The Remaining Sister

by Leanne Davis

  Chloe listened carefully and in earnest. “Were you surprised to discover he liked me?”

  “Yes. But then again, maybe not. You’re very pretty and pleasing to look at. You have a happy, joyful exterior, one he must like. Or at least you did until your sister’s body was found. Our Hathai was like you, actually. She was a delight and a joy and she loved everyone. She chattered all the time too, so he was used to that. He liked it probably for its familiarity.”

  “Does he grieve Hathai?”

  “Yes. All the time. It’s quiet and subdued. He tries to make up for her absence by pleasing me. It’s why he moved here to be with me.”

  “Should you have let him quit school?”

  She shrugged. “As you now know, Chloe, grief makes us act in ways we would not have otherwise. Of course not. But I did. I needed him. His dad left us.”

  “Because of her death?”

  “He’d left emotionally long before. He never had much to do with Chet. He didn’t like Chet, especially when he was young. He thought Chet was odd and weird and unrelatable and then why wouldn’t he? He never once tried to engage the child in a way that would work for Chet. I didn’t much care for my husband after that. But he did provide well. Chet and his dad had a very distant relationship and so his leaving didn’t affect Chet like Hathai’s death. His dad used it as the excuse he needed to physically leave as he long ago emotionally had.”

  “After learning all this I’m shocked it’s me he’s attracted to. I would think he’d like someone more quiet and withdrawn, like him. Less messy with emotions.”

  She shrugged. “We often are attracted to those who possess the characteristics we lack. Like being solid, firm, and unemotional. I mean, you seem to reciprocate and feel something towards him. Which seems surprising. I’m his mother and I didn’t foresee you two being together at all.”

  “And do you disapprove?”

  Dok sighed. “No. I just know how seriously he takes everything. I know he might not see you as being vulnerable and not thinking clearly. Maybe your need for him is situational and it stems from your grief but not because you have feelings for him specifically. He might not realize the distinction. And I wonder if perhaps you might hurt him. Since your sister’s body was found, maybe the grief you felt drew you towards him. And if you didn’t understand the way he processed the world and communicated in it, well, that could end badly.”

  “I don’t always understand him. Some parts frustrate me. Some I think I like and have even started to rely on.”

  “But you’re willing to keep trying with him?”

  “Yes. I think so. I’m not as cut-and-dried as he is. I can’t always give you the final answer you need, but for how long we’ve spent our time together, I can only promise you that right now, I want to stay with him. I like him a lot, and I truly rely on him.”

  Dok didn’t smile, but her scowl lessened. “It isn’t ideal with you being our boss and all. But I suppose that’s good enough.” Dok rose to her feet to leave.

  “Hey, Dok?”

  She glanced back. Chloe’s throat filled with a lump of emotion. Close to tears she said, “I’m very sorry you lost your daughter. I had no idea you lived with that.”

  Her eyes softened and misted over. She nodded. “Yes, so am I. So contrary to what you think, I do feel very sorry for you and your family, Chloe. It’s something I would never wish on anyone. But it also makes me even more protective of Chet.”

  “I will never purposely hurt him.”

  She smiled sadly. “I believe you. The part that scares me is that your grief will be what hurts him. And you can’t control that. Believe me, I know.”

  “I think… I think I could love him.” She hesitated at the admission she’d never even said in her own head. “So it’s not my intent to let anything change that.”

  “Does he know that?”

  She shook her head no. “I thought waiting to tell him until I was as sure as he needs me to be would be the better way to handle this.”

  Dok’s startled glance shifted back to her more normal reserve. “It would be. If you say it, he’ll take it as fact. I’m glad to see you understand him. I think you could love him too. Just be careful of him, please. He lost a sister too. It was as hard on him as your loss is on you. He just handles it differently than most.”

  “Isn’t that really just how to describe him in general?”

  Dok nodded surprise in her eyes. “Yes. It is. You’re right. Perhaps you are more right about Chet than I am anymore.”

  “Should I apologize for that?”

  “No.” Dok’s smile was slow and beautiful. “No, it means perhaps you’ve done things for him no one else ever could, and healed something in him that I never could.”

  She held Dok’s gaze. They shared a long look. Finally she said, “Goodnight, Dok.”

  “Goodnight, Chloe.”

  Chloe sighed in relief and took her explanation as the only blessing Dok could give her. And She couldn’t blame Dok for having a motherly instinct and feeling the need to protect her offspring. She wished her own mother still felt like that with her. Sighing, she got to her feet, returned to her desk and pretended to work.

  Chapter Fourteen

  RYDER WALKED IN AND gave her a kiss on the cheek before flopping onto the seat in front of her desk. “Well, how are you? It’s been quite a while since you’ve come by.”

  “You have a fiancée now so you don’t need my womanly touch anymore.” Chloe kept her tone light.

  “But Wyatt still needs it, and just as much as before.”

  She leaned back in her chair, keeping her voice calm and kind. “And he has it. Here. Where I don’t have to watch Tara running around my grandparents’ house the way Ebony used to.”

  Ryder winced. “You still hate her,” he stated as a fact.

