The Christmas Wish

Chp 1

~~ SAMANTHA'S POV ~~

If you asked me, 'hey Sam, what do you think you will be doing the day before your wedding day?' My answer would definitely not have been, I'll be bailing my younger sister out of jail.

There are two important things you need to know about Chloe my younger sister by two years: 1. She is terrified of being alone and 2. She can't stand to see anyone else happy.

So here I am, facing a reproachful expression from a policewoman, as I sign a document saying I will ensure Chloe will make her court date appearance in two weeks when she comes sweeping into the waiting area.

"Oh my God Sam. Am I glad you are here." This is what she does, pretends nothing has happened.

"Are you really doing this Chloe?" I can't even look at her.

"Sam, don't be like that please."

I can smell the alcohol on her and hear the tiered tones in her voice. I turn to face her.

"Ok. How do you want me to be Chloe? How do you think I should be reacting when it is my wedding day tomorrow and I have to come and sort this shit out?"

I can see the expression on Chloe's face start to harden.

"Wow Sam. I've been locked in a prison cell overnight and I haven't even had a, hey sis are you alright?"

I could feel my face flush red with anger.

"God I wish..." I wanted to finish the statement so badly but something stopped me.

"I know. You wish Mum and Dad were still alive so I wasn't your problem. Well guess what sis, I wish they were here too, every single bloody minute. Maybe then I wouldn't have a sister playing at parenting and failing so horrifically."

Chloe turned and stalked out of the room through the glass double doors.

Even now, two years on, it was hard to think about Mum and Dad not being here.

I thanked the Police officer and exited the waiting room holding the plastic bag of Chloe's personal belongings.

I had stepped out into the busy London street when the bag began to vibrate. Someone was calling Chloe's mobile.

She was already several paces ahead of me. I was so tiered of this. She was eighteen and acting like a ten year old.

Digging the phone out I glanced at the number. In confusion I dug it out of the bag. The number was there, clear as could be and unmistakeable. The name SEXY assigned to it.

I jabbed the answer button bringing it to my ear, answering with deliberate silence.

"Chloe, are you out? I have been worried sick." Was that Dexter's voice?

Chloe had stopped walking and had turned to face me. My gaze rose and locked with hers. It took a couple of seconds for her to clock the bag in my hand and then see the phone at my ear. She ran quickly over to me.

"Oh my God Sam, what an invasion of privacy. How dare you answer my phone calls." She had forcibly ripped the handset from my hand and jabbed at the hang up button.

I was so confused and suddenly felt very very sick.

"So what do you still need to do for tomorrow?" Chloe had chucked the comment over her shoulder as she stalked away.

Oh my God the wedding! There was a tight twist in my stomach. I needed to talk to Dexter now.

"I'll see you tomorrow Chloe." I just couldn't be bothered with Chloe's self absorbed world.

"But I haven't got anywhere to stay." Her eyes where as big as saucers. "And I don't have any money." This was the last straw.

As beneficiaries to our parents estate, we had both been given a substantial amount of money on their death and here Chloe is telling me she has burnt through it all already.

"I don't care Chloe. You got yourself in this mess, get yourself out of it." Everything suddenly felt like it was spinning out of control.

"There you go again, miss, my world is perfect and every bump in the road is always created by someone else, never you." Chloe's cheeks were red and her hazel eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She looked like she did the moment I had told here about Mum and Dad.

I knew I wasn't dealing with any of this in the way I should. I knew Mum would have smoothed Chloe's hair with her palm and offered her a hot chocolate with marshmallows. How had we got here?

"Come home with me and we will figure something out." I heaved in a huge sigh and turned in the direction of my car.

***