Never Separated

Aethaeth's sister died in a car accident, and her parents just wont let go.

"Aethaeth, honey, come downstairs and eat your dinner." I heard my mother calling me.

S**t. I thought, my heart beating wildly as I turned off the faucet, my heart beating wildly as I called back down to her. "Yeah, give me a minute."  I patted my arm dry quickly, pulling my sweatshirt back over my head.

Resting my head against the back of the cool white door, I paused, hand on the brass knob. Sighing, I turned it slightly, pulling it back and flicking off the bathroom light.

I yawned as I stepped through the door to our dining room, the suddenly bright lights blinding me. The rest of the large house was dark, its many rooms settled with dust and gloom.

My mother stepped into the room, carrying a tray with spaghetti on it through the archway. Her auburn hair escaped from the messy, loose bun it was set in. Her eyes were brown, a small sparkle barely surviving.  I flinched slightly as I looked at the food, sighing as I took it from her pale, thin hands. "Mom..." I stopped myself, settling into the quiet that had become the norm in our home, not a trace of the happy laughter that had once filled it remained.

I looked down at the table as I set down the food, my gaze going right through it and the rug beneath to the red-stained wood. I hugged her as I turned around. "I won't be going anywhere."

She smiled back at me as my father came into the kitchen, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled at us.  "We wouldn't have it any other way, honey."

We sat down, my parents at either end of the long, rectangular table, leaving me to stare at the empty, dusty chair across from me, with the word 'Erin' embroidered on it, like my name was embroidered on mine.

I looked at the calendar on the far wall, at the red circle on today's date, and the small drawing of a birthday cake. I looked away, my eyes stinging with tears as I lifted my fork to my mouth.   

Suddenly, as I tasted the tomato sauce, I was hit with a memory.

My older sister sat next to me, her blonde ponytail bobbing as she sung along to whatever song was on the radio. I was immersed in my book, flipping the pages quietly. The rumbling of the engine stopped as my father parked the car. "We're here." He said, as I sighed and unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Yeah, yeah, we hear ya." I grumbled as I slammed my car door shut. I plodded up the sloped driveway, pasting a look of happiness on my face just in time for the door in front of me to open and my grandmother to emerge. Her old, wrinkled face was set in a small scowl as she looked at my thin frame.

She scrunched up her nose, looking at me. "I see you gained some more weight. Honestly, is that what you're wearing? You would think that a girl raised by me would be able to dress her daughter in clothing that doesn't look like it's from a heap of garbage."

I smiled tightly. The woman was old and losing her mind. She didn't say anything with malicious intent, supposedly. "It's so nice to see you, Grandmother." I spoke in the cultured tone that she wanted me to.  She turned huffily and stalked back into the house, obviously disappointed  that she wasn't given a reason to harp on me further.  

My mother hugged my shoulders as her sister came out. "Sorry, hun. Just try to get through today." She murmured into my ear. I nodded, and walked forwards, glad that I had parents who loved me.

I pushed my food away as I was slammed harshly back into the present. "I'm not hungry. Sorry." I murmured.  

As I made my way back up to my room, I saw my sister's keys hanging from the hook next to her door. My parents had put them there as part of their shrine to her.  I glared angrily at the small glass keychain. Why did they need to remind us all of why she was gone every damn time we walked by? It's not like we could forget anyways.

Suddenly, I heard the doorbell ring. I was closest to the front door, so I yelled back to my parents. "I'll get it!"

I walked quickly, wanting to return to my secludedness as soon as possible. I swung the door open, stopping as I stared at surprise at the two men behind it, dressed in the blue uniform of an officer of the law. "Is everything alright?" I asked as one began wrinkling their nose.

"Yes'm. We just need to look around the premises."  The taller one said, tipping his hat to me.

I nodded, stepping aside. They entered and another flashback hit me as I walked behind them, causing me to stop in my tracks as they turned into the dining room.

It was about a week after my sister had died in the car accident. I had been sitting in front of her door, mourning her as my parents stumbled in drunkenly, at 2 a.m.

My mother giggled, wrapped around my father. Neither saw me. I heard one of them, I'm not sure who, at this point, murmur "Now all we have to do is get rid of Aethaeth, and we can be free from those two again."

I saw red as I stood. Something inside me had snapped. "Mother, Father." I said the words frostily. "Would you two like me to make you something to eat?" Perhaps, if they'd been sober, they would have noticed my odd, cold tone. Would have been wary. But they merely nodded, laughing. They moved to sit at the dining table, and I retrieved the antifreeze from the garage. I had baked a cake earlier that night, and it was a small thing to add the chemical to the icing. I frosted the cake, and carefully cut two large slices for them.

All this passed through my head as the police froze in front of me. I palmed a small knife. They turned simultaneously to stare in horror at me. My voice was back to freezing. "We won't ever be separated."