Two Sisters

by Leen Elle

  James gave me a dark glare.

  "Er…not that it's bad for her to check on us." I added hastily.

  "Jasmine?" He answered. I already had my third drink ready for me when he exclaimed loudly. "What do you mean? She messaged you? When?" He asked.

  I stopped to look at him. "You think so? No, I really don't want you traveling anywhere in your state, love." James said.

  Confused I turned to him. "What wrong?" I asked. He held up his hand to silence me.

  "Yes, I understand it's been a long time, but I don't think you should be overly excited, I don't want you to get your hopes up." James said. He gave me a quick glance then looked away quickly.

  "No, I don't understand the feeling, but if you want to be sure, I can go in your place." He said. I tapped my fingers impatiently, waiting for him to hurry up. "No, you're right, it won't help at all, but who then?" He asked. James then gave me a look.

  "Aaron? Are you sure that's such a good idea?" He asked. So now they were talking about me and I didn't even know why.

  "Well, I don't know, Jasmine, but I still think it's pretty far fetched-oh, don't do that." He said, looking troubled. "Okay, don't cry, just don't get overwhelmed, I'll work something out. Yes, I'll be home soon, take it easy, okay? I love you. Bye." He said and hung up.

  "What happened?" I asked.

  "Well, Jasmine received a message from Jennifer, and they talked on the phone." James said. I sat up quickly, knocking the chair backwards.

  "What are you talking about? She found Jennifer? Where? Where is she?" I asked frantically.

  "Calm down, Jasmine thinks that Jennifer went to Texas to stay at her parents' ranch. She's not too sure, but that's where she thinks Jennifer is." He explained. I was already paying the bartender money for the drinks.

  "What are we waiting for, let's go then." I said quickly.

  "Hold on, you don't even know where the ranch is, we need to talk to Jasmine first." James said, getting up from his chair.

  "Look, James, this past year has been hell for me. I'll take the first flight to Texas tonight if I have to." I said, barging out the door.

  "Money doesn't seem important, I see." James said, looking back at the bewildered bartender as he held up two one hundred dollar bills.

  * * *

  "What was the town called again?" I asked, driving past so many fields in a little rented car.

  "Orchard, it hard to miss. If you're lost, just go ask for directions in one of the antique stores. The people have known about the ranch for years." Jasmine said over the phone.

  "Okay, got it, thanks again." I said, and I hung up.

  Of course I got lost in small town. Every damn field and dirt road looked the same. The single stop light town was located near some railroad tracks, so a train would pass by every half hour. The sun was beginning to set and I decided to stop by the only gas station and ask for directions.

  "Evenin' how may I help you?" The man behind the counter asked.

  "Yes, I need some directions to get somewhere." I explained.

  "I see, you ain't from these parts, are you? Ya'll city folk look all the same." He laughed wholeheartedly. I forced a quick smile.

  "Ah…yeah, well, I need directions to the ranch that belongs to the Millers." I said.

  "I know where that is, I'll draw out a map for you. You got a pin?" He asked.

  I searched my pockets. "You mean a pen?" I asked.

  "That's what I said, pin." He said, taking the pen I handed him. I really wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, then again, I really couldn't pay much attention with everything that was in my mind.

  "Just head straight from the American Legion and you will see herds of cattle. Keep driving up that road and you will see the ranch, you understand?" He asked.

  "Er…yeah, thanks." I said, taking the napkin he drew on.

  When I finally reached the ranch, it was a lot bigger than I expected. I couldn't even imagine how many head of cattle they had. I stepped out of the car, and several ranch hands gathered.

  "Can I help you, sir?" A man asked.

  "Yes, I'm looking for-"

  "They're not here." The man said.

  "Excuse me?" I asked.

  "Mr. Miller and his wife are not here, they are off on vacation somewhere. They won't be back for a long time." He said.

  "Oh, I wasn't looking for the owners, I'm actually here looking for someone else. Their daughter, Jennifer, no longer Miller of course, but still the same person." I felt like an idiotic moron.

  "You're not from these parts, are you, Yankee?" The man asked.

  "Obviously not, you have a problem with where I come from?" I asked.

  "Well you people only come down here whenever you smell good business and profit." He said.

  "I just said I was looking for Jennifer, you know her or not?" I asked, getting a little irritated.

  "Yeah, she's been living here for a year now." He said.

  My heart started to race. "Can you call for her?" I asked.

  "What if I don't want to?" He said. I was about to reply with an angry retort when the doors of the large ranch house opened. An old woman came bustling out, wagging her finger at the ranch hand.

  "Antonio, que no te dije que no seas asi con las presonas? Asi no es como you te crie!" She scolded him.

  "Mama, el dice que quiere hablar con la hija de los jefes, yo se que no mas quiere ser negocios." The ranch hand seemed to explain. I just stood there, not really knowing what they were talking about.

