AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for all the overwhelmingly positive feedback, everyone! I'll try to keep these coming as quickly as I can without rushing it! Also, if you haven't read the other chapters, you should go ahead and do that. Thanks again!
-ANDY-
The next two days were wasted with alcohol, porn, and sleep. I shut my phone off, logged out of every social network, and turned off my email notifications.
No matter how many times I tried to drown out Natalie's image with the faces and bodies of porn actresses, Natalie would keep coming back to me.
She had offered me everything she could and I acted like a complete asshole to her. I just wanted the sex to stop. I just wanted a normal relationship with my baby sister like we used to have.
But Natalie was too sexy and too vulnerable, that I just couldn't help myself. I hoped I hadn't fucked things up beyond repair, but I was pretty sure that I had.
It was Tuesday when I turned my phone on again. There were twenty missed calls, thirty texts, and five voicemails- a lot less than I expected.
The first voicemail was from Martin, my agent:
"Andy, where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you for the past 48 hours! The studio has some notes for you about what subjects to talk about and avoid during the press junket. Get back to me when you get this."
The next three were from Jessica:
"Andy, you need to get back here, you fucking asshole. Natalie's a complete mess and I can't talk to her. She's your baby sister, Andy, how could you do this? She isn't one of your model skanks that you can just fuck and forget about."
"Do I need to go to your house and harass you there? I need your help, Andy! I can't watch her every second! Get over here!"
Jessica's third voicemail was quieter:
"Listen, Andy, I'm begging you. Natalie won't eat and I have to force her to drink water. I missed my flight tonight because I couldn't leave her alone. She needs you. I need you. Just please come home."
The last voicemail was from Natalie. I could barely hear her voice, so I had to put my earbuds into the phone to understand her:
"Andy? I'm... I'm sorry for everything. We can just be friends if you'd like. As long as you're with me, that's all that matters. I love you."
Natalie must have told Jessica about us. Jessica could probably keep the secret, but it still worried the shit out of me. I needed to avoid this whole situation. Besides, I had a movie to promote.
Just as I was about to call Martin back, my doorbell rang. I went to go answer it, hoping it wasn't Jessica. I opened the door and looked through the blinding sunlight to see Martin.
"Hey Martin, I was just about to call you," I mumbled.
"Jesus, man, you look terrible!" he said.
"It's been a fun Thanksgiving."
"Well, get your shit together, 'cause this Thursday's the press junket."
"Got it. Where's the junket being held? Westwood Hotel again?"
"Yep," he said. Martin then handed me a stack of papers. "Here's your list of do's and don'ts."
"I've done this before, man."
"Just humor me, Andy."
I nodded and we stood there for a couple awkward moments, before Martin spoke again.
"Are you doing alright?"
"Just fine, Martin."
"Alright, good. Get cleaned up and I'll see you Thursday."
Martin walked away and I shut the door. I needed to clean myself up and clear my head of Natalie.
-JESSICA-
I sat next to a sleeping Natalie, stroking her hair. The first couple days after Thanksgiving were full of Natalie sobbing and shaking. On Monday and Tuesday, Natalie just slept and, when she was awake, she stayed silent. She never let go of her body pillow and she only left the bed when she either went to the bathroom or when I forced her to go to the kitchen. Not that going to the kitchen mattered, as she never ate anything.
Natalie woke up, then turned over to look at me.
"What day is it?" She asked.
I was taken aback for a moment, then answered. "It's Tuesday, sweetie."
Concern filled Natalie's eyes. "But you have school! You missed your flight!"
"Taking care of you is more important."
"You worked so hard! What about law school?" Natalie started tearing up.
"I can always go back. We've got our huge inheritance, remember?"
"But..." I put a finger over Natalie's lips.
"Stop arguing. Even if I didn't have that inheritance, I could never leave you like this. I love you, Natalie."
"I love you. And thank you." Natalie was quiet again, but not for very long. "Do we have any leftover turkey?"
"Tons." I could feel myself smiling.
Natalie slid out of bed, still naked. She had lost so much weight, it was terrifying. I was glad she finally agreed to eat something. Natalie went to her drawers and pulled out an old t-shirt of Andy's. I was worried she was going to have another breakdown at the reminder of her big brother, but she seemed to be okay.
We went downstairs and into the kitchen. I pulled out a tub of the leftover turkey and set it out for Natalie and I to eat. Natalie started eating slowly, then increased her pace, eating like an unstoppable horse.
"Natalie, slow down," I said.
Natalie coughed, then scampered over to the sink and threw up. I came over to her and held her hair out of her face as I rubbed her back.
"I'm sorry!" She cried.
"It's okay, just don't eat so fast. You haven't eaten anything in a while and you need to pace yourself."
When Natalie was done, I wiped her mouth and we went back to eating. She ate slowly and carefully this time.
In the middle of our lunch, I got a text from Chloe:
WHERE R U??? CLASSES STARTED!!! I MISS YOU
"Who was that from?" Natalie asked. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she wanted the message to be from Andy, but I had to disappoint her.