My Sisters Keeper by Stephanie Parke (classic children's novels TXT) 📕

whispered urgently, “We need some help.”

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If things could have gone from bad to worse they did, Leona remembered sadly. Leona had tried to help but Becky had pulled away faster after that and Leona had not known how to stop it. Their mother’s battle with cancer had overshadowed the abuse still happening and it had cloaked the sickness that had seeped into Becky until she was unable to break free, until she had slipped out of Leona’s reach. Until she thought she deserved it, until she made one of the worst mistakes of her life.


The anticipation in the crowd had seemed almost palpable as the graduating class waited to declare their freedom in their black caps and gowns with blue and gold tassels gleaming in the early summer sunshine. Leona brushed an imaginary piece of lint from her gown and stared at her shoes trying not to meet her parent’s questioning eyes or notice the empty chair beside her. Leona nervously waited for her name to be called wishing she could be anywhere but here. She felt worry rise as she sneaked a peek at her pale mother sitting in the stands. The cancer treatment had taken its toll on her and Leona felt her throat close over as her mother raised thin, perfect brows in question. Avoiding her eyes, Leona stared straight ahead. The valedictorian’s words drifted over her as she tried to keep her smile in place even as the fight she’d had with her sister only an hour before drifted through her mind.

The rush to get ready had been nerve wracking and Leona’s parents had actually left the girls behind to finish getting ready so that they could get a seat up front. Leona had smiled as she applied a last swipe of sapphire eye shadow to her upper lid and clicked her compact shut. She hummed “Some Enchanted Evening” as she waltzed back into her bedroom. She picked up the blue flower that matched the one in her own hair and pushed open the adjoining door to look for her sister.

The flower made a splash of blue on the beige carpet as Leona took in the open suitcase on the bed. Leona’s heart dropped as she noticed the clothes haphazardly thrown inside. She rushed out into the hall and called her sister’s name. Her heart sank even further when she received no answer.

“Becky,” she yelled as she raced out into the hallway, “Where are you?”
She reached the top of the stairs when her sister came into view framed in the bathroom doorway. Leona’s sigh of relief was short lived as Becky raised a brow and shouldered past her carrying her toothbrush and shampoo. Leona shook her head and followed her back into her room.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she watched her place the items in the suitcase, afraid to admit to herself what her eyes were telling her.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Becky said as she slipped a pair of Jordache jeans and her favorite Westwood High Wildcats hoodie into the suitcase without looking at her.

“It looks like you’re making a mistake to me.”

“Well no one asked you did they,” Becky said in a tone that made it clear that she was sick to death of hearing Leona. “Just do us both a favor and go on to graduation and pretend like nothing’s wrong.”

“Why are you doing this?” Leona asked wildly. Fear that this would be the last time she would see her sister filled her and she grabbed the pants out of the suitcase and tossed them back onto the bed.

Becky sighed and picked the pants up balling them up in her hands as she tried to keep her irritation under control. She looked at Leona and stuffed them back in the suitcase sitting on it to get it shut. She bounced and was finally able to close it. She slid the zipper home with a hiss that seemed loud and entirely too final to Leona’s ears.

“This is none of your business,” she said in a bored voice,” I thought we talked about that at prom, or weren’t you listening?”

“God Becky!” Leona cried as she ran a hand through her hair nearly dislodging the blue flower clipped there. “I thought that you would listen after mom talked to you.” “You can’t possibly be thinking of leaving with him! I thought you weren’t seeing him anymore!”

“Guess you were wrong, “ Becky said gruffly as she sat on the bed pulling her Sketchers on over her favorite Count Chocula socks. “Thanks for siccing her on me by the way,” she grumbled as she ran her hands through her own shorter bob and stared up into Leona’s eyes.

“Becky, I love you,” Leona stumbled feeling suddenly guilty,”I was just trying to help you; you’re drowning and can’t seem to see it.”

Becky groaned and stood, grabbing Leona’s face. “Listen to me,” she said forcefully making sure Leona looked into her eyes, “I don’t need your help, it’s my decision.”

Leona covered Becky’s hands with her own and pulled back to look at her. “You’re heading for trouble and you just can’t see it.” “I don’t want him to hurt you anymore.” Leona felt tears filling her eyes as she grasped her hands. “Please don’t do this; there is no reason why you can’t take some time and think about it after he is gone, there is no reason to leave with him.”