  "Eso no es asunto tuyo!" She yelled. She turned to me. "Come, sir, come." She beckoned for me to enter the house and I did so. I followed her to the back of the house and out the back.

  "I'm looking for Jennifer." I said.

  "Si, there's river in back, go to river." She said, smiling. She looked at my eyes. "Ojos verdes como su padre." She chuckled. I didn't waste time trying to figure out what she said. I followed a dirt path that led down gentle hills. As I approached the river, I could hear the water getting louder and louder. I spotted a huge log that made a bridge across the river. It was rotten and old, probably a tree that fell over years ago. The river current seemed really strong, and anyone could be swept away from it and taken under in a matter of seconds.

  "Where are you." I said to myself as I scanned the river bank. I walked several steps toward the direction of the log and stopped when I heard some leaves rustle. Just then I caught a whiff of lavender.

  "I knew you would come looking for me." I heard a voice. I felt my heart stop as Jennifer emerged from the foliage, holding in her hand a single white rose.

  "You're here…" Was all I could say.

  "When Jasmine heard Maria, I knew it was a matter of time before she figured out where I was." She explained. I watched as Jennifer walked to the edge of the water. She was still breathtaking as ever, however, there was something different about her. She seemed a little more, gentle. What happened this past year?

  "I really don't know what to say now that you're standing right in front of me." I said truthfully.

  "You see this river? I just had to come back." She said.

  "Why?" I asked.

  "It's where Jane died." She said softly. I didn't quite understand where this was going.

  "Jane?" I asked.

  "Yeah, my sister." She said. Well, hell, I wasn't expecting that.

  "You had another sister? Was she the youngest, oldest?" I asked.

  "No, the three of us were triplets." She said. "I'm the reason she died." As I was recovering from the shock of what she just told me, Jennifer tossed the rose into the water and we both watched in silence as it disappeared underwater.

  "What exactly happened?" I asked. Jennifer sighed deeply as she stared at the log.

  "We had just finished middle school, and this was our favorite spot to hang out. Even back then I was as stubborn as I am today, I guess that's my curse." She said, Jennifer carefully got on the log and I had to hold back the urge to pull back down to safety.
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  "I dared my sisters to cross the log to get to the other side. They both weren't up for the idea, but I just wouldn't let it go." She said. She started to walk.

  "Jennifer…" I said warily.

  "It's not like we've never done it before, but Jane said she had a bad feeling. I literally forced my sisters to join me. I was in the front, Jasmine in the middle, and Jane at the rear. If would have been in front, maybe I would have been able to save her." Jennifer sighed.

  I was starting to get uneasy at the way she was walking further and further across the log. "Jennifer, let's talk about it here, come back, you'll fall." I called out over the noise of the river.

  "Jane fell." Jennifer said, leaning out to the edge, I swear I was about to have a heart attack.

  "Jennifer!" I cried this time.

  "It happened so fast, she was swept away in a matter of seconds. They found her body further down the river, she had drowned." She said. She just stood there, mesmerized by the rushing water. "She was torn away from us so fast, and it was all my fault."

  I waited to see if she was going to start to cry, but she didn't, Jennifer remained still. I approached the log and analyzed it, it was still in one piece after so many years?

  "It wasn't your fault, it was an accident." I said.

  "No it wasn't! If I hadn't asked for her to cross the damn log, she would still be here with us!" She yelled. I held up my hands.

  "Okay, just walk over here, take it easy." I said, she didn't move. I cursed inwardly and carefully lifted myself onto the log.

  "She was the smart one, Jane." Jennifer said, smiling slightly. "She wanted to be a teacher."

  I awkwardly stood up, and I didn't realize before just how ferocious the river was until I was standing over it. No one could survive that, and if they did, they would have been crushed viciously by the jagged rocks pointing up from the surface.

  "I killed my sister, and I almost killed Jasmine too. Why do I have to make the same mistake twice in order to learn? Why can't I just stop and think of the consequences of my actions?" She asked, but she was asking mostly herself. I took small steps towards her, and she obviously hadn't noticed me yet.

  "I usually have to mess up, too, in order to learn." I said. She looked up and saw me for what seemed liked the first time.

  "Aaron! What are you doing up here? Get off!" She cried.

  "Start walking towards me, first. What are you thinking coming up here, it's dangerous!" I shouted back.

  "I've been walking on this log for years, stupid idiot! Get the hell off before you fall!" She yelled back. The spray of the water had made the log very slippery, so I was surprised when I almost lost my footing.

  "Careful!" She cried. She walked towards me, but as she neared me, I heard this sickening crack. I froze in horror as a piece of the log gave in and Jennifer fell from the edge.

  "No! Jennifer!" I cried, my blood running cold with fear. Jennifer clung onto to some moss growing on the side of the log, but we both knew that wasn't going to hold her for long.

