Sometimes I get an idea in my head, but I don't feel it's part of a larger story arc. For some reason, that idea just sits in my brain, refusing to let me work on anything else until I write it down. The following scene represents one of those times when I needed to put something on paper. I pulled some anecdotes from my past, and some from things others shared with me (don't worry, I got permission to use them).
I like this scene because the emotion behind it feels true to me. I hope you like it, too.
P.S. The photo I used is an actual photo of my sister and me. I think it's cute, but those outfits, though ...
The One at the End of the Line
“Remember when we played hide and seek with Dad’s wallet and forgot where we put it? He was so mad! He spent hours cancelling credit cards and then visiting the DMV to get a new driver’s license.”
Laughter from both of us, one wheezing and one robust.
“What I remember is Mom found it three years later behind a picture frame on those shelves. I don’t know who was more embarrassed … us for losing Dad’s wallet or Mom for not finding it for years, thus proving our family’s housecleaning left a lot to be desired!”
Giggles erupt.
“I don’t think that even comes close to the time when we locked ourselves out after sneaking off with that boy, Matt. We had to knock on the window and wake up Mom. She grounded us for a week.”
“Matt was cute, though.” Silence as we both think back to a boy long ago moved away and out of our lives.
“Yeah, he was pretty cute.”
Her fingers tuck my hair behind my ears, smooth down my arm, and grasp my hand. She smiles at me. “He was totally worth the trouble.”
“Totally,” I agree.
“Hey, what about the time when Mom got pulled over by that cop who accused her of lying when she said she hadn’t seen the speed limit sign. Remember that?”
“Dad said he had to look out the window while Mom talked because he wanted to tell off the cop.”
“Mom just smiled and said she kept thinking to herself that, as long as she got off with a warning, she wasn’t going to blow it by telling the man what an arrogant jerk he was.”
Smiles all around.
“The jerk only gave her a warning, so she was right.” I cough, trying to clear my throat.
She waits until I regain my breath, then adds, “Mom was pretty good at playing the game. She said she just kept her true thoughts in her head and concentrated on getting whatever she really wanted without letting the person know they were being manipulated.”
I nod, slowly. “I never saw her do that with Dad, though.”
She cocks her head. “I guess she respected him too much to play.” She sighs. “I miss them.”
“Me, too. It’s been a long time now.” I pause. “Not too much longer for me, though.”
Her face tightens. “Don’t talk like that.”
I shrug, the gesture minimal because everything hurts. “It’s true, and you know it.”
She grips my hand harder and then relaxes as I wince. “Sorry.”
“I’m glad you’re here with me. Seems like we’ve been together forever.”
Tears gather in the corner of her eyes. “We’ve been together as long as I can remember.”
I tighten my grip slightly, the best I can do under the circumstances. “I’m sorry to leave. I’ve been watching out for you for so long, I feel like I’m letting you down. But I’m so tired.”
“You’re not letting me down, and it’s okay to rest now.”
I close my eyes, then pop them open. “You won’t leave?”
She smiles, her lips trembling slightly before firming valiantly. “Where would I go? I’m right where I want to be.”
I sigh and close my eyes again. Spots of light prick behind my eyelids. I feel dizzy, but I can still hear her, still feel her presence. I hold on tighter to her hand, but I feel myself slipping away.
She whispers, “I’ll be here to the end of the line. What else are sisters for?”
Julie

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