“You’re in the way,” said the sister, and she stopped answering the phone.
“You’re in the way,” said Olivia into the receiver, and Nina felt a chill run through her whole body. “We want to live our own lives, understand?”
“Livvy, but I” Nina began, but her sister cut her off.
“None of that ‘Livvy’ rubbish. Im forty-five, Ive got my own family, my own life. And yet, youre always on the phone, complaining, asking for one thing after another.”
“But were sisters!” Ninas voice trembled. “Weve always helped each other.”
“Helped?” Olivia scoffed. “Who helped who, I wonder? When did you ever help me? When I was going through it with Victor, where were you? When little Alfie ended up in hospital, did you even bother to visit?”
Nina tightened her grip on the phone. A lump rose in her throat.
“I was working then, you know that. And anyway, I had my own”
“You, you, always you!” Olivia snapped. “Theres always something with you. Blood pressure, nerves, the neighbours getting on your nerves. But when other people have problems, suddenly youre too busy.”
Nina sank onto the worn-out sofa and closed her eyes. Tears traced paths down her cheeks.
“Liv, why are you being like this? Were family.”
“Family, yes. But that doesnt mean I have to listen to your moaning every single day. Ive got enough on my plate as it is.”
“Alright, I know I can be… a bit much sometimes. But things have been hard for me lately. After the divorce, I”
“Enough!” Olivia cut in sharply. “Its been a year since the divorce, and youre still going on about it. Have you got nothing else to talk about? Nothing but your own misery?”
Something inside Nina fractured. Forty-two years theyd been more than sisterstheyd been best friends. Olivia was three years younger but always seemed stronger, more decisive. Since childhood, Nina had run to her with every problem.
“Liv, please, dont be angry. Ill call less, justdont talk to me like this.”
“Dont call less. Dont call at all,” Olivia said coldly. “I need space. We all do.”
“What do you mean, ‘we all’?”
“Victors had enough of your calls too. The kids complain that Aunt Ninas always crying down the phone.”
That stung worst of all. Alfie and Katie, the niece and nephew she adored, the ones she bought gifts for every holiday, whose birthdays she never missed, always turning up with homemade cakes.
“The kids said that?”
“Yes. Alfie asked me outright yesterday, ‘Mum, whys Auntie Nina always sad? Did something bad happen to her?'”
Nina bit her lip. She had cried during calls with her sister oftenbut was that so wrong? Wasnt she allowed to be vulnerable with the one person who was supposed to understand?
“I never meant to upset the kids.”
“But you do. And not just them. Were all tired, Nina. Tired of your gloom, your endless problems, the way you never pull yourself together.”
“But Im trying! Ive got a new job, Im seeing a therapist”
“And you tell me about it every single day. How hard the job is, how expensive the therapist is, how lonely you are in the evenings. Nina, Im sick of it!”
Silence filled the line. In the background, Nina could hear music playing, someone laughing. Life went on, while she sat alone in her tiny flat, fighting back sobs.
“Alright,” she whispered. “I get it.”
“Get what?”
“That Im in your way. That Im a terrible sister. That youre all tired of me.”
“Nina, dont twist everything into some grand tragedy. We just need space.”
“How much space? A week? A month? A year?”
Olivia hesitated.
“I dont know. Until you learn to handle your own problems.”
“And what if I never learn? What if I always need my family?”
“Then find that somewhere else. With friends, maybe.”
Friends. What a joke. After the divorce, her friends had quietly vanished. Turned out theyd been friends with the couple, not just her. And making new ones at her age? Nearly impossible.
“I dont have friends, Liv. Ive only got you.”
“Then its time to make some. Or see your therapist more often. Youre paying for it, arent you?”
Anger twisted in Ninas chest, sharp and bitter. Did her sister truly not understand?
“A therapist isnt the same as family.”
“And family isnt the same as a personal crying rag.”
Nina hung up. Her hands shook, her pulse hammered. Shed never been the one to end a call with Olivia before.
The phone rang immediately. Olivias name flashed on the screen. Nina stared, unable to answer. The ringing stopped. Then a message appeared: “Dont be like that. Im only being honest. You need to learn to stand on your own feet.”
Nina deleted it without replying.
The evening stretched endlessly. Normally, shed call Olivia now, recount her day. Theyd chat about telly, the news, weekend plans. Now, the flat was oppressively silent.
She tried reading, but the words blurred. Turned on the tellynothing registered. Went to bed early, but sleep wouldnt come. Her mind raced from hurt to shame, anger to despair.
Morning came with puffy eyes and a throbbing head. At work, colleagues asked if she was alright. “Just a bad nights sleep,” she muttered.
At lunch, she nearly dialled Olivias numberwanted to vent about her bosss latest demand, the rude client. But she remembered yesterdays conversation and put the phone away.
The shift ended. On the bus home, Nina watched strangers hurry about their lives. Everyone had their own joys, their own struggles. And her? An empty flat. A telly. The crushing certainty she didnt matter to anyone.
At home, she decided to cook something nice. Maybe that would distract her. She gathered ingredients, turned on music. Half an hour in, she realisedshe was cooking for one. Eating alone. No one to say, “That smells lovely.”
