Sisters.
1047 Words
Poppy recounted every detail she could while choking back tears. Pop was normally so composed. She was our little outlier, our little anomaly. At 5 foot 9 our baby sister towered over Bo and I both. I can recall only ever seeing her upset twice in my life but at this moment our blonde beauty was absolutely distraught.
“I should have called you first Clo I don’t know what I was doing!”
I pushed her out at arms length,
“None of this is your fault Pop.. I should have been home.”
Regret washed over me. I should have been home. I’m always home.
Kieran placed a hand softly on my shoulder.
“Please stay here tonight Clover..” he briefly looked to Eamon and then back to me,
“I insist your sisters stay as well.. E and I need to talk, the guests rooms are down the hall to the left feel free to assign them how you wish.”
He kissed my forehead before leaving with Eamon.
Bo approached Poppy and I and nudged us towards the empty hall. After a long walk we reached a dead end with tall wooden doors on the left and right. We all made eye contact before I reached for the handle on the left. We always used to do that as kids, it was almost easier for us to communicate without talking.
The room we entered was enormous. The misty blue walls and breezy white curtains made me feel like we were at the beach. The rooms lighting was dim and calming, two queen sized beds with fluffy white comforters were the center piece of the room.
“I don’t wanna sleep alone tonight Clo.” Poppy clung to my left arm in desperation. I looked over to Blossom who rolled her eyes a little. I knew she could read my mind again. Bo walked to the side of the bed to the right and I went to the bed on the left, simultaneously we pushed them together until they met in the middle.
*Knock knock*
“Girls it’s Elma.. I have some pjs for you if I could come in.”
She slowly walked in at Bo’s welcome with a stack of clothes.
“It’s just a few of my old night gowns.. they aren’t exactly cute but they’ll get the job done just the same.” She sat them on the end of our Franken-bed and let out a little giggle. She looked up with a glisten in her eye.
“Good night girls, try to get some sleep. Everything will be better in the morning.” Without another word she left and closed the door behind her.
Bo reached for the stack of cotton nightgowns and unfolded an emerald green one with a white lace collar.
“Oh Clo this one was made for you.” She laughed as she tossed it to me. She chose a soft blue checkered mumu for Poppy and gave herself the pink floral gown that almost swallowed her whole.
We looked at ourselves and we looked at each other before bursting out in laughter. Climbing into the bed, we placed ourselves into our old sleeping arrangement; Bo on the right, Poppy in the middle and myself on the left. It immediately felt like home even though we’d all been living on our own for years. We cuddled into each other under the comforter and pulled it high up to our necks.
“Tell a story Clo.. I gotta think about something happy to go to sleep.”
Poppy reached for my hand under the blanket and clapped it to her chest.
I couldn’t tell her no, but I also couldn’t come up with a story on the spot the way I used to anymore.
“How about a good memory instead?” I offer.
“I’ll take it.” She smiled and closed her eyes.
“Do you remember your 5th birthday Pop?”
She soured her face but kept her eyes closed.
“Mmm a little.. refresh my memory.”
“Oh I think I remember!” Bo chimed in excitedly.
“It was your fifth birthday and mom of course forgot and stayed the night at .. Steve’s house?”
I questioned the last part because I couldn’t write remember if that was the correct timeline of moms boyfriends.
“Uhh I think.. or maybe it was Carl?” Bo added.
“Regardless, Bo and I had been preparing for weeks in case mom did.. exactly what she ended up doing..” Bo made eye contact with me and giggled.
“I had saved all of the money I could find to buy your gift and Bo stole ingredients from the kitchen to make your favorite blueberry pancakes for breakfast.”
A smile creeped across Poppy’s sleepy face.
“Keep going.” She whispered.
“You woke up so excited I don’t even know if you realized mom wasn’t there. I was so excited to see your face when you saw your gift.”
I can’t help but reach over to brush the hair away from Poppy’s face.
The duckling we bought off Mr. Johanna was scrawny and ugly but it was all Poppy could talk about.
“He was so so cute .. I loved him!” Poppy cooed, “.. I wonder if he’s still on that farm in Kansas..”
Soft snores began to escape her lips. Bo and I looked at each other choking back our laughter. Sometimes I forget how well we sheltered her.
I whispered to Bo,
“Well that was easy.. do you think Mr. Swimmy has had a nice life on the farm?”
Bo punched my arm over Poppy’s head.
“I was devastated when that duck died..” she said visibly laughing even though I could see a twinge of sadness in her eyes.
“I know Bo,” I push her shoulder back a lot softer than she hit mine. The happy memory turned a little sour but it still felt good to reminisce.
“Let’s go to bed too.” I turned out the lights and crawled under the covers beside my little sister.
Within a moment the world went black.
- Writer
