Hybrid Affairs

Moving on

Amy missed her sister so badly that she made a vow to her empty grave that she would find out whoever took her away from their family. The community and the family therapist insisted on having a grave in honor of Stacy to help them move on with their lives.

It never did.

It was just a stupid marble stone with Stacy Wright’s name on it. She did not like it because she was insisting that Stacy was not dead. It became part of her life back home to pay respect to her sister’s grave regularly. She had a hard time making new friends because she depended greatly on her sister. She was never comfortable talking with her, like how she talked to her in the graveyard at their home. Her mother made a spot, an altar, to be exact, with Stacy’s photo and a lot of her medals and achievements were placed in that spot.

She watched as that spot was slowly forgotten.

The family was never the same again and so was she.

What used to be poor in academics and a bench warmer during P.E classes, she was now trying out for the women’s volleyball team and is now a consistent top student in her class. She did it all because she knew that it was what Stacy wanted and she hoped that one day, when they would finally meet again--Stacy would not roast her for being the same weak student.

Her parents were astounded by the change in her academics and her rise to school fame. The weak and average Wright sister had now reached her full potential. She was always the inferior sister. Stacy was the consistent top student and was captain of the cheering squad.

Amy burned the midnight oil to be able to gain the knowledge she needed and to drag her falling grades up. Her grades dwindled when Stacy left, she had a lot to work on. Including her appearance.If she was so keen on living up to those standards that her sister left, she should at least also level up in the appearance department.

Stacy was built with lean muscles from being athletic since birth although she was petite. Her hair was gorgeous and her face was small. Some students compare her to an angel because she was really dainty and kind and always nice. Amy was different, she got her genes from her father and everything was the exact opposite of Stacy. She was built differently but she was also pretty. Maybe not as dainty as her sister, but she is pretty in her own way.

To put it nicely, as per Stacy’s words: “You are pretty, sis. You just need a re-do.”

Stacy had always wanted to put her in the make-over chair on the dresser of their shared bedroom. Being two years younger than Stacy, she did not find joy in brushing her hair a few times a day or even taking a shower regularly. Stacy always had to remind her to do this stuff. That was why she always ended up crying in the bathroom when she sees the beauty products that consisted the bath regimen of her sister.

Her mom finally decided to remove all of Stacy’s stuff because she said it'd be for the betterment of everyone. Amy arrived home from school seeing empty boxes in the living room and her sister’s bed was being hauled by three young men whom she knew so well because they worked at the thrift shop that they frequent on weekends.

“Mom, what is going on here? Where are they taking Stacy’s bed?”

“Honey, we are donating all her stuff to charity. It will be best for us.”

“No..what is she comes back? She will need her stuff!” Amy panicked as more stuff came from upstairs.

“We have to accept the fact that she is no longer coming back. I do not want you holding on to her stuff, it’s unhealthy.”

“Unhealthy how?” And then it hit her. Her mother heard her crying in the shower many times but chose not to confront her about it.It was maybe her fault now why they had to do this. If she did not cried like a baby in the shower then, they would have continued to live in peace and Stacy's stuff would be safe.

In the end, she chose to rest her case. If she pushed harder on the issue that she feels and knows that Stacy is still alive, her parents would be left with little to no choice about forcing her to see a shrink. And seeing a shrink at a very young age could only mean one thing--she was crazy and no one will ever treat her like a normal person again, even if it was only for consultation purposes.

Amy, through many tears, asked her mother if the guys from the thrift shop and the charity can wait until she goes over Stacy’s stuff to see if she wanted to keep something. Like a souvenir. She ended up getting all of her sister’s wardrobe and shoes which the guys from the thrift store was not very happy about.

Stacy was very careful with her things and almost everything was still in top shape.

Edward arrived with Dad soon and he also had the pleasure of choosing something from our missing sister’s stuff as a reminder of her. He chose the volleyball. It was battered by all the practices that she attended and I do not know why Edward chose it over a gazillion of stuff. Stacy collected comics and Lego’s. I really thought that he was gonna pick those.

However, her parents did not keep anything other than the photo they had of her in the makeshift alter in the house, that too had been removed and in its place, was now a shoe rack. She don’t get adults. They try to mask the pain even if it was there, as plain as freaking broad daylight and she also does not understand children. Their choices still baffle her.

She carefully lays the clothes she got from her sister and stares at the boxes of shoes and bags.

Amy runs down the stairs just enough to see the truck carrying her sister’s stuff to be used by other living people.

“Mom, dad. I need cash.”

She asked her dad to drive her to the mall and pick her up after two hours. She bought herself a hairbrush, some hair clips and the exact same cologne that Stacy loves. Later that night, she convinced her parents to have her hair cut short.