The Pitt Sideblog

Dana disappears down the hall.

“Strange that a dancer would have a heart attack,” Frank says.

“It can happen to the healthiest people,” Mel reminds him. “Runners, dancers, soccer players—”

She stops short when Dana returns with said dance partner. Mel recognizes her right away, despite the heavy make up, slicked back ponytail, and glittering, fringed dress. Her own heart skips a beat and she sucks in a quiet breath. Though it must be loud enough because Frank glances sidelong at her, an eyebrow raised in question.

“Lexi,” Mel says.

The dancer’s eyes go wide. “Mel.”

“You two know each other?” Frank asks, his gaze bouncing between them.

Mel crosses her arms in front of herself, clasps her hands, and rocks forward onto the balls of her feet before rocking back onto her heels.

“We’re sisters,” Lexi answers.

Frank’s mouth parts in surprise. Dana’s brows shoot up her forehead. Mel chews her bottom lip, the skin on her neck burning. How in the world did Lexi end up here? She’s supposed to be “living her best life” in New York. Not thinking about Mel. Or Becca. Resentment bubbles up in her chest, but Mel shakes it off. They can’t talk about this here.

“There’s a third sister?” Dana asks.

“Yes,” Lexi answers, her gaze fixed on Mel. “But I’m not surprised you’ve only heard about Becca.” She faces Frank. “Is my partner okay?”

Frank has to tear his eyes off Mel. “Uh…yeah. Yeah, he’s stable. He did have a heart attack, so we’re going to admit him for observation once we run a few more tests.”

“Can I see him?” Lexi asks.

“Sure, right this way.”

Frank leads the way, and against her better judgment, Mel follows. She can feel Dana’s gaze on her, no doubt thinking the same thing about Lexi that everyone has all their lives. Oh, so there is a normal one. A teacher said it once, and Mel has heard it echo ever since. Every time Lexi made a friend with ease while Mel and Becca remained on the outskirts of the playground. Every family gathering where aunts and uncles praised Lexi’s achievements in dance, and feigned interest in the books Mel and Becca read. And every time Lexi went out for a date or a football game or some other high school social event, leaving Mel and Becca behind to watch whatever movie Becca was hyperfixated on. Back then, it was The Parent Trap. The 1998 Linsay Lohan one.

Mel doesn’t realize she stopped outside the door. Through the window, she watches Frank explain what happened with the dance partner, while Lexi pays close attention, nodding along as he speaks. Something green and ugly plunges between Mel’s ribs.

Not him, she thinks.

Alarmed, she darts away from the room. She needs air. She needs to clear her mind before she faces Lexi again.

In the ambulance bay, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and reminds herself that Frank doesn’t belong to her. Or to anyone. He’s been divorced for nearly six months, and he is still working through that grief. He talks about it with Mel. The divorce, the kids, and whatever else is on his mind. Because she’s his friend, and Lexi can’t undermine that.

“Hey.”

Mel turns at the sound of the familiar voice. Lexi stands there, her costume glittering strangely in the combination of sinking sunlight and the fluorescents of the bay.

“Oh. Hey,” Mel returns, unsure if she has properly braced herself.

Lexi approaches slowly, but confidently in her strappy dance heels.

“Look, I’m sorry I showed up here,” she says. “I didn’t realize you…it was the closest hospital.”

Mel’s brows furrow. “Do you not remember where I work?”

“I do, but I can’t say I knew you were working today,” Lexi replies. “I hoped it was your day off or something.”

Mel doesn’t—she can’t—acknowledge that. “Does Becca know you’re in town?”

“Yeah, I went to see her this morning. Did you know she has a boyfriend?”

Mel scoffs. “Of course I know.”

No need to tell her how blindsided Mel was by that information when it came.

“I’m happy for her,” Lexi says.

“Me too.”

Silence falls between them. Despite Lexi’s ease talking to everyone else, with Mel, it’s like pulling teeth and Mel has never understood why. The air is always strained, pulled tight like an activated muscle. Lexi opens her mouth, as if to say something, but closes it again. Mel wonders if she should speak, but can’t find words.

