Anita
After spending the last hour in the tub thinking, I had to tell Amelia the truth. She's smart for her age and understands more than you'd think. This lie has been eating at me and I can't live with it anymore. After collecting the courage to talk to her, I walked out to the living room where they were all watching a movie. Amelia was the first to notice me and came to give me a hug. "I didn't mean to upset you," she says feeling bad and it made me feel more guilty. "You didn't upset me, but I need to tell you something, something you probably won't fully understand. I was going to wait until you were older, but this has been eating at me and I can't keep lying to you," I choke quietly and the three adults watch in sympathy. I sat with her straddling my lap and looked into a pair of eyes that matched my mother's and mine. "I'm your sister, not your mother..." "I know," she says quietly, unfazed by what I just said. That's until I saw tears fill her eyes. "I heard you talking with Daddy a few weeks ago when she came home from work during a storm. I just continued calling you Mommy because you're the only Mommy I have." I take her in my arms as she breaks into uncontrolled sobs and tears fall rapidly down my cheeks. "I'm so sorry for lying to you Amelia. It just hurts so much to talk about them and I didn't know how or if I'd ever tell you," I say in a wavering whisper. "Can I still call you Mommy," she sobs looking up at me. "Of course sweetie, honestly it would be weird if you called me Anita," I say as I laugh through my sobs. I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and say in a choked whisper, "Our mother's name was Amelia. I had a twin named Avery and our brother was James Junior or JJ for short because Mom got confused calling for him or Dad. "They were killed during a thunderstorm but we survived. The man responsible tried to kill Raven by running her car off the road," I choke quietly and feel Raven take my hand from next to me. I shutter a calming breath and squeeze her hand. "It's why I'm scared of storms and have nightmares." Amelia touches the scar on my chest and asks curious, "Is that why you have this?" Too emotional to speak at the moment, I nod vigorously. She lays her head on my chest and I hold her as close as possible. I shutter a relieved breath and kiss the top of her head. All the guilt I once felt, vanished. I look down at Amelia after a few minutes and she was asleep, holding onto me. I look at Raven with relieved eyes and she reaches over to wipe my tears. "Feel better now that she knows the truth," she asks quietly to not disturb Amelia sleeping. I nod lightly and she pats her lap, indicating for me to lay down. Holding onto Amelia, I lay my head on a pillow she placed near her right leg. Her fingers lightly comb through my hair and I let out a content sigh. The movie that was playing when I came down was now off, leaving the room in silence. Lexi was sitting in the arm chair next to the L shaped couch while Raven's parents were on the loveseat on the opposite side of the L shaped couch. The relief from the guilt left me exhausted and Raven's fingers were soothing me. "Get some rest sweetheart, we'll have dinner when you wake up," Charlotte says with a light smile and I close my eyes. Raven Anita fell into immediate sleep and I couldn't blame her. Her emotions have been attacking her since my accident and I'm sure they overwhelmed her talking to Amelia. I can't imagine how she felt explaining something Amelia already knew because she overheard us talking a few weeks ago. The guilt in Anita's eyes brought me to tears when Amelia admitted she already knew the truth. My heart wretched when Amelia asked to continue calling Anita Mommy because she was the only mother figure Amelia has known. Watching Anita fight back her emotions broke me. Seeing the relief in her eyes when Amelia accepted the truth made me feel relieved too. Keeping Amelia in the dark about everything has been crippling Anita, but she was protecting her from the danger that came with the truth. Looking at them now, holding onto each other as they slept and I knew they had a bond stronger than I thought. They've always had this ironclad bond, but I didn't realize how strong it was until I watched them reveal the truth. "Raven," Lexi says quietly, sitting near my elevated leg. I didn't notice her move from the arm chair or that my parents had left the room. "My Captain just messaged me. They found Joe's accomplice. He hasn't been to visit his mother in the hospital since your accident. He's dead." I nod lightly and look at the sleeping duo as tears fill my eyes. I look at my left side and felt anger at the thought of Joe. I look back at Lexi and ask quietly, "What