Rain's POV
I have a sister..
Mandy is my sister..
The person i hated the most since day one.
I shut my eyes closed and held my forehead for a while to ease the fast thumping of my nerves. It's really too hard to bear.
First, my mom's alive and that she's living with her woman-- whom by chance, the mother of the person i never want to be with for a second. Worst part is that, she's my sister..
A sister ..
"H-how come?" I asked weakly. I open my eyes and stare at them.
The woman infront of me gave me a warm smile. A smile that is full of understanding.. And somewhat, i felt loved.
"Y-you've... g-gr-grown up l-li-like y-your m-mom..." She says while gently reaching for my hand.
Three years ago, when i'm all alone and my pain is stinging like a painful wound, a fresh cut skin--i swore that I'll gonna make a mess of the Dyke who took my mother away. But now, when the moment i dreamt for years is now happening in front of me, i could not even find the guts to do so.
That dyke isn't the one i had in mind. Her face reminds me of how to be able to give without asking anything in return. She seems so calm, so serene. That somehow i find peace by just merely looking at her pale face. She's weak--- i know she does. Her sick condition is too visible. She looks like dying. But her appearance is contrasting to her inner soul.
"Y-your M-mom..i-is m-my..." The woman coughs as if she's taking her last breath.
I saw Mom run hurriedly from the kitchen.
"You should be taking a rest,honey." She says to the sick woman as she gently kissed her temple.
I couldn't help but to wince. My mom being compassionate is new too me. I haven't seen her being such to my dad. I know she's a good mom. She used to take good care of us when dad was alive but now i realized the difference of doing by heart and doing by responsibility.
"I think i should go.." I stood up and faked a smile.
"You could stay as long as you want,baby." Mom says and reached for my hand. Her eyes looks like pleading. It's as if she's
begging me to stay.
"Much as i want Mom, i know you already had a life of your own and i do already have mine."
She cupped my face and kissed my forehead.
"How i wished i could turn back time and have the guts to be a Mom to you. "
I tear my gaze on her to control my tears.
"B-but you couldn't.." I said softly.
"A-am I t-too late?" She asked hopefully.
I wiped the corner of her eyes. Seeing your mother cries because she's regretting what she've done in the fast melts my frozen heart.
"W-why?"
That's a single word that i've long-waited to asked on her. It means too much to me.
Why did she left me? Why didn't she take me with her? Why did she choose to live a life without me? Why didn't she love me? Why she abandoned me? And too many why's left unsaid.
"I was too young back then. I don't know how to be a Mom. I was forced to marry your dad. I married him because i was scared to lose everything. I used to live a luxurious life. So, I've turned my back to my wife and Mandy. I chose to be with your Dad. And then, you came. I thought everything will be okay. But it wasn't.." She explains.
"W-what do you mean?"
"He just married me so he could have a total control of my parent's wealth." My mom said bitterly.
I know how she hates business. She doesn't even finished highschool. I know that because she's always the topic of my Dad's colleagues' wives. They are always making an issue on how ignorant and uneducated my mom is. That my Dad should have not married a woman like her. And that he deserves better.
"M-Mom.. I-I d-didn't k-know.."
My mom gently shook her head.
"He took everything i had. He wasted everything for his gambling...and whores.. He have a lot of t-that.."
"W-why didn't you tell me!?" I screamed.
"B-because you're too proud of him!! Be-because he was your s-superman.. A-and you w-will never believe me!" She hissed back.
I cupped my face and shouted. I felt so ashamed of myself.
I remember back then how i adore Dad. He used to be my superhero, my superman. He sets my standards in everything. But at the same time, i used to be ashamed of my Mom, an uneducated Mom. I used to be ashamed that she was my mother and how many times i wished she wasn't my mom.
"W-why d-did you leave me when i needed you the most?!" I accused her.
She gave me a sad look. And somehow all of my why's are answered.
She is my Mom. But i never make her feel that she is. I make her feel miserable and unwanted. I am one of those narrow-minded pricks who thinks low of her. How dare me to think that she'll still stay after those times.
"I-I w-was afraid that time baby. I have nothing. You're father have wasted all of our wealth . There has nothing left but debts, bank loans, and mortgages."
"S-so that's the reason why you sell our house?"
She nodded at once.
"I sell everything that's left and paid all his debts and left you what was left on it. " Mom explained.
Yea, and since i was devastated that time, i spend all the money that was on me. The next morning i woke up, i have nothing.
I looked at my Mom. She seems to grow older than her age.
"W-why didn't you take me with you?"
She shook her head. And suddenly i felt my heart tearing into pieces.
"I know nothing that time. I don't think i could find a suitable job that you could be proud of!! And believe me , too many times i have wished that i finished my degree so i could be someone you could look up to with admiration and respect the same way you look at your dad..."
I immediately run the distance between us and hugged my mother like I'm holding for my dear life.
"I-I'm s-sorry.. I-I'm s-sorry.. S-sorry M-mom. For making you feel like that. I d-didn't mean to. I l-love you. I really love you Mom. You just don't know how many times i wished that someday you'll be back for me. That when i open my eyes, you'll be there cooking me breakfast. And when i'm sick, you'll took good care of me. That you'll be there on my birthdays. That you'll be there when i woke up from a terrible nightmare. That whenever i felt all alone, you'll be there to soothe all my worries. That you'll be there to tend my wounds. You don't know how many times i wish i had you when i felt like almost giving up. That i really want someone to stay beside me. That i never want to be alone. That i needed you.. B-because you're my mother..."
