I woke with a massive headache, wearing the same clothes as last night. My eyes were heavy and burned every time I blinked. I rubbed my eye lids, blinking repeatedly as I took in my surroundings. I sat on my bed feeling a bit confused. I wasn't sure if it was a dream or I actually lived it. Until everything came crashing so fast, I glanced down at my hands. They were stained bright red. I gasped, jumping out of my bed. My clothes were covered in blood. This wasn't a dream and there wasn't any time waste. I raced into May's room hoping she'd be laying there. Instead I was washed with disappointment and fear.
How could this have happened? I cursed under my breath, flying out her room and downstairs. All I could do was pray that god didn't collect my sister's soul last night. It would devastate me. What would I do with out her? She is my twin, the other side of me. I wouldn't survive a moment of this torture reality.
To my surprise, I found an empty house with only Liz sitting in the dinning room. She sat staring into a teacup wearing a blank expression. My heart sunk low. Oh no.
"Liz," I said softly trying not to startle her. She jumped to the sound of my voice and hugged me tightly.
"Nena," she praised, kissing my forehead over and over. "Are you okay? I didn't know what to do when they brought you here last night . . . and when they explained about May." She started crying.
"She is not . . . where is May?" I choked out, clutching Liz closer to me.
"Your sister is in the hospital. I was waiting for you to wake." She answered. I threw my head back in relief. My sister was alive.
I straightened myself up wiping my tears away. "Let's go then," I ordered.
"Slow down," Liz said grabbing hold of my shoulders. "She is fine, go take a shower, wash yourself and will go right after." She assured me, kissing my forehead and turning me towards the stairs.
I sighed, doing what she said. The anticipation was killing me alive. Second hand information didn't quite fit with me. I needed to see for myself, to assure my soul that she was truly alright. For now, it would be a dream until I saw her. It already felt unreal. I knew I should have listened to my instinct. Something was warning me, telling me something bad was going to happen. Instead I listened to my sister. Not that I don't but look where it got her. In the hospital or worst, she could have been in the morgue and we could have been waiting for her autopsy result.
I clenched my teeth together and pushed that thought out of my mind. My sister wasn't going anywhere. I wrapped up my shower and dressing quickly and left downstairs. No more waiting.
"That was quick." Liz said.
"Does Dad or Mom know?" I began to ask as I headed out the door.
"He flew in last night and is in the hospital already. Your mom should be here in sixteen hours." Liz answered behind me.
At that moment, I didn't care about my life reputation. All I wanted do was be with my family, for daddy to assure me everything would be alright. My mind began to be flooded with imagines of my sister and I when we were younger, all the moments we shared contently. Celebrating our birthdays on Blare hill, the great adventures we constructed. It was playing like a movie with no ending and losing her is losing those memories. I wouldn't bear it. I'd never let that special cinema that plays in my mind burn out.
More weight seemed to lift off my shoulder once we reached the hospital. I didn't waste any time, I was out before Liz could even put the car in park.
"Child, are you trying kill yourself." She hissed angrily.
"Not yet . . ." I shouted before racing away. I dodged around an old couple who were walking two miles per hour. So close to my sister to then get stuck behind old people, I don't think so. Luck was even on my side when I reached the front desk. I gave the lady my sister name. I waited as she looked her up my sister's information. After a few minutes, she gave me a curious look but didn't say anything. I rolled my eyes, trying hard not to give this lady a piece of my mind. The best I did was snatched the slip from her hands, nodded my thank you and took off in a rush.
I sighed impatiently as the elevator took its sweet time to reach my floor. Really, my patients hung low on the verge of snapping. I didn't have time for this. I ditched waiting and took the stairs and made it to the forth floor breathless. I stood wiped out, taking a moment to rest. This day it self was plotting to kill me with detours and misery. I glared at a young couple who gave me a dirty look as they passed. I cursed under my breath, walking slowly to the front desk of that floor. What was wrong with the people here? There slow, rude and noise. My forehead creasing with rage, I asked the nurse which way three zero two was. Her eyes open huge, appraising me for a second. I rolled my eyes again.
She quickly spoke ignoring my annoyance. "Down the right hall and to the left, her room should be the first door sweetie." The nurse's tone seemed kind. Maybe I misread her when she smiled sweetly and presumed to what she was doing.
I smiled innocently and left before she could question my identity. "Thank you," I said over my shoulder. My body clawed with a new amount of energy that more close I reached her door. When my eyes laid sight of the door number, I literally felt like I might die in this moment. "Finally," I whispered in my mind when I stood outside her door. I gave the door a light knock before entering. My whole body burst into nervous trembled. I didn't know what to expect. "May," I called out. I gasped, freezing in place. That wasn't my sister. I must have the wrong room. I look at the pass the woman had giving me earlier but there was no mistake. I glanced back at my sis. The nurse was hovering over her body, taking her blood. May just lay there motionlessly staring out to space. I waited as the nurse finished her job. She gave me a swift nodded and exited the room closing the door behind her.
