My Sister's Keeper

Chapter 7

Nora woke up in her sister's bed with a busting headache. The light was way too bright. It seemed to her that her dad was being extra loud making his morning coffee just to torture her. She went to stand and found that her legs felt like weights were pressing on them and that her stomach was trying to have her puke up everything she had ate and drank from last night. Her dad nudged the door open slowly and smiled gently at her.

“Hey sweet pea, I brought some Advil and some ginger ale. It will help.” He put it down on the side table with a thump and Nora flinched. “Sorry doll, I remember my first hangover.” He said with a grin.

“You aren’t upset?”

“No Hun I’m not mad. You are old enough to make your own decisions. And with that being said I saw him kiss you and I bout lost it, but then I smelled the wine on you. He could have taken advantage of you but he didn’t. So, I figured I would just be here this morning with the aftermath.”

Nora smiled and then rubbed her eyes. “Everything is too bright and loud.” They both started laughing.

“Any reason you fell asleep in Isla’s room? It took me a minute to find you.”

“I dunno I guess it makes me feel like she is here. It sounds silly but I sit here and talk to her. It feels like she is in limbo."

“I know how you feel doll. Ok rest a little, we have to get ready for church soon.”

He gave her a kiss on the forehead and went to head out the door, but Nora stopped him. “Hey dad… I love you.”

“I love you too sweet pea.”

After a long hot shower, the Advil had started to kick in. She dressed and made her way to the kitchen. Her dad had made some pancakes smothered in syrup and scrambled eggs. Nora devoured the meal, and her dad just smiled over the paper he was reading and drank his coffee. “You ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

They made their way into the double door of the church and sat near the back pews. A hushed silence overcome the church with plenty of people turning around to see Nora. The preacher stopped dead in the middle of his greetings and went to them to pray over them.

“Lord, we come to you today to seek guidance and acceptance for these 2 sheep of your flock. Let them be healed of burden and strife. Forgive them of sin and help the police department find Isla. Let them have closure. Amen.”

So that was it. Even the preacher didn’t feel like finding Isla alive would be a possibility. It took everything she had not to get up and scream to the heavens. However, the sense of dread from her father's side had her rooted in her seat. He felt it too then, the shift. It started feeling more like a recovery effort now than a rescue. Not wanting to cause a scene she just nodded to the preacher and squared her shoulders. Her dad giving a slight smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. She felt him shatter though, felt the hopelessness radiating from him.

As the sermon had ended everyone was saying their goodbyes and hugging. Nora and her father tried and failed miserably to skip through the crowd. They got stopped by a group of women from the neighborhood who was giving their condolences and such, but Nora thought they were being a bit too handsy and feely. She tried to hide her amusement. Her dad already had looked uncomfortable enough.

“Felix, please accept this edible arrangement from our church group.”

He reached for the bouquet, “Oh umm thanks Gwen.”

She touched his shoulder and smiled, “If you ever need anything please reach out to us.”

He backed his arm away from her and said, “I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

Then another woman that Nora didn’t recognize went to go in for a hug, but her dad gently grabbed hold of Noras arm. “We must be going, but ummm thanks for the fruit.”

Nora tried not to snort. He helped her into the truck and the ladies were all oggling him from the sidewalk. He shut her door and rolled his eyes at her s**t eating grin. He waved and got in the driver’s side and drove away.

“Thanks for the fruit?”

“What was I supposed to say?”

“ummm, I dunno maybe that you are allergic to strawberries.”

“And break their hearts?”

“Are you going to throw them away?”

“Yes, but I must get further away that I know we weren't seen. Maybe the dumpster behind the Chinese restaurant on Alberta.”

Nora burst into laughter, “My God dad, I honestly can’t with you.” Both of them were laughing so hard that they were almost crying.

***

She made it home to find a text from Spencer.

Good morning. I hope you don’t feel as shitty as I do. Maybe shouldn’t have had that last glass of wine. Talk soon?

She smiled and texted back.

Good morning to you too. And it was nothing an Advil and eggs couldn’t fix.

The ping was almost immediate. That’s a relief. Would you like to hang out with me later today?

Sure, I would like that.

Ok meet me at the park at 7?

Great see ya there.

