Killer Tomato B2, Sunday Early Evening

[give_areason]

Rosalind had draped her suit jacket over the foot of her bed, one button of her shirt undone, and had kicked her shoes off. Which was about as relaxed as she ever got, unless she was sleeping

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[findingelena]

After a couple of rings, there was a loud clatter, followed by "-- res'dence, Elena speaking."

Formal phone greetings were stupid. But Dad yelled if she just said "Hello."

Some day, she might even learn to wait until she had the receiver at her mouth, to start talking, so that her last name didn't get cut off.

[give_areason]

Rosalind didn't bother to hide the smile that crossed her lips at that. How often had Elena picked up the phone that way?

"Good evening, Elena," she said mildly.

This once, she supposed, it would be poor form to scold her sister for something that had made her smile.

[findingelena]

"Evening," Elena said darkly. Great. It was her sister, the one that was pretending to be Rooooooooosalind. Which was a stupid name. If she was a Turk, she'd pick a way better name. Like Ainsley. Or Esmerelda.

"Dad can't come to the phone. He's in the bathroom."

[give_areason]

"Yes, thank you, Elena." It was a struggle to keep her voice from hardening. "I did not call to talk to Dad. I... wished to see how you were doing."

Which was both honest and made her skin feel tight. She wasn't sure if this would make things better or worse but Elena, older Elena, seemed as if she still needed a sister.

So maybe her Elena, all of nine instead of nineteen, needed her to. Rosalind had to try.