  “Not at all. No. Really. But I do find it hard to watch her, especially in that capacity. Don’t worry, I’m not going to freak out again. I understand you two plan to get married. And honestly, I don’t really care to watch it or be a part of it. The reality is that you’re getting remarried. Your first wife was my twin. I can’t see past it yet, which is why I still find it difficult to embrace your new wife.”

  He gave her a short nod. “Fair enough. Thank you for telling me and getting this far.”

  “Thank you for noticing.” They shared a smile, reminiscent of the old days and their unique connection.

  “So, I viewed the location where her body was found.”

  Ryder straightened. “What? How?”

  “I conned Crystal into taking me there. It was pretty chilling and hard—”

  “Why would you do that to yourself, Chloe? Don’t you see that’s why I didn’t take you?”

  “Because I needed to. I had to see it. And feel it.”

  “And?”

  “And all I could feel were eyes fastened on me. I got completely freaked out.”

  “Murderers often return to haunt their dump sites,” Ryder blurted out, raising his eyebrows while his mouth pursed in disapproval. He was scaring her on purpose. And warning her to back off. “We have an active investigation into your sister’s death. We only know she was violently murdered, and Chloe, you look just like her and someone is playing cat and mouse with you. Do not get involved in this investigation.”

  Shivering, Chloe crossed her arms to ward off the chill. She was glad now to be inside the safety of her office instead of out by the swamp. His words made her shiver again. “I won’t. It wasn’t that. I had to find some closure to it. I had to force myself to see she is gone. I had to stop letting it feel so normal. Duh. She left us and we all got used to it, but now she’s gone—really gone and my stupid heart refuses to believe what my eyes and ears are telling it. I know she’s dead. But for so long, that was our reality, it’s hard to feel the permanence of this.”

  “I get that. And did it help? Did it clarify that fact to you?”

  She pressed fingers to her temples. “It was so hard
, Ryder. Imagining her body floating there and her bones scattered on the floor of that filthy swamp. Her jewelry all spread out, glimmering in the murkiness while her body rotted. It was so easy to picture. Her wedding ring, that stupid set of pearl earrings and a necklace you gave her—God how she loved those, and Grandma’s ruby ring.”

  Ryder nodded and scooched forward, sighing, “It is hard. It slams me down all over again, like it’s fresh and new sometimes. But her ring wasn’t recovered.”

  “Her wedding ring? Yes, it was.”

  “No. I meant the ruby ring.”

  “Yes, it was. Crystal mentioned it.”

  “She got it wrong then.”

  Chloe nodded since she didn’t know. She failed to hear all the minute details because she was hurting too badly. She expected someday, after the investigation was completed, they’d return her wedding ring and any other effects. Most likely, her mother would want the ring. After all, Ryder would be buying a new one soon. She banished her nasty thoughts. Ryder deserved to be happy after all. And she hoped his new wife would provide that happiness. No more pain and sadness for Ryder. Not like she felt.

  They were both silent for a few moments before Chloe pretended to brighten up by switching the topic to a happier subject: Wyatt. Eventually, however, she got up to walk Ryder to the door and he towered over her. Noticing his gun, which was prominently displayed on his hip, she recalled one of his previous assignments and asked, “Did you ever find Lance?”

  “No. He hasn’t shown up yet. Mrs. Huskin is frantic but she told us that Lance has disappeared before. He often goes off with his friends and forgets to check in, spending days at a time gaming with them. He also went camping once and forgot to call her too. I checked most of his normal spots, but nothing. However, I’m sure he’ll turn up.”

  “Right. Sure he will.” Chloe watched him leave before dropping down onto her chair. Spinning around, she let her head bang on the edge of it as she stared up at the ceiling. Nothing could distract her from Ebony. Her mind was floating. Chet. Dok. Ryder. Wyatt. Tara. Her parents. Ebony. Her parents. Ebony. Ebony… Ebony. It kept coming back to Ebony. It would always be that way now, or so she believed. Shuffling forward, she muttered, “I miss you, sis.”

  But of course, no one heard or answered her. She got to her feet, still upset and sad but slightly better because she wasn’t catatonic or crying any longer. She grabbed her stuff and called Chet. He arrived in a matter of minutes and stood in the doorway as she finished closing up. Petra was still there with her because Chloe wouldn’t allow anyone to close alone anymore. Chloe came towards Chet, touching his shoulder and pulling him next to her, keeping Dok’s advice and explanation foremost in her mind. “When you see me, kiss me hello, and goodbye. Hug me if I’m crying and if my face looks unhappy, hug me and ask me what’s wrong. Okay?”

  He responded by kissing her. “Okay.”

  “I talked to your mom today,” she said as she followed him to his car.

  “Okay.” But there was no question or interest in his tone.

  She continued, “I wanted to hear her take on you.”

  “You’re having doubts?”

  “No. Just getting clarification. I needed more information before I could understand. Still trying to figure out if I can do this.”

  They pulled into his place and he took her hand and held it as they walked to the door. She stopped just as they were about to step inside. “Don’t you want to know what I decided?”

  “You’ve decided you can.”

  She tilted her head. “How did you know?”