Becky pulled away and moved to the dresser plopping jewelry into a travel jewelry box avoiding Leona’s eyes. “There is a reason,” she said quietly untangling a necklace from the pile, “I’m pregnant.”

Leona felt her world shift as Becky’s words sunk in. She stuttered over what to say watching Becky in the early afternoon sunlight drifting in the window. Becky looked back at her and caught her eyes as she clipped her favorite locket around her neck. The shinny surface glinted in the sunlight and Leona felt the tears cursing down her face as she caught the sadness in the eyes that mirrored her own.

“Becky,” she cried giving her a hug, “we can figure this out together, please promise me you won’t go today. Promise me you’ll let me help you.”

For a moment the only sound in the room was Leona’s sniffles and the chirp of birds outside the window. Becky seemed to consider it before she sighed and hugged her back.”Alright I’ll think about it.” She finally muttered as she gave her a last squeeze and let her go.

Leona wiped her eyes and gave her a questioning look surprised at her easy acquiescence thinking that this was not like Becky at all. “Really?” Leona asked as she pulled away.

“Yeah I promise.” She said as she turned away fingering the zipper on the suitcase.
Leona smiled as she rubbed Becky’s arm. She plastered her face with the brightest smile that she could imagine and gave it a reassuring squeeze, trying to squash the feeling of dread inside her. She looked her in the eye and told her that it would all be all right. Becky kept her eyes down and focused on her feet replying in a neutral voice that she was sure that it would be. Leona looked at her quizzically as the hopelessness that filled Becky’s words swept over her. Becky had always been better at making others believe what they wanted to and Leona studied her trying to decipher what she was feeling. She turned toward Becky intent on coming back into the room. Catching her eye Becky felt a moment of panic. She stood up straight and gave Leona a wry half smile adjusting the loose flower above Leona’s ear. She shoved her toward the door praying that she would not come back into the room.

” You’re not coming are you” Leona asked suspiciously “Mom and Dad will be heartbroken.”

Becky sighed and picked the flower up off the floor twirling it in her hands. She stroked the blue petals and seemed to make a decision. She looked up at Leona with a crooked smile and tucked the flower behind her own ear turning to let Leona see it. She widened her grin as she bit back a sigh and assured Leona that even though she wasn’t as girly as her that she would only need a few minutes to get ready.

“Promise?” Leona asked still suspicious.

“Cross my heart.” Becky said with a guarded smile as she crossed her fingers over her heart in a gesture that Leona knew well from childhood. It had always been their secret promise as kids; and Leona felt a little relieved as she saw it. Becky assured her that she would see her there and swatted Leona, pushing her toward the door again.

Leona went but couldn’t help feeling a small trickle of unease sneaking up her spine. She smiled back anyway as she stepped back through the door. She grabbed her robe off the hook in the bathroom and wagged it at Becky with a grin, “don’t forget yours, she admonished gently “I’ll see you there.”

The conclusion of the speech washed over Leona jerking her back to reality and the seat beside her remained empty. She wanted to kick herself for leaving Becky but there was always a part of her that wanted to believe anything Becky said, even when she lied. She ran her hands nervously over her gown-covered legs trying to dry them and felt the crinkle of paper inside the pocket. Her heart fell when she unfolded the note and began to read. Tears splattered the paper as she read her sister’s words.


Leona,
I know you will find this after I am gone but you have to understand that no matter what you say I have to live my own life my own way. I love Jay and we are going to have a baby now and I have to give it a chance. I know you think I’m throwing my life away but Jay has promised that things will be different and I believe him. I’m sorry for lying to you and mom and dad but it is better this way. With mom being sick I don’t want to worry her anymore. I’ve left them a letter at home. I’ll contact you when I can.
Love Becky

The roar of the crowd brought her out of her reprieve and she stood clutching the note in her hand. She avoided her mother’s eyes and wondered when or if she would see Becky again. She wiped her eyes in a futile effort to stop the tears as she took off her cap holding it in trembling hands. Tears spilled down her cheeks anyway as she clasped the note and threw the cap into the air watching it catch the late afternoon sun as it merged with the others soaring skyward.
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Sometimes people make choices that affect every one in their path, and sometimes they just don’t care enough about themselves to try and make a change. Leona flashed