My heart was beating extremely loud and I couldn't find the words to speak. May wasn't the beautiful girl I remembered. Her left eye appeared badly bruised sprouting a dark purple I never knew existed. Her top lip was excessively swollen and she had tiny bruises through out her exposed skin that was visual to me. I enclosed the space between us, and sat on her bed like a robot. The closer I became the more her face stood out. Her eyes were puffy red indicating that she had been crying all night. I felt the same way, dead and hopeless.
From the corner of my eye I saw Dad's brief case and coat thrown on the couch. I search the room, but the bathroom light was off. I wonder where he could be. I turn my attention back at May who was staring at me like a zombie. I was suddenly afraid of her. She looked like a predator. Even though her eyes were puffy red, her pupils looked like they exploded making her eyes appear black and dark. What the hell happen to her?
"What happened May." I asked. Her body twitched as if she were being electrocuted over and over. She closed her eyes and laid her head back on the hospital bed. The purple that covered her eye seemed darker, the closer I was. She re-opened her eyes but they didn't look at me. Her breathing was exceeding and my heart began to ache. She was in physical pain. I wanted to cry. "May tell me . . ." I demanded in a light tone. I reached to touch her hand but she pulled it away.
I frowned when she still didn't answer me. So I waited. Ten minutes dragged by and we still sat in silence. Soft sobs escaping her lips and she clutched the blank in fists. Her eyes fell upon mine and there was the sorrow mixed with angry circling around them. I just wanted to hug her, will the pain away, though I didn't. I just sat perfectly still.
"David . . ." She stopped and looked away, sort of embarrassed. "David and I were having sex in the guess house when we heard a loud crash in the back yard. It frightened us when we heard Daisy's scream. He told me to wait while he went to check it out. I waited for a while and he never returned. I put my clothes back on and went to go see for myself." She started crying. "David told me to run, to get out of there but I couldn't leave him. He was held at knife point." May covered her face and her sobs grew louder.
"One of the guys . . . he, he . . ." her cries grew stronger. "Suri I fought as hard as I could, but he was too strong. He beat me when I wouldn't stay still and then . . ." She paused looking away. "He raped me. I heard David's scream and his attempts to try to save me but it was no use. There were too many guys." May said shaking her head. "We were nothing against those men." I frowned when she truly broke down and started crying her eyes out. I climbed next to her, holding my sister close as her cries echoed in my aching soul.
After a while, her crying began to simmer. So I dare asked. "Did you get a look at these men?" I wondered.
"I can't remember." She said in high pitch voice.
"Is David okay?" I was answered with nod and her low sniffs. "Where's Dad?"
"He went to see David and he said he'll be back in a bit."
"Hmm . . ." I trailed off. "Does Dad know what you just told me?"
"Not exactly, I just told him that I got into a fight. Suri you can't say anything if they question you, promise." She said urgently, squeezing my arm.
"I promise, but I wasn't the one there. What about David?" I said suddenly annoyed.
"He's the one who told me not too."
"How the heck, isn't he hurt badly?"
"Derek sent the message and he is alright, better conditions then me."
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Derek was here, in the same floor as me. I think I was going to pass out. I've been so caught up in the situation that I forgot about my new boyfriend. "Derek . . . he is here?"
"Yeah . . ." Her voice trailed off as she gave me a funny look. I blushed and touched the pendant around my neck. My inside instantly became weak. "Is there something you want to tell me?" May said. She sat up straight. I'm glad to see she didn't lose her spunky, tell-me-everything, big sister side.
"Yes."
"I knew it. Spill because I am not dead . . . yet." She joked.
"Not funny," I said giving her a death glare. Dead jokes were just not cutting it right now.
"Ahh . . . just tell me." She demanded more firmly, crossing her arms across her chest.
I sighed rolling my eyes. Even in the hospital I had to fight the urge to poke her in the eye. "Well, last night before everything happened, Derek and I were upstairs-"
"No fucking way! Suri I was almost sixteen when I lost my virginity. You promised, how could you?" May hissed, ready to chew my head off.
"Whoa, whoa," I jumped off the bed holding my hands up in surrender. "Slow down with that MayFlower I didn't have sex. I got my first kiss but not sex." I assured her before I end up looking like her.
Maleen narrowed her eyes on me, searching my face for the truth. After a long second, she smiled the loving smile I adore and patted where I sat. "Sooo, what happened?" She asked animatedly.
