Free The Sweet Spot by Ariel Ellman Page B

Lockingstocking?” Sawyer asked Raffi, ruffling her niece’s hair as she led her into the guestroom to give her sister a minute to collect herself.
    “Why are we sleeping here tonight?” Raffi whispered to her aunt, following her into the bedroom as her eyes filled with tears.
    “Oh sweet pea,” Sawyer sighed , gathering her niece into her arms.
    “I think I did something bad,” Raffi hiccupped, choking on a sob.
    “No sweet pea, no. This has nothing to do with you,” Sawyer assured Raffi, smoothing the hair back from her face.
    “I said something to my dad about my name, ” Raffi confessed with a sniffle. “I asked him why they never told me that I was named after mommy’s friend’s brother, and then my dad told me to leave the kitchen, but I stayed by the door and listened. I listened, and my dad yelled at my mom, and they were crying, and my mom said she was moving out, and it’s all my fault.”
    “No, baby, no,” Sawyer soothed, hugging Raffi tightly. “None of this is your f ault, I promise.”
    “It is my fault,” Raffi insisted. “And now they’re probably going to get divorced like my fr iend Erin’s parents, and it’s all because I asked about my name and talked about the lemon bars.” Raffi wept, lifting tear-filled eyes up to her aunt’s face. “And I knew I shouldn’t talk about it Aunt Sawyer. I knew that I shouldn’t talk about Sebastian and the lemon bars or my name. I knew because mommy never talks about it, but I did anyway.” Raffi buried her face in Sawyer’s lap with a sob.
    “Your mother should have talked about it, Raffi,” Sawyer replied s adly. “It’s okay that you asked about your name, it’s good that you talked about it.” She kissed her niece gently.
    “Wil l you tell me about the other Raffi?” Sawyer’s niece asked her aunt with sad eyes. “Will you tell me about the person I’m named after?”
    Sawyer bit her lip, staring across the room as her mind flooded with memories of Sebastian’s brother Raphael. Only ten months apart, referred to as Irish twins, he and Bast were inseparable growing up, but night and day in their personalities. Raffi was devilish and a little wild, where Sebastian was serious and responsible. Everyone loved Raffi. He was like a streak of lightening on the soccer field, scoring goal after goal as he shredded the opposing team’s defense. He was irresistible with his dark hair, freckles and green eyes. He could charm the habit off a nun and often did, always getting an extra cookie at church after Mass on Sundays. They all loved him. Sometimes Sawyer used to think that Sebastian was so responsible and good just so that Raffi could be wild and carefree. Sebastian was the one who got straight A’s and a full scholarship to college, while Raffi skated by in school with C’s and hauled lobster pots with their father. Raffi never wanted to leave home like Sebastian and carve out a different life. He loved the sea and wanted to spend his days on their dad’s boat, baiting lobster pots and hauling in their catch together. There was never any question about what Raffi would do when he finished high school. 
    Sawyer smiled sadly remembering the day they had all skipped school and taken her along to the beach with them. It was only a few weeks before Sebastian and Ani’s accident. It was March, and they were bundled up in their jeans and hoodies. She had only been twelve at the time and had felt so grown up to be with her sister and her high school friends. 
    When Sebastian and Ani had walked off down the beach together to be alone, Raffi had patted the blanket beside him in invitation, and stretched out on his back to stare up at the beautiful blue sky.
    “So Soy , what do you want to be when you grow up?” he asked her with his trademark devilish grin.
    “I don’t know,” Sawyer replied shyly. She was still trying to figure out why her heart raced and her palms got sweaty when the girls changed in front of her for gym class.