  "Aaron!" She cried, her frightened voice piercing my heart.

  "Hold on!" I yelled. As I quickly made my way towards her, there was another crack, and for a brief second, we looked at each other, and the log gave away. Her scream was the last thing I heard before hitting the freezing water. I was immediately taken under, and I didn't know which way was up. My arms and legs were struck and scratched by rocks, and I panicked. Not for myself, but for Jennifer.

  I was thrown upward, and I broke the surface for a few seconds and I was able to see a bobbing head up ahead. It was Jennifer. Then her head disappeared and I felt my heart turn over.

  "Jennifer!" I sputtered before the water took me under again. I took in a mouthful of water and my lungs protested painfully. I tried hard not to open my mouth, but my head began to feel dizzy. That's when I felt my arm slam into a rock, and despite the inexplicable pain in my muscles, I clung on to rock. My nails raked its hard surface, but I was able to pull my head up from the water. I coughed up the water from my lungs and looked around wildly.

  "Aaron! Aaron!" I heard her scream. I saw her not far off, clinging to a rock like I was. She was searching the water.

  "Jennifer!" I cried. She spotted me, relief spreading across her face, but the fear was still there. "Don't move!" I yelled, preparing to let go.

  "No! Are you crazy! Stay there, you'll be taken!" She cried.

  "I'm coming for you, stay there!" I shouted.

  "No, Aaron, you'll drown!" She cried desperately.

  "I'm not letting you go, again!" I shouted and released my hold from the rock. I was swept away by the water. I tried to use my arms and legs to swim in some direction. I was starting to think that I lost my chance when I felt an arm grab the back of my shirt. I took Jennifer's arm, but that's when she lost her hold on the rock and we both were being taking again. Only this time, I had her in my arms.

  I held Jennifer in a death grip and didn't let her go. We broke the surface again, and I thought I saw a large tree branch reaching down the water. Wait! I quickly let the current take us, fighting against the water as it tried to take us under. I broke the surface again, and I heard Jennifer give out gasps. The branch was nearing, if we could keep to the surface for a few more seconds. I reached out one arm as the tree branch came closer. I snatched my hand up and I felt the branch and its thick leaves. I grabbed hold tightly and proceeded to pull us up. The pain in my arm was unbearable, but I clenched my teeth and pulled with all my strength. We weren't completely out of the water, but at least we were safe from the damn current.

  We both took a minute to catch our breath, my lungs took in the oxygen painfully, but it was a good kind of pain. I looked down and Jennifer wiped her wet hair from her face. I had almost lost her again, and this time for good.

  "We were lucky that this tree was here…" I finally said. Jennifer nodded.

  "Funny, I've explored this bank for years with my sisters, I've never noticed this tree dipping over the river like that." She said. I spotted something in the corner of my eye.

  "Well I guess your sister has been watching over this place, watching over us." I said. She turned her head in confusion.

  "I don't understand." That's when she followed my gaze and her eyes widened.

  Underneath the branches of the tree, several white roses were gathered together in one place. Seeing how the river was so strong and wild, it would have torn the roses to shreds; but there they were, intact and as beautiful as ever.

  What were the chances of that?

  * * *

  Jennifer sniffed, and I coughed. I was feeling a cold coming on. I moved my arm a little and winced at the pain after straining it. We both sat on her bed back at the ranch house. The maids freaked when they saw the state of our clothes and didn't take long to know what happened.

  "Maria is brining us some soup." Jennifer said, drying her hair with the towel. We took separate showers, but that didn't stop me from trying to sneak in with her, she kicked me out of course.

  "I don't care what it is, I'm starving." I said, sprawling out on her bed. The scent of lavender surrounding me in a warm cocoon.

  "About Jasmine, how is she?" Jennifer asked as she brushed her hair.

  I watched the curves of her body and ignored her question. She saw me through the mirror.

  "Aaron."

  "She's doing great. She was able to walk again, and she and James went at it like a couple of bunnies. She's pregnant again." I said, taking a picture frame from her bedside table. It was a picture of three young girls, one looked nervous, one bold, and the other one looked wise beyond her years. I wonder what she would have been like if she was still alive.

  "Jane was sort of our guide. She always knew the right things to say to keep us together." Jennifer said as she sat down. "We were lost without her. I guess that's why Jasmine and I drifted so apart over the past few years." She looked up and her olive colored eyes stared at me, deep with longing.

  "Do you lov
e me?" I asked, not really caring if I was taking things way too fast.

  She didn't say anything at first, but she finally spoke. "I want to meet someone." She said, taking my hand and leading me out of the room. I followed her down the hall and we stopped outside of a room. She placed a finger on her mouth and told me to be quiet.

  I was half expecting something out of the ordinary, but when she opened the door, the color blue smacked me in the face. Then I smelled something sweet and clean, a sort of freshness I recognized from experience. It was a baby smell.