The Unbiological Sisters

Chapter 1 ~ Make the Past Last

~1786~

    "Do you ever wish father would let us marry who we want?" Temperance asked absentmindedly.

  "You're not thinking about Gad still, are you?" Millicent turned her eyes on her twin. She was annoyed that Temperance couldn't seem to leave and let lie the arranged marriage topic. It wasn't exactly the end of the world. 

  Temperance rolled her eyes. "Of course I am. In case it slipped your mind, I love him!" She pointed out for the bazillionth time.

  "Find a way to move past it. Father will find us men who can provide for us and that's all we need. Besides, you know better than me how Father doesn't like Gad."

  "Of course he doesn't. Gad isn't wealthy and Father is only interested in money. Still, Gad makes enough to get by and he can make enough to support the both of us. I'd rather marry for love than for wealth." Temperance argued. " Wouldn't you rather be happy than miserable?" She asked, pulling a few daisies out of the ground.

  The twins were sitting out under the big oak tree in front of their house. It provided just enough shade on this sunny morning so they could enjoy the weather without sweating in their tight dresses. Temperance was seated in the grass while Millicent was seated in the swing hanging down from one of the branches on the tree.

  "That's easy for you to say when you actually have someone to love. I have no one." Millicent stated bitterly.

  "Don't do that."

  "Do what?" Millicent replied in spite.

  "Don't get all snappy with me. There's someone out there for you. You just haven't found him yet." She assured.

  "Well, I won't have to worry about that much longer. Father will be introducing us tomorrow afternoon." Millicent paused to watch Temperance's reaction. Her twin's eyes twitched slightly. "You better be there."

  "Who's going to make me? You?"

  Millicent resigned herself to the fact that Temperance wasn't going to change who she was just to obey their father. She is her own person and she won't let a little thing like an arranged marriage stand in her way.

  "If I--you're right. I wouldn't make you and even if it was possible to make you, I wouldn't be able to stand the look on your face. But you know how father will react if you don't show." Millicent warned.

  "Let me deal with him." Temperance smiled. "He always had a soft spot for me."

  Millicent gaped playfully and lightly swatted Temperance on her shoulder.

  "What? You know it's true." Temperance said. Both girls burst into giggles. 

  ------

~2008~

  Molly's eyes opened unwillingly to be greeted by the darkness of her room. She dared a glance at the clock only to see bold blue numbers glaring her in the face.

  4:39 A.M.

  Molly sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Another day, Sam. I'm trying. I really am."

  She shoved the covers off and stepped out of the warmth into the cold air. Quietly she made her way to the bathroom. If she woke her parents now, she'd never hear the end of it. Molly entered the bathroom, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness before she stubbed her toe or did some other painful thing. Turning on the lights would only annoy the serenity of the sleeping household. She used the toilet, then washed her hands, splashing some of the water onto her face.

  Taffy stared into the mirror, stretching the skin under her eyes and separating her eyelids from her eyes. She couldn't deny how bloodshot they looked. She also couldn't deny the glassy glimmer that labeled her an addict and denied her brown eyes the beauty they deserved.

  Heroine, meth, weed. You name it and odds are Taffy had done it. Four months of drugs. It hadn't been her idea, she hadn't been a willing participant, but addiction has no rules. 

  "I want to stop." She begged the figure staring back at her in the mirror almost disappointedly. "Tell me how to stop."

  The reglection suddenly stopped copying every movement Taffy made and crossed her arms as if to say 'you already know what you need to do.'

  "I don't know if I'm strong enough." Taffy whispered.

  The reflection raised her eyebrows and stared pointedly at Taffy. Reflections show you who you really are and Taffy knew her reflection was showing her just how bad off she was. 

  She nodded determinedly. "It's time for a change."

  Taffy opened the bathroom door and exited into the next room. A bunch of teens sat strewn all over the room. One was passed out on the couch, another sat on the floor next to the couch lighting up some meth, and a few others were completely high and staring blindly at the television set.

  'How did I get to this place?' Taffy wondered.

  Without another glance, Taffy walked to the front of the house, trying to remember the way out. Her mind was still somewhat fuzzy from her last buzz. She came across two other teen guys in the kitchen.

  "Hey, wanna hit?" One of them asked, holding out a cigarette.

  "No, I'm going home." Taffy mumbled and stepped around them and into another room.

  "Yo whatever man." She heard him dismiss behind her.

  Finally Taffy spotted the front door. She stumbled over to it and was about to pull it open when a hand slapped against it, forcing it to stay shut. Taffy peered up at the figure. She recognized him despite the fuzzyness clouding her mind. 

  "Where you going, Taffy?" Damon asked.

  "I'm going home." She tried to open the door again, but Damon's hand didn't budge. "Take your hand off the fucking door!" Taffy shoved him, but Damon only grabbed her, pinned her arms to her side, and shoved her against the door.

  "You aren't going anywhere unless I say you can. Did I say you could leave?" Damon asked, his temper rising.

  "No." Taffy mumbled.

  "What was that?"

  "No!" Taffy shouted. "Let me go!"

  "Look around! Do you really think you're any better than me or the rest of us? Huh?" He shook her.

  "Stop! I don't want to do this anymore! I never wanted to do this."

  "Do you really think I'm going to just let you leave? Once you're in the group, you're in for life. Or did I not make that clear enough in the beginning?"

  "I didn't sign on for this. You can't make me stay!" Taffy cried.

  Damon backhanded her. "You'll do whatever the fuck I tell you, bitch!"

  Taffy held her face where he'd hit and knew she was in trouble. Slowly she straightened up and then rammed herself into Damon, sending them both sprawling to the ground. Taffy struggled to get up and run, but Damon was hot on her heels. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and sent her face first to the floor. Taffy bit her tongue and tasted blood. She twisted around so she was facing Damon.

  He pointed a gun down at her. "What now?" He spat.