woman in her living room right now? Would I fail your test if I asked who she was?”

I know I’ve seen that woman before. She was the snobby husband-grabber from Milton’s office. She gave me nothing but bad vibes before, and that wasn’t much different this time.

“You wouldn’t fail, per se. I guess that would depend on why you were asking.” Kate stared pointedly while waiting for my answer.

Even not knowing why that woman was there, I felt honesty was the best answer here. “I met that woman once before. She didn’t give a good first impression.” I looked at Lynn’s windows, trying to glimpse them. “I’m worried about my girl. Leaving her with a snake.”

Kate threw her head back, laughing wildly. “Snake,” she scoffed, slapping her knee. “Oh, that’s great. That’s what she is. A flipping snake.”

Concern settled in me, and my feet moved towards Lynn’s without even telling them to.

“Hey, it’s fine,” Kate grabbed my arm and stopped me, still trying to control her laughter. “My sis can handle her.”

“Who is she?” I asked again.

“Oh,” Kate waved her hand, “Just the snake that stole her husband.”

My eyes grew wide. “And she’s having tea in her living room?!”

“I think it was coffee. Not tea,” Kate smirked.

“I’m serious. That’s Nick’s mistress?! What if she tries to hurt Lynn?!”

”That won’t happen,” Kate shook her head. “Feighlynn’s always handled her ex and his mistress amicably. No one can hate her, even that snake. I think Arlene just wanted to clear the air.” She followed my worried gaze to the house. “She couldn’t say much with me there. As my sister’s official ‘bad guy’ stand-in, Arlene wasn’t talking while I was listening in the other room. I wanted to give them a second so she could finally spit whatever she came to say out and then leave.”

Kate looked worried too, despite what she said.

“She won’t hurt her?” I asked. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Suddenly, there was a glint in her eyes. “My sister can hold her own. I’m telling you. You should keep that in mind.”

I scoffed, imagining my little bitty girlfriend trying to fight anyone, let alone me. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

We stood out front on my lawn for about ten more minutes, Kate shooting more questions at me. Nothing too serious, until she got to the questions about my previous relationships. I don’t make it a habit of talking about my ex-wife, but Kate really dug in on the subject, seeing I was hesitant to answer every question.

Lynn and I had already talked about everything concerning my divorce. I also knew how close Kate and Lynn were, so I was impressed that Kate didn’t already know all this information. Lynn didn’t share my personal information, which made me fall for her even more.

Kate was Lynn’s sister. As much as I didn’t enjoy talking about my ex to strangers, I felt like I could to placate her. So, I let Kate know about my ex cheating on me and the events that unfolded afterward. I was deployed and came back to her with another man, and all the dirty tricks she tried to pull to get my paychecks after I kicked her out. It made me not want to date seriously again for a long time. A very long time.

Not until I met Lynn.

Kate seemed happy with my answers, and I felt I had passed another test of some sort.

Eventually, the mistress, Arlene, came out of Lynn’s front door, Lynn hanging back in her entryway. It looked like the mistress had been crying, but Lynn looked absolutely fine. Her smile was as kind and genuine as ever.

Kate was right. Lynn was fine.

The door closed, and that snake-like mistress started back a bit, seeing Kate and me watching from my front lawn. She hung her head, wiping under her eyes, and headed for her car.

Kate sighed. “I guess that’s my cue. Go get ready for the gym, action hero. It was good to meet you.”

“You too,” I said as she pulled me into a hug. “Get home safe.”

She waved as she ran across the street.

I felt like I had just been in a whirlwind from my brief conversation with Kate. She loves her sister. That was clear as day. I just hoped I had said nothing to put my foot in my mouth that she would relay back to Lynn later. I replayed everything I had said about my ex over and over in my head, but nothing off putting came to mind. Nothing Lynn didn’t already know.

“Hey there,” Mom greeted me warmly as I went into the kitchen. “How’s my soldier today?”

She called me a soldier. I thought for a second she was having a clear day, but she only calls me her soldier when she’s living in the past.

“I’m good.” I kissed her cheek. “How are you? Did you get out at all today?”

“Oh, I just cleaned around the house. Worked a little here and there,” she arranged an already perfect bouquet on the counter. “Do you have any plans for dinner?”

I cringed inwardly, wondering how to explain my weekend plans with Lynn.

“I’m about to take my girl to the gym, then we might pick something up for dinner. Want us to get you something too?”

Mom’s eyes lit up suddenly. “Oh, no. You go enjoy your date.” She pressed her lips together, like she was trying not to smile too big while she looked at me from the corner of her eyes. “So. Things are getting serious with that girl now, huh?”

I laughed deeply at her eager expression. “Yeah. I’d say they are.”

“Well,” mom started pruning a rose. “Will there be wedding bells in the near future?”

“Maybe,” I smirked. “If I can talk her into it, there will be.” I kissed her head as I walked past. “I’m going to get changed. Let me know if you change your mind about dinner.”

“I will!” Mom yelled back at me, then I heard her singing the opening song of one of her soaps under her breath.

Marriage. I had thought little about it, but now that mom brought it up, it was in the front of my mind.