The Able Sisters

Chapter 52

It was autumn again, and things were the same as normal as Sable ran the business with Mabel and enjoyed her quiet life in Animal Village...for the time being anyway.

"Did you see this?!" Sable exclaimed, holding out a paper in front of her sister.

She watched Mabel stiffen for a little bit, then look closer.

"They're planning an expansion above town for a nice little shopping center, and they want us to move the shop."

"Would it really be such a bad thing?" Mabel asked. "Our home and store is a little crammed."

"Look at this! Nook's Homes will be open for business, yet his other business is still open. If he isn't the greediest, son of a--"

"Maybe this is for the better," Mabel said. "Things have always been quiet around here. It'll be nice for a change. Tortimer is retiring very soon. Maybe it's better someone younger is coming to help."

Sable sighed and took a seat. Her sister had changed in the past year. There were those few months she was very quiet, yet Sable had never pushed to ask why. Now Mabel was mostly back to her old, positive self, yet she seemed more wise too.

"I have to think about it before I agree to anything," Sable said.

"Well, of course. And it's your decision to make, not mine," Mabel said.

Sable smiled weakly and shoved the notice away. Work was slow that day, and as Sable glanced around the shop, she noticed Mabel was right in a way. Things were crammed, especially their living space upstairs. She could only imagine what it would be life to have this house all to themselves to live in.

Later that evening, Sable began reminiscing about her childhood again, thinking of what her parents would do in this situation. This shop was old, and maybe a new location was just what they needed.

Her eyes fell on the one family portrait that she had left up. Her eyes fell on Label. It was odd. She hadn't thought of her sister in months, but her sister's presence suddenly felt very large.

Maybe I have too much anger built up inside me, Sable thought.

She and Mabel talked about normal things at dinner that night, speaking briefly about the new construction projects. Sable didn't like change, but Mabel assured her it would probably be for the better.

Sable leaned back in her chair. Change...It was true. Her life had been the same, stagnant life since her parents had died practically. Of course, she'd raised Mabel and had that brief friendship with Tom. She'd opened the shop too, but that had all been several years ago. What was her life now?

"You know who I was thinking of earlier?" she asked.

"Tom," Mabel said in a goofy voice.

"No!" Sable exclaimed. She cleared her throat and glanced away from Mabel.

"I was thinking about Label."

A silence filled the room. Mabel dropped her utensil, and it clattered against the plate.

"But, you, what..." Mabel was at a loss for words. "You never talk about her. Why are you bringing her up?"

"I was thinking a lot about change today. I've kept her out of my life for twenty plus years, just like Tom. I'm still mad at Tom, by the way, but what about Label?"

"But she left us," Mabel murmured. "You made that very clear."

Sable nodded. "True, true. I don't know what she's up to and she's never contacted us. I wonder what it would be like to talk to her again, that's all."