She looked to the mirror in her room and frowned, without Josie’s guidance this light lilac haltered sundress and gladiator shoe combo would have to do. Her hair was actually working with her and stayed in the dutch braid she had that ran the length of her back, but her bare face would not do. She got out her concealer and dabbed a bit around her eyes to cover the dark circles and then brushed her unruly eyebrows. She put on a little mascara and a lip tint and brushed the most subtle blush into the top part of her cheeks. Much better.

***

She pulled up to the park and looked for Spencer. There he was on the bench that overlooked the pond. They were literally the only people there. He was in blue jeans and a purple shirt with their mascot on the front and his letterman jacket. She smiled and came up behind him and put her hands around his eyes. “Guess who.”

“Is it a gorgeous, funny, and tall woman named Elenora?” as a smile stretched across his face and he gently lifted her hands and looked up at her. “Wow, you are stunning.” Still holding her hands, he twirled to face her and stood up. She looked up at him and him down at her and he placed a small kiss on her forehead and then hugged her. “hi”

Nora felt warm and tingly all over and she stumbled across her words. “Uh... Hi to you too.”

She reluctantly let go of him and went to sit on a swing. He didn’t sit next to her but instead started swinging her from behind.

“Are you going to compliment me?” he said.

“Oh, are we a little conceited?”

“Maybe a tad bit vain, but I genuinely care about what you think of me.”

“Why is that?”

“I’m extremely interested in you. That’s why.”

“Vain and direct.”

He stopped swinging her and came around to face her. He put his hands on either rope of the swing and leaned into her and whispered, “I just know what I want.”

Nora gasped a bit and said, “and what is that?”

He then bit his bottom lip as his eyes slid down to her lips and then he kissed her. Her eyes closed and she parted her mouth and then it was passion. She felt her legs wrapping around him. His hands coming free of the swing, one of them ran around her back to prop her up against him and the other was wrapping around the braids of her hair.

Heat had started rising between them. She heard his breathing and smelt his scent. it caused her to imagine all sorts of dangerous thoughts. His tongue was exploring her mouth. His hand in her hair began to pull out strands of curls from her braid and his grasp around her waist tightened bringing her closer to him. She let herself start exploring him she put her hand under his shirt and felt the rock-hard abs with one hand and dragged him closer with the other hand in his hair. They lost themselves in the kiss.

It was everything she had imagined it would be. Not the cruddy first kiss that she had with Ezra Hart. That had been an awkward exchange. He hadn’t known what he was doing and startled her by licking her lip and forcing her mouth to part with his tongue. He then clinked their teeth together and after they had looked to their wounds he tried to kiss her again. She had pushed him off her and ran. This was so much better.

Suddenly though she didn’t know how long they had been kissing but she did know that if she didn’t stop something could happen here in the park, the very public park. So, she reluctantly put her legs down from around him and stopped kissing him. They were both panting and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her like he could devour her, hungry. He looked around and realization of where they were seemed to set in his eyes. He let go of the ropes and ran his fingers through his hair and sat on the swing next to her. “Sorry Nora, it seems that you have that effect on me too.”

“Why didn’t you kiss me like that last night?”

“Don’t think I didn’t want too. But we were both beyond tipsy andddddd I seen your dad looking through the curtains at us.”

“Such a gentleman.”

He bowed, “You know me. Gentleman is my middle name.”

“Yeah, I remember that Spencer ‘Gentleman’ James.” she said gentleman with air quotes.

He reached for his heart, “Elenora, you wound me, I think given the circumstances that I have been nothing but.”

“What circumstances?”

“You really don’t see it do you?”

“See what?”

“My god woman, you don’t see how beautiful you are and how enchanted I am by you?” leaning in to give her another soft kiss on the lips.

“Mmm, I am beginning to.”

“Good because I am.”

“It is getting dark though and I had promised my dad that I would be home soon. However, he didn’t say you couldn’t come over to hang out.”

He looked back up to her car and stood up to bow to her and offer his hand. They started the walk back up to her car. He opened the car door, and she got into the seat.

“Well then, would it be gentlemanly for me to keep you company with his absence?” he said whispering into her ear.

“I would like to say so.”

“Ok ill meet you there in like an hour.”

Nora smiled, “Why an hour?”

“You will see.” and he kissed her hand and shut the door.