The Sweet Spot by Ariel Ellman Page B

protested.
    “You go ahead Soy , I’ll bring Raffi to the bakery in the morning,” Jordan said, slipping his arm around his daughter and hugging her tightly.
    Sawyer stared back at Raffi and Jordan uneasily, now certain that she’d made a bad decision in bringing Raffi here tonight.
    “I don’t know Jordan…” Sawyer said, her voice trailing off. “I told Ani I’d bring her back with me tonight.”
    “I want to stay home with my dad,” Raffi interjected.
    “Maybe I should call Ani,” Sawyer whispered helplessly, searching Jordan’s unreadable face. Jordan raised his eyebrow in response and cocked his head questioningly at Sawyer.
    “This is Raffi’s house and I’m her father Soy,” he said quietly. “There isn’t anything to call Ani about.”
    “Okay,” Sawyer replied weakly, suddenly feeling lightheaded and nauseous as she gathered up her keys and hugged Raffi good-bye. “Call me if you change your mind,” she whispered. “I’ll come right back for you.”
    “I’ll see you in the morning,” Raffi replied, her blue eyes suddenly filled with her own secrets.
    “Good night,” Sawyer called, turning around and practically running out of the house as her tears began to fall.
    Sawyer tried desperately to pull herself together before she got back to her apartment, but she couldn’t control the sobs that choked her as she burst through the door and threw herself in her sister’s arms.
    “What happened? Where’s Raffi?” Ani screamed, looking behind her sister in terror. “Is she okay ? Did she get hurt?” she asked, shaking her sister’s arm.
    “She’s fine, she’s with Jordan,” Sawyer wept, burying her face against her si ster’s chest. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t trying to take sides, I didn’t mean to bring her to him, I didn’t know she would stay.” 
    Ani sank down onto the couch with her sister in relief.
    “Oh my God Soy, you scared me,” she whispered. “I thought something had happened to her.”
    “Can you forgive me for going over there tonight?” Sawyer asked, staring up at her sister with tear-filled eyes.
    “Oh Soy,” Ani cried , hugging her sister tightly. “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m so sorry that I’ve let my mess become yours.”
    “ I love Bast too you know,” Sawyer wept. “He was like a brother to me when we were kids, and I’m so happy he’s finally out of prison, but I also love Jordan, A. He’s been our family for the last nine years. I danced in his arms at your wedding. I held his hand when Raffi was born. He helped me get my job in sports massage,” Sawyer choked. “He’s my brother in-law.”
    “ I love him too Soy, he’s my husband,” Ani whispered softly.
    “Then what are you doing A?” Sawyer moaned, lifting her head up to stare into her sister’s ey es. “You’re breaking his heart and I don’t know if he’ll forgive you when it’s over.”
    “Do you know what the rose on Sebastian’s neck stands for Soy?” Ani asked her sister quietly.
    “No,” Sawyer whimpered, blinking back tears.
    “It stands for coming of age inside, celebrating a teenage birthday behind bars,” Ani whispered. “The outlines of the teardrops on his face are the lives that he mourns, Eva and Raffi. The ink they’re filled in with represents the lives that he took, the mother and her child.”
    “Ani,” Sawyer gasp ed, reaching for her sister and doubling over, her body shaking with sobs.
    “The fifteen church spires on his back stand for years spent in prison and the cross at the top of the center spire means sentence served,” Ani choked.
    “Ani, stop,” Sawyer begged, pulling her sister back into her arms.
    “There are bells on his shoulders Soy,” Ani continued, taking deep shuddering breaths. “They mean he served his sentence in full: bell call to bell call, no parole. He didn’t give up parole to stay away from me Soy, he gave it up so he could serve his sentence and be free to come back to me.” Ani stared into her