~♥ A Sister's Love ♥~

A story of two sisters separated when they were very young, their struggle to find each other and the long fight to become one.

"We can't Joel, we just can't. I can't let go of my babies like that, that's what they are! Just babies!" The light haired woman stood with her husband just outside their daughters' door. She was weeping quietly for her two girls, as her husband held an arm around her shoulder.

Joel Mathews kissed his wife's hair as she buried her face into his chest, "we have to Liv. It's the only way; they'll never know..." Joel looked back into the room at his girls, one light haired like his wife, Olivia, and the other dark haired, like himself. "Let's get them ready." He moved forward, keeping an arm around her; they moved up to one of the beds and looked down at their daughter. The dark haired little two year old girl sighed in her sleep, a faint angelic smile graced her lips as she cuddled deeper into her covers and the teddy bear in her arms. Joel released Liv, and bent down to his daughter, kissing her lightly on the forehead.

As her husband leaned over their oldest daughter, Olivia went to the crib on the other side of the room. Her light haired, three month old angel lay sleeping in the crib, sucking her thumb. Liv reached down over the rail of the crib and touched the sleeping baby's head gently. A tear slipped quietly down the woman's cheek as she watched her daughter; she didn't know how she could let them go, but she knew that Joel was right and that it had to be done. She lowered the rail and gently picked up the sleeping baby, wrapping her in a warm blanket; she had straightened and turned toward the doorway when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Joel stood behind her, with their other daughter in his arms, wrapped in blankets as well. "Ready?" he asked quietly, giving her shoulder a light squeeze as Liv nodded solemnly.

The pair exited the room, and made their way through the dimly lit house. They slipped into coats and grabbed the little bags that had been packed earlier that day and placed at the door. The couple got into their car and strapped their children in before pulling from the drive-way; Joel drove slowly through the damp streets, snow could still be seen where it was piled and packed along the side of the road. A few of the over-head lights flickered from above as the small car passed underneath them. "Almost there, Liv," Joel said quietly, reaching his hand over and touching her leg reassuringly before quickly glancing backwards at the two sleeping girls. The woman, wiped at the tears resting on her cheeks then looked back at the girls as well, resting her hand over Joel's.

Several minutes later, the couple pulled up in front of a darkened building. They stepped from the car then gathered their children in their arms; Joel helped Liv to get a hold of both girls then he quickly pulled out the little suitcases and followed her up the steps of the building. He set them down then knocked on the doors firmly before stepping back into the shadows with his wife. Seconds passed silently until the pair heard faint footsteps approaching the door and they looked at each other, each sending reassurance with their gaze. The door pulled open, "yes?" a tired voice asked.

"We're hear to drop off our daughters', we talked to someone before about our leaving them here." Joel said with a slight hitch in his voice.

There was a small gasp, "oh yes.. that was me that you talked to. Mrs Brayden. Will you come in?" The door opened wider, revealing a tall thin woman with graying hair.

Olivia spoke up, "n-no that's quite alright. We just want to drop them off and be on our way." Her grip on her babies tightened instinctively but she stepped forward and offered the sleeping infant, while Joel relieved her of the two year old. "The youngest won't know what happened, but the other one... she'll wonder where we went. Let her know that we love them both, but we couldn't take care of them. Let her know that she has to learn to love the new family she'll be placed with..." Liv broke down and turned away as Joel offered his oldest to the woman.

"I'll do what I can for them, I promise you. Though- I can't guarantee that they will end up with the same family. It's more likely that they will go to separate homes.." Mrs. Brayden said quietly as she took the other sleeping child carefully.

Joel put the two cases inside the door, "we thank you Mrs. Brayden. I know you'll take good care of them." He turned and put a hand of Liv's shoulder, guiding her back to the car.

"Oh! Wait! Do you want them to know your names so that they may contact you later on if they wish?" Mrs. Brayden called out softly to the couple.

Liv turned back around, "no.. I think it's best that they don't know our names. Goodbye Mrs. Brayden." The two slipped into the car and it pulled away.

The elderly lady shut the door with her foot then entered one of the rooms near-by, placing the sleeping infant into an empty crib then placed the older child onto a small bed. She made sure they were still sleeping then left the room to retrieve the cases by the doors. She quietly placed them inside the room, and noticed a paper was tied to one. Mrs. Brayden sat down in one of the chairs and plucked the paper from the case; she unfolded it and began to read it. It stated that the two girls weren't to know their parents names, and that they should be placed in the care of the family most suited to their needs. It also stated their names, and that they could change if the adoptive parents wanted to change them.

The woman lowered the letter into her lap and looked toward the baby in the crib, "the poor dear. Never even really knew her rightful parents. What an odd name though, but I suppose it fits; Davis." She smiled a little then looked at the other bed, where the dark haired girl lay sleeping soundly, "and you.. you'll be heart-broken. What an angel, little Marie."

Author's Note

My friend Liz inspired this story. Let me know what you think.