章 9: Sister

Clara had remembered something from her childhood. She has a sister, and they were running away from the nanny, who was upset with them for avoiding bath time by hiding in the garden. She and her sister laughed out loud in her memory, exactly the way Celine is laughing right now. There was a distinct sound to her laugh, and it brought back all of her childhood memories of Celine.

Jeremy, the ever-attentive brother, noticed Clara before anybody else did. She was not laughing. Instead, tears were running down her face. He hugged her to shield her from everyone’s view and walked away with her. ‘It’s going to be okay. Let’s go somewhere,’ he whispered in Clara’s ear.

‘Uhm... I think she ate something bad. She’s not feeling well. We’ll come back right away,’ he said to the group with his back turned, shielding Clara from their eyes.

Sebastian noticed Clara at almost the same time Jeremy did, but he did not know what was happening, and his reaction was a tad too slow. He was about to ask her what happened when Jeremy swooped in and took her away. Left alone with Max and Celine, he couldn’t concentrate on their conversation. For some odd reason, he felt worried and protective at the same time. He sincerely wanted Clara to feel better. Now that he knew they were siblings, he didn’t feel as threatened when Jeremy took her away.

-=-

Clara

Clara was inconsolable. She was weeping so hard it made it hard to breathe. She kept saying, ‘It’s her, it’s her... I know it’s her… My sister... she’s my sister…,’ it brought tears to Jeremy’s eyes. He could only imagine the pain Clara was feeling right now. After discovering her actual sister.

It was a recurring nightmare, being taken, but she only got snippets of information at a time. Not today, after seeing Celine and realizing she was the missing link. It seemed like her memories were being downloaded, and she is seeing everything that had happened that fateful day.

They kidnapped Clara when she was 10, and Celine was 6. Their dad had a very important last-minute meeting, and he could not pick them up from school that day, so he sent the driver in his stead. They were on the last stretch home, a few more minutes, and they would be happily eating ice pops in the garden.

They always used this back road that runs behind the newly constructed townhouses, and it led them directly home. Few people know about this shortcut, so it surprised her when the car suddenly halted.

They were in the back seat, busy with their homework when the driver announced that there was traffic up ahead. He got out to see what happened while Clara decided to pause her homework and listen to what the driver said to the people outside. She heard what sounded like an altercation between the driver and the strangers. When she hears them mention the word “kids,” she tells Celine to make herself small and stuff her little 6-year-old body in the space under the driver’s seat. Clara covers her with all of their bags, books, and jackets, so they wouldn’t find her.

She tells Celine to shush and promise not to come out until mommy or daddy comes for her. They were both scared, but she promised Celine everything would be okay.

Clara hears a loud bang and tries to hide under the seat in front of her, but she was too big, and the space wouldn’t hide her. She knows it was too late when she hears the door behind her open. They grabbed her and placed a bag over her head.

She hears the man beside her say, ‘Get the other one.’

‘There is no one else here,’ says the other guy. Clara screams for help to distract them.

There was one thought running through her mind, ‘You can’t take my sister.’ Her diversion was successful because the kidnappers left the wounded driver and the car on the road with Celine still inside, hidden under all their school stuff.

-=-

Celine

Celine stopped laughing when she saw Jeremy tuck Clara under his arm, whispering in her ear. She heard him say, ‘Uhm, I think she ate something bad. She’s not feeling well. We’ll come back right away.’

‘Don’t worry about them. Clara probably didn’t agree with whatever she ate. They’re going to the restroom, it'll be okay. This happens all the time when she gets nervous.’ Max was trying to divert Celine and Sebastian’s attention so they wouldn’t ask too many questions. He does not know what is happening right now, but his siblings need his help.

‘Maybe I should go help them. I can take Clara to the ladies’ room, and help her clean up,’ Celine started walking after them. By the time they make it to the hallway, Clara and Jeremy were gone. She checked the restroom, and they were not there either.

‘I’m sorry about all of this.’ Max said apologetically.

‘Celine, I still want to have lunch if you’re available tomorrow.’ He looks at her in question, and she shrugs.

‘I’m sorry, but I think have to tend to my sister now. It looks like we’ll have to call it a night,’ Max said as he said goodbye to Celine and Sebastian.

‘Wait! I want to go!’ Celine and Sebastian said at the same time. They both let out a nervous laugh. They both wanted to know what happened to Clara.

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea. Clara… she doesn’t like people seeing her when she’s vulnerable. I’ll see you guys later,’ he excuses.

Celine didn’t think Clara was sick. In the corner of her eye, she thought she saw tears running down Clara’s face while reaching out for her. But then again, she was laughing too much, and she wasn’t paying attention, so she could be wrong.

She said goodbye to Sebastian and went back to her table. They grilled her about the guys she was talking to, especially Mr. Colfer. He had been a bit of a celebrity ever since he took over the company from his dad, and every single female had set their eyes on him.

The men were Mr. Colfer’s guests; she said. They had something to do with a business deal, and he took them out to dinner. Her friends exchanged stories about how they interacted with Mr. Colfer while she thought about Clara. Until the commotion, she felt like Clara was very welcoming and very nice. She made Celine feel at ease, and it felt like she belonged with their group.

‘Why do I have this nagging feeling that I’ve met Clara in a past life?’ There was no possibility of them meeting in school, but Clara gave off this distinct and undeniable older sister vibe. Like someone, she could talk with for hours and share her deepest secrets with. It made her remember her deceased sister and it brought tears to her eyes. She brushed them away quickly, in case anyone noticed.

‘If my sister were here,’ she thought, ‘We would have gone out like this a lot. We’d probably be scoping out these guys and scrutinizing them if they’re good enough for us. God, I miss her so much. I know it’s been 20 years, but I still miss her. I wish she was still alive.’

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