“I’m gonna go back in and sit with Sasha for a bit,” Lexi says. “I’ll see you inside, I guess.”

“Yeah, sure,” Mel breathes back quickly.

After one last lingering look, Lexi disappears inside. Mel blows out another breath, a longer one, and closes her eyes to chant to herself in the immortal words of Megan Thee Stallion.

“I’m a savage. Classy. Bougie. Ratchet.”

***

Frank is just about to go looking for Mel when she returns, almost back to her usual self. He hasn’t seen her this frazzled since her deposition. And when she found out Becca was having sex.

How had she never mentioned another sister? They talk all the time, and he only ever heard about Becca. Obviously, Becca is Mel’s priority, but is Lexi truly so distant Mel hasn’t even said her name to him? He is dying to ask her, but he doesn’t want to push.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks instead.

“Yeah,” she says thinly, with a stiff nod. “Just a surprise, that’s all.”

He could make it as casual as So what’s the deal with Lexi? She live out of state or something? But he holds back. Mel will tell him when she’s ready.

“Small world, huh?” he says instead.

Her gaze snags his and holds on. Something grateful flashes behind her eyes.

“Yeah,” she says again. She tries to smile, but it’s more of an upward flick of her mouth. “We aren’t especially close, so…”

She trails off, cuts her gaze, mutters something about another patient, and sweeps away. He watches her until she’s out of sight.

***

From her seat next to Sasha, Lexi watches Mel too, but not as long as Dr. Langdon does. When her gaze slides to him, he’s still locked in on her sister. Lexi can’t remember the last time someone looked at Mel like that. If ever. Her sisters got plenty of stares, especially Becca, but usually it was morbid curiosity or something predatory. That’s not how Dr. Langdon looks at Mel. No, his pretty blue eyes are filled with affection.

Shit, does Mel have a boyfriend too? She wonders.

It’s been so long since they talked. Even then, it was a head’s up about Mel and Becca moving to Pittsburgh. Becca’s new facility. Mel’s new job at the ER. Lexi had sent back a simple text reading: That’s great! That was almost two years ago.

“I’m a horrible sister,” Lexi groans, rubbing her temples.

“C’mon, you can’t be that bad,” a voice from the doorway says.

She lifts her head to find Dr. Langdon there, leaning on the frame.

“I haven’t spoken to Mel in two years,” she admits.

He lets out a low whistle. “That is a while.”

“I talk to Becca when I can,” she adds, unsure why she feels the need to make a case to this man. “I saw her today before the comp and before that it had been only a week since we texted. I dunno. Things with Mel have always been…different.”

His brow furrows. “Mel? She gets along with everyone.”

Lexi frowns. She remembers her sister as the reserved, timid girl of their youth. Painfully shy. Could that much have changed? Or is she now surrounded by people who are her intellectual equals and she no longer feels the need to hide?

“That’s good to hear,” she says noncommittally. “Um, how long will Sasha be out?”

“He’s pretty well sedated. Why?”

“I’m wondering if I can go back to the hotel to shower and change,” she says. “But I don’t want him to wake up alone.”

“Normally, I’d say go for it, but that is a lot of gel in your hair,” he replies with a smirk.

Her mouth curves up in return. “Yeah, but I’m a professional at getting it out now. I can be back in say…an hour?”

“Yeah, you’ve got time,” he says. “Anything you need from us before you go?”

She shakes her head. “I’m good. I’ll be back in a little bit.”

She wonders if she should seek Mel out before she leaves, but decides against it. As she passes Dr. Langdon, she gives him a grateful squeeze of his arm.

***

Over the computer, Mel spots Lexi touch Frank’s arm before she walks out of the room. That green and ugly feeling returns, this time slithering around her heart. She stamps it down as he walks over, stopping beside her.

“Lexi’s gonna shower and change and come back,” he explains.