about Joe? Are you sure there's no one else?" "Joe has a block to himself, meals get brought to him and a dozen officers guarding him in the showers. We don't have to worry about him. Captain made sure to pick cops loyal to Anita's parents to guard the son of a bitch," she says with gritted teeth. Her eyes soften as she looks over to Anita and Amelia and tears fill her eyes. "I don't know how she does it. How she holds herself together while completely broken on the inside?" "I don't either and it amazes me everyday," I say with a smile looking at her sleeping face. "She often says she doesn't know what she'd do without me, but I don't know what I'd do without her." "I don't know what she'd do without Amelia. Aside from you, Amelia is all she has and is lucky to be here," she chokes quietly and I nod in agreement. While Anita was in surgery for the bullet in her sternum, Amelia was fighting against the trauma from the kick from inside the womb. The placenta ruptured and when she was removed by paramedics, she wasn't breathing. One of the paramedics was able to get her breathing but she was still touch and go for weeks. Until Anita was able to see her, the doctors didn't think she'd make it. She'd be fine all day with Anita, but as soon as she was taken away, she would be right back to where she started. As the only living relative to Amelia and old enough to make medical decisions for her, Anita requested they share a hospital room until they were both able to be discharged from the hospital. It was the same for Anita too. She'd have a strong heart rate and be breathing fine until Amelia wasn't with her. Once the doctors took notice of this they filled her request. They also took notice that both Anita and Amelia were at their strongest vitals when I was there. I was given unlimited visitors hours when they witnessed me calm her down from the first nightmares and thunderstorms after she gained consciousness. Amelia would hold onto my finger as I fed her a bottle or snuggle against my chest when I put her to sleep. When she first called me 'Dada' tears filled my eyes. I saw Anita's reaction when she was first called 'Mama'. She held Amelia to her chest and broke into uncontrolled sobs. I knew at that moment what she was thinking and held them both until she calmed down. I was there on the anniversary of that night which happened to be Amelia's birthday. How she sat there zoned out, holding Amelia while she slept peacefully. Neither of us slept that night as I kept her company in the finished basement as a storm went on outside. I was there when she needed someone to talk to, someone to hold her or just someone to enjoy the silence. "Daddy," Amelia says softly, sitting in my lap. I didn't realize she was awake or had moved in that matter. I smile at her and she looks at me with tears in her eyes. "Mommy was trying to get your attention, but the baby made her sick again." "I'm sorry, I was thinking about a few things," I say quietly as Anita walks back in to sit next to me. "It's okay, you looked like you were reliving a moment and decided not to disturb you," she says in a breathy whisper with her head on my shoulder. "Mom's finishing dinner and then coming to help wheel you in the kitchen." "I can't thank you enough for what you did," I say quietly and she looks at me. "I wasn't expecting to literally run a restaurant. It was never something I expected, just cook for customers. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to continue that." "I love you Ray, seeing you devastated about needing to look for another restaurant...," she says with tears in her eyes and shakes her head lightly. "I wanted to do this for you when you've done so much for me without hesitation. I didn't hesitate on my decision to do this, for you." Anita Later that night after Amelia went to sleep, I helped Raven undress for a sponge bath. Washing her body delicately made me realize how lucky I was she was alive. I can't imagine life without her and don't think I could handle it. I couldn't handle being away from her for those three days while she was in the hospital. What would it have been like if the results were different? Would I have lost our baby? I snap out of my thoughts when her hand touches mine, with the cloth over her chest. Her face was blurry and it was then that I realized I was crying. We didn't need words in that moment as I helped her get dressed and took my place in her right side. Her arm held me as close as our bodies would allow with my head over the beat of her chest. Hearing it's steady rhythm calmed me as she strokes my hair. She can't thank me enough for the restaurant and I'm still struggling to thank God for letting me keep her. I'll never take a