heard it through the grapevine

Macy hated to tell her little sister Gabby that maybe right now was not the time to have a boyfriend. She knew these conversations never sank into someone so ill-willed like Gabby. After all, Gabby spent her childhood on birth control and lots of anti-depressants and still nothing phased her.

"What are you gonna do when his pink hair grows out?" She didn't know why she said it, but she could see this new Arlo came with a warranty that Gabby forgot to study. Sure, Arlo was good to her and he was friends with Macy's husband in the art department at the University. Of course, she was happy that Gabby had a new beau, who constantly gave her sweet attention.

Of course, Gabby found it all a laugh. She was in the livingroom playing with Stephen and his baby sister. She was in a good mood. Macy hoped to keep it that way.

"It's just...I never wished you'd gone out with Ste." Macy would take the blame. After all, he was Macy's family not Gabby's. She knew he was fragile. Still, she hated the fact that Gabby dropped him like a cannonball. Yet, she knew there were two sides to every story. "I..I just hope you'll not-"

"What?" Gabby looked hurt already as she withdrew from playing the finger puppet game with toddler Stephen.

"If, if Arlo wants to know about your past, you need to tell him." Macy remained straight-lipped. "If..if he can't handle it, then you'll know, he's not the one." She wanted her sister to know that she needed to care more about him. If she couldn't, Gabby needed to break up and tend to her own life.

Gabby didn't say anything. Macy went to pour some lemonade.

"I know, you're expecting a fairytale of some kind, but it doesn't work that way. It's a lot of give and take and communicating," Macy knew now. "It really is the little things that matter. The little things you do together. If you can't put up with being around each other, then you need to move on. Maybe it isn't love after all."

Gabby nodded as if she understood, but Macy had a feeling her little sister needed to be on her own. Perhaps that was her first step of understanding herself.