"B-baby....I'm so sorry.."
And yea, somehow i felt the chains of the past was unlocked. I cried like i haven't been before. I really miss my Mom.
----
I woke up with a terrible headache. After my confession with my Mom, i gave in to her invitation to sleep in their house with Aunt Margaux-- Mandy's Mom.
I already know that Aunt Margaux is her ex-wife before she married my Dad. Mom and her were childhood bestfriends and since their parents are both devoting Christians, they were disowned by their families when their families learned about their relationship. Talk about disgrace. Thus, they were one of those couples who wants to go despite all odds. They adopted Mandy and thought they could have a happy-ever-after story.
But neither of them has finished college so they couldn't have a well-paid off job and soon loses all their savings. And since Mom was afraid to lose her luxurious lifestyle, she divorced Aunt Margaux and married my Dad so her parents will accept her again. And there the story goes.
I ease the thumping in my forehead as i stare at the ceiling.
Aunt Margaux is dying. She has a cancer. And sooner or later she'll be taking her last breath. Last night when we talked, she asked me of her dying wish-- to forgive her daughter and be in good terms with her.
Honestly, i don't know how to face Mandy. Ever since, her presence is a nuisance. But because of our Moms' , i have to be nice on her. I just didn't know how.
After setting a plot of me with the woman i love, i seem to be not forgiving until the next trillion decade. How dare her to have an affair with my girlfriend when she's fully aware that i am her sister. Sisters don't do that to each other.
I shut my eyes to concentrate on my plan.
"Aren't you done counting lizards?"
I immediately opened my eyes and look at the culprit.
I saw the curvaceous figure of Gray Lendramar leaning on the door frame of my room. She's wearing a pink bunny pajama top and figure-hugging pink pajama bottom. I bet I'll be earning thousand dollars if i could capture a picture of her in that outfit and sell it in the magazine publishers.
"What are you doing here? Ain't you supposed to go home?"
Gray cockily raise an eyebrow and cross her arms on her chest.
"I know I'm pretty stunning but i don't mess up with my bestfriend's girlfriend."
I gaped at her as my mouth form an 'O' shape. After recovering from that, i immediately throw her a pillow.
"You're so full of yourself, Lendramar!!"
I heard Gray laughed out. That makes me realized that she's just making me forget all of my worries for awhile.
I hurriedly grabbed my phone and took shots of her.
"W-what the f-fuck, whore! What the hell are you doing!?!"
That surely gets her. I grinned at her playfully.
"I'm going to sell this shots. I bet I'll be earning thousand dollars for it.."
Gray make a face and fakes an angry look as she dive in my bed to tickle me. I laughed hard when she found my weak spot.
"G-give it b-back to me... Or you'll be d-dead..." She warned which makes me stick out my tounge.
"Nah, i won't. I need money. " i joked.
We played tickles for awhile that turned into pillow fights . We both lay on the bed after a while.
Suddenly, we both fell into a silence.
"G-Gray?"
I could hear her deep breathing and the wild thumping of her heartbeat.
"H-hmmm!?"
"Uhm.. T-Thank you.." Was all i said.
She just nod while staring at the ceiling.
"You said you know four truths.. I already know the three, what's the fourth?"
She shook her head and laughed a little.
"Stop tricking me. I supposed to tell you only two but i have tell you three. The fourth is for you to find out ."
I eyed her gratefully.
"Th-Thank you. You're nice at times."
"N-nah.. Remember that i'm doing it for a purpose." She reminded me again.
Remembering Ken and our current situation brings creases to my forehead again.
"What will you do?" Gray asked.
"I honestly don't know how to face them." I replied truthfully. Thinking about Ken and my sister is really an issue.
"Just trust your heart."
"I did a hundred times but it always seems to fail me."
Gray slouched and sit on top of the bed.
"D-do you love K-kristen?"
I look at the window to answer her question. I should not forget that she is still Ken's bestfriend.
"I d-do love Kristen." She said while laughing. "I already said that to you before. I've said that while holding your gaze and bravely lifting my head high. Can you do the same?"
"M-Mandy is my s-sister.." I said tiredly. No matter what happened between me and Mandy, she is still my sister. And sisters protect each other's back and not biting one another when the other is facing the other's back.
"And so if she's your sister? Everyone is fair in love and war. Is Kristen not worthy?" She argued.
"Blood should be thicker than water." I argued back.
"But you're not sharing the same blood as hers!"
"B-but she's still my sister!"
"S-she never was!!" Gray's tone raised.
"Then i guess, i have to start being a sister to her."
Gray gave me a bored look as she stood up and straightened her pajama.
"You're not just stupid and pathetic, Mckenzie. " Gray almost spit out. "You're also a coward who's trying to hide into one's shadow just to project an image of Oh-so-perfect bitch! . You know what? Just continue that. And then one day you'll find yourself losing everything. You once came from that and Kristen gave it all back you. But it seems, you'll be losing it all again. "
"N-never tell me how i should run my life! I can't gamble all at once!"
"Then it's too late.." She spoke seriously. "All is at stake. And Kristen Campbell is one of the prizes."
I watched as Gray reached for the door and closed it--leaving me behind.
----