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

had failed them both. Time seemed to stand still as she realized that Jay was going to kill them both.

Jay raised his fist again and sneered down at Leona, “you are all alike; you all need to be taught a lesson.” He smiled again as his fist rushed toward her. Leona closed her eyes waiting for the blow to come but opened them when a sickening crack split the silence and he let her go. His eyes rolled back in his head as he slumped to the floor. Leona hit the floor, her knees cracking the old hardwood floor as she slumped over. Her eyes met Becky’s where she swayed on her feet over Jay’s body. She dropped the firewood to the floor and crashed down beside Leona. “Couldn’t let him hurt you.” She sighed, still coughing blood, as Leona reached for her hand and found it in the darkness. They both lay on the floor breathing loudly as Leona reached for her cell phone with the other hand, praying it would work this time. She breathed a sigh of relief as it connected and she heard the 911 dispatcher on the line.

“We need help,” she whispered into the mouthpiece as she looked into Becky’s eyes and squeezed her hand in the darkness.

Leona shook her head as a gentle touch brought her back to the present. She looked up and smiled at Becky. Beck smiled back and made her way down the porch steps limping slowly, cringing with each step. Leona and Becky had been in the hospital for two weeks, Leona with a broken jaw and a ruptured retina, and Becky with multiple broken bones and a collapsed lung among other bruises and wounds. Becky would never walk without a limp again. Jay had been killed by the blow to the head and would never bother anyone again. Becky and Angela now lived next door and were slowly healing from their wounds. Leona smiled as Becky lowered herself to the step beside her and squeezed her hand. Leona smiled and rubbed her hand along the burgeoning mound of her belly as they watched Angela together for a moment in silence. The wind blew softly, drifting over them ruffling the lilac bush beside the steps carrying its fragrance on the breeze.
“I never told you thank you, you know” Becky said quietly as she watched her daughter’s golden hair bounce in the breeze, “You saved me.”
“You never had to” Leona stated simply as she squeezed her hand “we saved each other.” She met Becky’s eyes and smiled realizing in that moment that no matter what she would gladly do everything again. She would never regret anything she had done for her sister; she would never regret being her sister’s keeper.

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Publication Date: 03-04-2012

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