Tears welled up again.
The phone stayed silent. Olivia didnt call.
The next day, Nina tried ringing herself. Maybe Olivia had cooled off. She hesitated, dialled, hung up. Finally, she pressed call.
The line trilled. And trilled. Then voicemail.
“Hi, this is Liv. Leave a message after the tone.”
Nina hung up. Maybe Olivia was busy. She called an hour latervoicemail again. And two hours after that.
By evening, it was clearOlivia was ignoring her.
Nina texted: “Liv, lets talk. I dont want to fight.”
No reply.
The next day, she tried from her work phone. Maybe Olivia wouldnt recognise the number. But the moment Nina said, “Hello?”the line went dead. Olivia had known her voice. Hung up.
That hurt. Badly.
Nina tried Victor next. Maybe hed explain, help mend things. But he didnt answer either.
A week passed. Then another. Every day, Nina checked her phonehoping for a missed call, a message. Nothing.
She threw herself into self-improvement. Signed up for French classes, joined a gym. Bought new clothes. But none of it brought joy. She had no one to share her little victories with.
Learned ten new wordsno one to tell. Lost half a stoneno one to celebrate with. Got a bonus at workno one to toast with.
She realised Olivia hadnt just been her sister. Shed been the centre of her world. Every joy, every sorrow, every plan had revolved around their bond. Now, without it, there was only emptiness.
Maybe Olivia was right. Maybe she had been too dependent. But was it so wrong to be close to your own flesh and blood?
A month later, Nina bumped into Katie, her niece. The girl had shot up, nearly grown now.
“Auntie Nina!” Katie beamed. “Hi!”
“Katie, love,” Nina hugged her. “Hows school?”
“Fine. Why dont you visit anymore? Mum said you two had a row.”
Ninas heart clenched.
“What exactly did your mum say?”
Katie shifted.
“Well… that youve been really upset since Uncle Simon left. That you need time to sort yourself out.”
So that was Olivias story. That Nina was the one whod stepped away.
“Katie, do you miss me?”
“Course I do! Youre the best aunt. And I miss your pancakes.”
Tears threatened again.
“I miss you too. You and Alfie both.”
“Auntie Nina, dyou want me to tell Mum I saw you? Maybe shell call?”
“No, love. Your mum will call when shes ready.”
Katie nodded, though she clearly didnt understand grown-up problems.
“Okay. But dont be sad, alright? And if you wantcall me. Ive got my own mobile now.”
Katie rattled off her number, and Nina saved it. At least this thread to Olivias family remained.
After that, Nina made a decision. If Olivia thought she was too needy, too helplessshed prove otherwise. Shed show she could live without leaning on her sister.
She started making an effort. Chatted with Mrs. Wilkins next doorthe woman shed once dismissed as a nosy old bat. Turned out she was just lonely.
At work, Nina joined colleagues for after-hours drinks. Made friends with women from another department. They invited her to the theatre, to exhibitions.
Life slowly improved. But it still lacked Olivia.
Two months after the fight, Nina took a desperate step. She went to Olivias house. Stood outside, staring up at the lit windows. Her family was in thereOlivia, Victor, the kids. Eating dinner, watching telly, sharing their day.
And she was out here. A stranger.
Nina buzzed the intercom.
“Yeah?” Victors voice crackled.
“Vic, its Nina. Can I come up?”
A long pause.
“Nina, nows not really”
“Please. I just need five minutes with Liv.”
“She doesnt want to talk.”
“Vic, Im not some enemy. Im her sister.”
Another pause. Muffled voices arguing.
“Fine. Come up. But make it quick.”
Nina climbed the familiar stairs, heart pounding. How many times had she run up these steps? With birthday cakes, Christmas presents, just popping round.
Victor opened the door, avoiding her eyes.
“Come in,” he muttered.
Nina hung up her coat, stepped into the lounge. Olivia sat on the sofa, clutching a cushion. Her face was stone.
“What do you want?” she said coldly.
“To talk. To explain.”
“I thought wed said everything.”
Nina sat opposite her. Victor lingered awkwardly by the door.
“Liv, you were right. I was too dependent. Complained too much, asked too much.”
Olivias expression softened slightly, but she stayed guarded.
“And?”
“And Ive changed. Made new friends, new routines. Im handling things myself now.”
“Thats good,” Olivia nodded. “Im glad.”
“But I still miss you. Not as a shoulder to cry onas my sister. My family.”
Olivia looked away.
“Nina, I miss you too. But Im scared well just fall back into old patterns.”
“We wont. I promise. No daily calls, no misery-dumping. Just us. Like before.”
Olivia was quiet, thinking it over.
“And if you start crying down the phone again?”
“Then you can tell me. And Ill listen.”
Olivia sighed, set the cushion aside.
“Alright. Well try.”
A weight lifted from Ninas shoulders.
“Thank you, Livvy.”
“None of that ‘Livvy’,” Olivia said sternlybut her eyes smiled.
They hugged. Tight. Real. And Nina understoodfamily wasnt just about support. It was about giving each other room to grow.
Sometimes, you had to almost lose someone to learn how to love them properly.