I grinned extra cheesy and sat next to her. "Derek asked me to be his girlfriend."
"Aww," she playfully gave me a push. "I knew he would ask you." I smiled touching the necklace around my neck. "What's that?" May said trying to get a better look at my gift.
"A gift Derek gave me."
Her expression suddenly faded and hardens seriously as she pressed her lips into a hard line. She glanced out the window in thought. "He is really serious about this."
My heart skipped a beat. "May you should have seen they way he asked me to be his girlfriend. I thought he was proposing." I joked. May just stared at me, her eyes searching my face. She appeared sad now. Tears welled in her eyes as she leaned herself back and gazed at the hospital ceiling. She crossed her hands over her stomach and sniffed. I could already hear the water works forming again.
I didn't know how to help her but to be there for her. What she experienced, it could have been worst, end painful and tragic. I am just thankful she is not dead. I rest my head upon her shoulder, wrapping my arms around her. She mirrored me but wrapping her arms lightly. Her body against mine was trembling and a deep sorrow began to build within myself. I hated to see my sister suffer and I couldn't nothing but hug her.
Maleen must be going through hell. I partly know how she feels. Second thought, I don't. I wasn't raped, forced against my will. I wasn't beaten nearly to death and watch my boyfriend almost get killed. So I couldn't compare any of my experiences to her. Not that I been through again like that, just the pain. I've dealt with deep despair.
I listened to my sister's heart, the rhythm beating a fast pace. I listen more closely to each thump, treasuring the sound that gives life to my sister. I was grateful that this beautiful sound of a drum didn't give up and gave out to the darkness.
"We're sisters, right?" Maleen whispered.
"Always, nothing can change that." I promised, squeezing her tighter. I felt her weak arms to squeeze me back.
"Then you can keep a secret, right?"
My head shot up, our eyes meeting at that same moment. I saw the torment dancing in her eyes and the plea for my ultimate confidence. "With my life, May, you know that already." I assured her. "What's wrong?" I asked. I waited impatiently as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. I hitch a breath as her tears flowed non stop.
"I'm pregnant." She spoke in a horsey voice. My eyes wanted to explode from their sockets. Did I just hear those words? I dazed at her stomach that was protected by her cut bruised up hands.
"What." I murmured in disbelief. "That's impossible. Those men . . . I mean you were only raped last-"
"No, no, I'm pregnant by David, Suri."
My mouth fell into a perfect O. I was baffled. My seventeen year old sister was pregnant and officially on mommy status. No where in her expression did it show she was kidding. My only sister, how could this be? I didn't know whether to be excited or mad that she made me into the youngest aunt.
"How many weeks are you?" I asked.
"Umm . . . I'm two months and one week tomorrow." She exclaimed.
"What?" I think was going to have a cow.
"Suri, David and I been together for long time. We lost our virginity to each other. I see him more than you think. We've had crazy sex this summer and it slipped and I got pregnant."
"Who else's knows?" I hissed.
"No one besides Vi, Daisy and Derek, and know you." She said.
That's when everything came rushing to me. The truth my eyes and ears have witness. All the sleep over May has to "attend to" in the summer. Then when I saw David and Maleen together for the first time when I started High school. It was almost like time stopped for them when they looked at each other. I should have thought something had changed when she suddenly wanted privacy or to knock before I entered her room. Every piece began to deluge into one complicated life puzzle.
It never occurred to me that May was madly in love. She sure disguised her feelings from me very well. Derek knew because he and his brother were close just as similar to my sister and I.
"Does Dad know?"
"Why would he know?" She barked at me and I flitch back at her harsh tone. Her face was automatically apologetic. "Suri, promise me, no matter what happens to me you can't tell him or mom."
"The only reason I asked was because were in a hospital. They can determine that through your blood." I pointed out. "And you know very well, once a secret is always a secret between us." I attested, placing my hand over my heart.
"Promise me Suri, please." She begged ignoring what I said before.
"I promise." I said placing my hand over hers. She couldn't help but smile.
"My nurse, she's a woman, she been attending to me and she knows, the doctor knows. They spoke to me before dad arrived. It's taken care of."
"Oh."
It was quiet for a moment. I couldn't get over the fact that we were talking of this. A baby was in her abdomen, growing and hopefully healthy. David was apart of our family, my brother in law. I was extremely anxious now. I couldn't wait to see what my niece or nephew would look like. The only thing that disappoints me is that she didn't confide in me sooner. All her secrets back then were safe with me, what change that she couldn't confide in me. I mean having a baby is no joke, but I would have been with her along the way.
Now there were so many questions I wanted answered. So many explanations I wanted said from both David and her.