moment with her for granted, not when I almost lost her. She's been my will to get through each day. She stays up with me when I have nightmares. She helped me getting through hundreds of thunderstorms. I look up after a while and saw she was asleep. I was taking in her sleeping face when I heard someone enter the guest room. I look to see her mother and she looks at me with concern. She motions me to follow her and I carefully slip away from Raven. She stays asleep and I follow her mother to the living room. We sat in silence as I knew she was waiting for me to say what was bothering me. I look at her as tears fill my eyes and she takes my hand. "She doesn't know how to thank me for the restaurant, but I don't know how to thank God for letting me keep her," I say in a choked whisper and tears fill her eyes. "I'm still trying to thank him for Amelia, because I don't know what I'd do without her or Raven. I'm just relieved she understands why I lied to her about everything." "I know sweetheart," she says in a soothing whisper and wipes my eyes. "What else is bothering you?" "I feel like I'm stuck in a dream and when I wake up reality will hit me. The reality being she's gone and I won't be able to handle it," I say in a wavering whisper and she takes me in her arms. "Please tell me this is real. That if I go in there, fall asleep, she'll be there next to me when I wake up in the morning." "She's still here sweetheart and she'll still be here in the morning when you wake up," she chokes quietly and I break into uncontrolled sobs.AnitaI woke the next morning and Raven was still beside me, her left arm and leg elevated. Thinking back to last night, I broke into relieved sobs, hiding my face between her neck and shoulder. She's still here, I'm not dreaming.I feel her hand slip up the back of my shirt and shutter a calming breath at the contact. I lay a kiss on her neck and move my head over her chest. Her heart beat was soothing to me and I'll never get tired of hearing it. I trace my finger over drawing Amelia did on the cast on her arm, a heart with a bandaid."Anita," Raven asks with concern and I look up at her. "I know I normally wait for you to express your thoughts, but this morning you woke up sobbing.""I thought I was in a dream yesterday and didn't want to go to sleep or wake up and you'd be gone," I say in a wavering whisper."I'm sorry," she says feeling bad, but she has nothing to apologize for."Don't apologize for being alive Ray," I choke quietly as her mother walks in. "Can you help her to th
Anita At the mention of me having twins, my thoughts immediately went to Avery. I remember how we always stumped our parents because they could never tell us apart. We would apply to the same extra curricular activities and if one of us got rejected, we simply didn't join it. We literally did everything together. There wasn't anything we didn't agree on.We even consulted with each other before entering a relationship. She was the first I came out to and she was quick to accept me. I told her about my crush on the girl who lived next door, who at the time I didn't know was Raven. We would watch her from our backyard as she did yard work in her sports bra and baggy shorts. She was there for me when I came out to our parents and just as she was, they were quick to accept me.Then thoughts of that night flooded my head. The way she was huddled against me after our mother was killed. Her lifeless body pinning me down as I struggled to breathe passed the blood gushing from my mouth.Green
Anita I woke up the next morning in the hospital. Thinking last night was a dream, I look in the bed next to me and Avery was still asleep next to me. Tears fill my eyes as I realize she's really here. I move to lay on her chest and feel her slightly stir in her sleep. Her heart beat rhythmically in my ear and I silently sob as I hold onto her. A low rumble of thunder makes me jump. A loud rumble follows shortly after, bringing a scream from not just me but Amelia. I feel arms around me, but it's not Ray. I look up at Avery, but all I can see is her scared face from that night. "Anita, look at me," Raven says in a soothing whisper, holding Amelia in the spare bed. I meet her green eyes as tears fall from mine. "Keep your eyes on me." I lay my head back on Avery's chest, keeping eye contact with Raven. A rumble of thunder echoes, but I don't break eye contact with her. I feel as Avery strokes my hair and close my eyes. I let out a calming breath as more thunder rumbles. "Don'