  “You’re here, aren’t you? With me? You called me.”

  She smiled. “That’s it? All the reassurance you need?”

  “Yes. I let the facts speak for themselves.”

  “To you maybe. You said a while ago you loved me. Did you mean that?”

  “Yes.”

  No more words of reassurance. She tilted her head upwards. “Because you said it, right? I should believe that if you say it once, you mean it forever?”

  “Well, why would I say so if I didn’t mean it?”

  “You still do? You haven’t said it since.”

  “Well…”

  “What?” she nudged.

  “I would have told you if I’d changed my mind.”

  She cracked up and started laughing, unable to stop it. “So you just say it once and it’s forever? Will you let me know if you ever change your mind?”

  His lips tilted up, and she knew he appreciated her sarcasm at least. “Yes. But I’m guessing that’s not enough?”

  “No. You have to say it often to me. Especially when I’m upset and also just because. Even if there is no reason, I sometimes need your reassurance. I like the emotional lift of hearing kind words. And receiving constant reassurance.”

  “Okay.”

  She lifted her eyebrows.

  “Well, I’m not going to say it now, on command. I will when you need me to.”

  “But you don’t need to?”

  “Say it? I already did. I know how I feel. You needed to know.”

  She couldn’t help the smirk. “And I know now?”

  “Well, yeah. But you want me to tell you more than once. Many times. Probably all the time? Do I have that right?”

  “You have that right.” Nodding, she found herself smiling because he was so serious. His gaze traveled over to her and he caught her smile.

  He also started to smile. “And now I’ve demonstrated for you how odd I am?”

  “Little bit, maybe. But you know what, Chet? That’s just part of your character. We all have unique traits that people could refer to as oddities. You say exactly what you mean once and you mean it for always. Maybe I’m the odd one because I need so much reassurance. Your thing is being literal and my thing is being emotional. I can be moody and very difficult to deal with. Maybe much worse than you. So… who says what’s odd? Besides, don’t you want to know how I feel?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t want to know anything. I know you’ll tell me if you want me to know something. But now I know how you act and rely on me so if not now—”

  “Someday soon, I’ll fall in love with you?”

  “As if I have any idea.”

  She sighed. “You just accept that you love me and…”

  “And you’re here.”

  “And that’s enough?”

  “Yes.”

  She let out a breath. “Somehow, that works for me more than anything else. No pressure. Plenty of support. I can’t explain it.”

  “It works for me, too.”

  She tilted her head and let his soft, even tone and words fill her heart. Stretching up on her tippy toes, she touched her lips to his, pulling him closer to her. She didn’t need endless, descriptive words or long, drawn-out poetic meter. She needed honest words. Heartfelt words. Short and sweet and simple, but all true. That could turn out to be more than enough.

  “I’m so tired. I’d like to just eat dinner and watch a movie and forget, just for tonight, that my sister is a murder victim. And forget I’m no longer a twin. Or that I still don’t know who killed her. I just want your company and for us to be quiet. Can you do that?”

  His smile was swift. “I think I can do that. It’s my specialty.”

  She leaned on him as they entered the house and fell onto the couch. She did manage to forget and let go as she laughed at his wry wit and shared smiles.

  ****

  She couldn’t sleep that night and tossed and turned. Whenever she did manage to drift off, the gruesome visions of her sister’s body, lying mangled in the cold swamp, and her pieces of jewelry all blood-stained, haunted her, creating horrifying nightmares. Giving up, she slipped out of bed and stared out towards the river as light appeared in the dawn. Feeling restless without knowing why, she got dressed and woke Chet up to tell him she was going to work. He leaned over to kiss her goodbye, remembering the previous evening’s instructions. She bit her cheek and kept her smile conceal
ed. He really did learn quickly; Dok didn’t lie about that.

  When she entered the front doors, she found the café hopping and chaotic. “Can you help me serve?” Petra asked as soon as she saw her.

  “Sure. Where’s Tara? Isn’t she on duty?”

  Petra frowned. “Supposed to be but she and Ryder ran off for a romantic getaway without any notice to me.”

  Ryder and Tara left town and didn’t mention it to her? That was so unlike Tara. Or Ryder. Tara was an ideal employee and remained so even while dating Ryder. Why wouldn’t she have found someone to cover for her? Or, at the very least, tell someone? Frowning and annoyed, Chloe quickly got to work and began helping Petra get the orders out before she began writing some of them down. They were slammed for the next hour and Chloe could not take a moment to think.

  “Petra? Did Tara say who has Wyatt?” Must have been her parents. She thought she’d better check in. Perhaps they didn’t realize how terribly her parents were doing?

  “She didn’t say.”

  Chloe nodded as she drifted into her office to do some paperwork, but it nagged at her. Finally, she called her mom. No one answered. She called Ryder, who did answer.

  “What did you do? Surprise her?”

  “Surprise who with what?”

  “Tara. That trip you guys are on?”

  “What? We’re both at work. Isn’t she?”

  Chloe froze. “No. I’m here and she’s not. Petra said she called and said she was on a romantic surprise getaway with you, and she apologized for not showing up.”