A Sister's Heart

Chapter 9

Since the message they had received from Doctor Gilmore yesterday afternoon, the funeral home had contacted Ivy and a meeting had been set for the three of them to visit their mother. They had all agreed that it would be best if the kids, and Alexis, stayed behind this time and that maybe they could visit at a later date once things had settled down.

The visit had been scheduled for three pm and Ivy pulled into the parking lot at ten to. "Are you guys sure you want to do this?" She turned about a hundred and ten degrees so that Veronica, who was in the backseat, could see her too as she cut the engine.

"I guess." Was all Diana said.

Veronica however was a little more vocal. "As I'll ever be. It's just I'm not sure if I'm ready to say goodbye you know." She hung her head, almost embarrassed that she had just been more honest with not only herself, but her sisters too, than she had been in a long time. But as quickly as that shame washed over her, she composed herself again as if nothing had happened, touching up her lipstick and primping her hair. "Let's do this!" Climbing out of the car, Veronica strode right up to the front door without turning back. It took Diana and Ivy over a minute to catch up.

Once inside, they were told to wait in reception and that someone would be with them shortly. None of them spoke a word until a man approached them and introduced himself as Mr. Richard O'Brien, the owner. "If you'd like to follow me." He led them down a dimly lit hallway stopping only when he reached a door marked 'VISITATION'. "Now this could be harder than you think. I just want you all to be prepared. Only her face will be visible; the rest of her body will be covered. If you need a minute..."

"No. We're fine." Ronnie stated without even consulting her sisters, but they nodded in agreement anyway. However, as Mr. O'Brien opened the door in front of them, she hesitated. Instead of stepping forward like the others, she took a step back. "I'm sorry. I thought I could do this, but I can't." Turning to leave, Ronnie had barely taken a second step when someone grabbed a hold of her wrist. She didn't need to glance down to see who it was, yet she found herself doing so anyway.

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Veronica was gobsmacked. Ivy's outburst was seriously out of character. She had never stood up to her like that before, and by the look she saw on Diana's face, she was shocked too. "Ronnie, you are one of the strongest people I know, and I know you're scared; we are too, but you can do this!" Ivy removed her grip from her sister's wrist and instead took a hold of her hand. Diana took the other. "WE can do this. Together." Ivy sounded sincere, and for a moment it felt like they were sisters again. Real sisters.

Together the three of them walked forward, and while still holding hands, gathered around their mother. Esther would look as though she were just sleeping if weren't for the slight blue tinge to her skin indicating that there was no longer blood flowing throughout her body. Veronica's hand flew to her mouth, an almost involuntary reaction, freeing her from Diana's hand.

"She looks so peaceful." The comment came from Ivy, who didn't seem as emotional as the others. She had been the one to find their mother two days earlier, so compared to the shock of that moment, this didn't even compare.

Diana agreed. "She does." She just about managed between sobs.

Although she wasn't crying, Veronica seemed the most emotional off the three. One hand still covering her mouth, she bent over, closing the space between herself and their mother's body and taking the hand that had held Ivy's, stroked her hair ad if she were a child. It was something Esther had always done when of her children was sick or upset. It was her way of comforting them and now it was Ronnie's turn to do that for her. She knew it was redundant; her mother couldn't feel it, but she felt like she owed it to her; to the woman who had given her everything. "Goodbye Mom." She whispered. "You're at peace n ow. Go be with Dad now and say hi from me." Wiping away the single tear that began its descent of her cheek, she added. "I love you!" She spoke so soft and kissed her Mother on the forehead before standing and straightening herself again.

Having already said her goodbyes at the hospital, Ivy stood back in silence and watched this exchange and the one that followed. Diana's actions echoed her sister's and she also bend down, whispered something and kissed their mother. Ivy herself refrained from anything other than a quick kiss and telling her mother that she missed her.

When they were done, Veronica pulled her sisters aside in the reception area where, less than an hour ago, Richard O'Brien had greeted them. "Thank you." She said, "Thank you for pushing me to do that. I think I needed it a lot more than I wanted to admit. The declaration caught both Diana and Ivy off guard, but not as much as what she did next, as they were so unused to seeing their sister so vulnerable. Without a second thought. Veronica pulled them both into an emotional embrace. It wasn't so much the hug that shocked them; it was the fact that Veronica had been the one to instigate it.

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Author's Note - So, I am currently updating three times a week and hope for this to continue however at some point i may need to switch to just twice a week. But I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far and please keep reading and don't hesitate to leave a comment x