Invisible

Explanations

I really wanted to hate my sister for leaving us.  I wanted to mad, angry, frustrated with her.  But for some reason, when I was hugging her, all anger seemed to wash away, leaving me with only love for her.

I could feel tears in my eyes, a sob stuck in my throat, but I tried to keep it back.  

I didn't for long.

I broke down into hysterical tears, soaking my sisters expensive looking blue blouse.  I don't think she minded though.

"Oh, for God's sake Kasey, calm down!"  My mom said.

"Back off," Teresa put as much venom into the word as she could.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, Teresa just holding me and smoothing my hair as I wept into the base of her neck.  It couldn't have been for more than ten minutes but it felt like hours.  My mom left for work as a waitress at a small diner called Peter's.

When I finally calmed down, Teresa led me to the small couch in the living room.  She didn't say anything for a while, just looked at me with tears of her own in her eyes.  "I can't believe how much older you look," she said.

I just shrugged and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt.

"You look so beautiful," she said in a murmer.

"So do you, but you always were," I said.

We sat there in comfortable silence.

My heart was racing.  I should ask where she's been for the past four years without so much as a whisper from her to let us know she was alright.

"Go ahead and ask," Teresa took my hand in her own manicured one.

"Where were you?  Why didn't you call or write or drop by?  I missed you so much!"  I bit my lip from saying more.

She sighed.  "When I got the full scholarship to my first choice college, I knew that's where I had to go if I was going to do somthing with myself.  I knew that right after I gradutated from high school, mom was going to tell me to stay and help out around the house and get a job so she didn't have to.  So I went right after graduation.  I went without telling her or you because I knew mom was going to try and bring me back.  I hated myself for not calling you and checking on you, I really did.  College was hard.  I was going to drop out and come back home until something amazing happened in my sophmore year," she smiled at me.

"What happened?"  I asked.

"I fell in love," she said, her eyes practically glowing.  "I fell in love with Thomas Young and that's when I knew I was doing the right thing."  She showed me her left hand.  On the forth finger sat a huge diamond ring.  "I'm engaged, we're getting married in three months, June 13.  He owns a house only twenty minutes away."

My sister was engaged.

"I really think you're going to like it there.  Thomas is so excited!  He hired painters to paint your room and Maria's room, and oh!  Guess what?  He's putting in a pool."

My mind raced to catch up to what she's saying.  "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!  Are you saying I'm moving in with you?"  

My sister looked puzzled.  "I guess I forgot to mention that.  But yes!  That's why I was fighting with mom.  It's going to be so great!  Me and Thomas's mother already went out and picked up you a bed, dresser, nightstand, a desk and everything else you need for your room."

I'm moving in with her?  

"I really think you're going to like it there.  It's in the neighborhood Queensville."

"That rich snobby neighborhood that only miliionires could afford?"  I said, immediatly regretting the choice of words.  

She didn't seem fazed.  "Yeah, his dad owns Million Dollar Burgers."

"The whole company?"

She nodded.  "Thomas will be taking over soon."

This was alot to take in.  

"So what do you say?  Are you ready to move in with me?"