Sister, Sister

Chapter: Silent Night

Abigail sobbed into the sheets of her bed after her father left her room. She paused when she heard the door creak open again a few minutes later and quickly dried her tears.

"Abbie?" Beth's voice coming from behind her, light from the hallway flooding her room. Abbie wiped away her tears with the back of her hand one last time before turning to look at her sister. "Ar-Are you okay? I heard you from my room... did Daddy hurt you again?" Beth asked, noticing her sister's messy sheets and messed up nightgown. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving only the lamp beside the bed's dim glow to light the room.

Abbie adjusted her nightgown, pulling her sleeve back up her shoulder and got up, doing her best to quickly fix her sheets and hide the tear stains. She quickly gave her sister a slight nod but didn't say anything, back facing her. "I'm alright." She said after a moment.

"Are you sure?" Beth asked. Abigail turned, giving her small smile and another brief nod, before going back to adjusting her sheets. "I'm sure."

Beth didn't press it any further and for that, Abbie was extremely grateful. But Beth did cross the room and took her sister's hands in her own, stopping her from adjusting her sheets any more - not that they needed any further adjusting - and hugged her. When they separated, the girls sat down on the bed and Abigail laid back, pulling Beth along with her.

It was a long time before either of the girls spoke - they just sat there, holding each other in their arms comfortingly. "I love you, Abbie." Beth whispered, already half asleep, but still desperately clinging to her sister. "I love you too, Beth." Abigail breathed back, pulling a blanket over them, before resting her head atop her sister's, and falling into a deep slumber. The sisters stayed like that for the rest of the night.