Anita It starts with the rain. It paralyzes me. Then the rumble of thunder cracks, sending me back to that dreadful night. The night that changed my life forever. The night I watched my family killed. The night I was left for dead, but survived. The night I wished I’d died with my family. I see it all happen as if I’m living it all over again, the scariest night of my life. Four men in black had us tied up, searching for something my father had been working on. A program worth millions, but if it fell into the wrong hands it would be chaos. They wanted the combination to the safe but my father refused. One of the men put a gun to my little brother’s head. Thunder rumbles as the storm outside picks up. Even over the loud rumble of thunder I could hear the loud BANG of the gun. My brother’s tiny form crumbled to the floor in front of me as blood poured from the small hole in his forehead. His lifeless eyes stuck open. The screams of my mother and my twin sister drowning out the plea
RavenSurprisingly Anita and I slept through the night without a nightmare. I was cuddled at her back while Amelia was cuddled against Anita's chest. Anita's arms wrapped securely around the small child. The peaceful look on her face told me she was content.I look out the window facing us, seeing gray skies. The first signs of rain falling loudly on our roof. Anita stirs in my arms, a light whimper coming from her. I whisper soothingly in her ear and feel her relax in my arms. Her facial expressions relax from her brief frowning in fear.A low rumble of thunder causes her eyes to fly open, breaths quickening. Amelia starts crying and it seems to distract the woman in my arms. "I'm here sweetheart," Anita says in a trembling whisper."Mommy, where's Daddy," the fragile voice asks in a choked whisper."I'm still here baby," I say in a soothing whisper, startling both of them. "It's okay, I'm here."Amelia carefully climbs over Anita and lays on top of me while Anita rolls to face me. I
Anita Little did Joe know, I moved the contents of my father's safe. The combination to the safe had been my parents wedding anniversary. I head back down to the basement where I had asked Raven's parents to put in a hidden safe in the wall. I frantically open the safe and take out the entire contents my father kept. Knowing what I was looking for and gathered the information needed, putting the rest back along with the USB that held millions of dollars of my father's work. I call the detective handling my family's murders. She was a friend of my mother and also skeptical about Joe. Though she's only five years older than me, her mother was friends with mine. When her mother passed away, my mother was the person she turned to for motherly advice. "Lexi, it's Anita," I choke quietly. "Everything okay, you sound like you've been crying," she says with concern. "I discovered something that you need to see. Can you meet me at the neighbors house from my parents house? It's urgent,"
Raven I woke with pain on my left side. Anita was still peacefully sleeping on my chest and thankfully a nurse was walking in. She looks in my pain filled eyes and presses a button on the machine to give me a dose of morphine. She smiles sympathetically at Anita before checking my vitals. She walks out and my parents, Amelia and Lexi walk in. My mother covers her mouth at the sight before her. Tears roll down her cheeks as she sees Anita is sound asleep in my arms. Relief fills her eyes as they meet mine and I give a light smile. Amelia was cuddled in my father's arms, asleep on his chest and I was relieved to see she was okay, that they were all okay. Finally, my eyes meet with Lexi asking a question without words. She gives a subtle nod and tears silently roll down my cheeks. She comes closer, showing me a printout of an ultrasound Anita must have done yesterday. I smile through the tears and kiss Anita's head. "She's eight weeks and they have a strong heartbeat," Lexi says with
AnitaI jolt awake from a nightmare, breathing rapidly. As I look around my surroundings, I remember I'm in the hospital. Raven lay next to me, asleep with her head wrapped and casts on her left arm and leg. Tears well in my eyes from relief that my nightmare was wrong. She's alive, not dead.My nightmares usually consist of the truth, they usually consist of the tragic night five years ago. I find myself lightly tracing over her lips until those green eyes meet mine. One look in mine and I know she can see something is bothering me."I'm still here," she whispers soothingly as if she could read exactly what I was thinking.I nod vigorously as the tears fall rapidly down my cheeks. I give her a kiss and feel someone tap my leg. I look behind me at Amelia and she had fresh tears in her eyes. "Can I lay with Daddy," she asks in a choked whisper.I nod, stealing one more kiss before climbing out of the bed. Amelia carefully climbs in and takes my place, sobbing in Raven's neck. Raven hol