At exactly 7.45 am, Sharon's phone buzzed, pulling her from the clutches of slumber.
"Morning," Karol croaked, blessedly aware of her sister's presence—the only thing that felt steady in her spinning world.
"Morning sleepyhead. How are you?" Sharon's voice was laced with concern, tangled in the remnants of sleep.
"Doing fine, just tired and achy all over," she replied, her voice a soft tremor.
"Feeling any better after ghosting us again?"
"At first, yes; but now, no. I feel so alone like the walls are closing in on me, squeezing me tight. It's suffocating."
"Hey~ baby girl, I'm right here. Do you want to talk about it?"
"Sissy, can you come here right now? I need you." The dam broke, and she burst into tears, the floodgates unleashing torrents of pent-up emotion.
"I'm on my way, baby girl! Just tell me where you are. Send me your address; hold tight, I'm coming!" Sharon's voice was steady and reassuring, cutting through the haze of sorrow.
As she whispered comforting words to her sister, Sharon initiated a frantic search for her location while battling the impending dread curling around her heart.
"I'm so sorry, sissy. I don't know why I'm crying. I'm so stupid—so useless!" she ugly sobs were muffled by her hands desperately trying to wipe away her pain.
"Please don't say that! My loving, kind, and beautiful sister, I swear I'm coming. Just stay where you are; it's all going to be okay!" Sharon replied, her heart racing.
"I didn't even know why I felt so emotionally fragile right now. Oh gosh, I miss you so much, sissy."
With the urgency of a bolt of lightning, she abruptly ended the call, tears threatening to drown her as she wept. Meanwhile, her sister was in full-on road rage mode, shouting an expletive that could wake the dead while she pounded her steering wheel as traffic lights conspired to detain her.
Clenching her jaw, she quickly phoned her mother. "Mum! I need sissy's address, stat!"
In a tone quivering with maternal concern, her mother responded, "Why? What's wrong?"
She inhaled deeply, attempting to reassemble the pieces of her fraying composure. "Nothing's wrong, really—I just miss her dearly. Today is my day off, and I know you and Dad know where she is. Please, send me her location quickly. I'm almost to the airport!"
Anna's intuition kicked in—something was amiss, but it wasn't the time for more questions. "Alright, I'll message you her address. Just call us when you get there. Keep us updated, okay? Now go safe, love you!"
Moments later,, her phone buzzed with a message. With determination, she floored the accelerator, speeding towards the airport, as if the life of her sister depended on her.
Arriving at the main gate, she fumbled with her hazard lights, leaped from her car, and powered walked towards the counter. Luck was on her side as she snagged the last-minute ticket before making her way to the VIP parking lot, her heart racing.
Meanwhile, after pouring her heart out over the phone, Karol cried like a storm until exhaustion swept her away into a much-needed sleep.
Hours later, an impatient ringing echoed through the small double-storey cottage house, a relentless assault on her already frayed nerves.
"I'M COMING! I CAN HEAR YOU, I'M NOT DEAF! STOP RINGING THAT BELL LIKE A MANIAC!" she bellowed, marching toward the front door with all the grace of a disgruntled penguin.
She flung the door open, annoyance etched on her face, only for it to transform into shock.
"What the—!"
She froze in shock, her breath catching in her throat. Her left hand instinctively pressed against her heart, while her right hand flew up to cover her mouth in disbelief. Before she stood another figure, grinning widely, their joyous greeting slicing through the silence. "Hi, baby girl." The words reverberated in her mind, sending her deeper into her state of shock, her form rooted to the spot as a whirlwind of questions flooded her thoughts. "How? Why?" she stammered, struggling to comprehend the surreal moment.
"What 'why'? Didn't I promise you that no matter where you are or where you go, I will always find you and stand by your side?" The smile on her sister's face was infectious, though it only intensified her confusion.
"But, but...," she faltered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Didn't I tell you I was coming? Hmm, baby girl, you've got some explaining to do."
She blinked a couple of times, her tears once more betraying her as they streamed down her cheeks. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a warm embrace—her sister's arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly, securely. She succumbed to the comfort, her sobs muffled against the softness of her sister's shoulder, soaking the white fabric as soft circles were rubbed into her back in a soothing rhythm.
"I'm sorry. It seems that every time we talk, I end up being the one who cries," she admitted, pulling herself away to meet her sister's kind, understanding gaze. Together, they stepped into the house, and she held her sister's hand, guiding her toward the living room, the familiar surroundings a comforting backdrop.
"Let me get you some water," she offered, eager to be of service.
"No need, baby girl," her sister replied, laughter lighting her eyes. "I don't need your warm and cosy hospitality right now. What I want is for you to take a deep breath and explain yourself."
"Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?" she asked, half-joking yet half-serious.
"You're not in trouble," Sharon reassured her gently, giving her a soft push towards the sofa, where she settled beside her. "So, tell me, where have you been for the last couple of months?"
"Okay, I'll share everything, but please bear with me until I'm done, alright? After that, you can ask as many questions as you want."
As Karol began to unravel her story, she laid bare the truths of her solitude and the trials of being pregnant, from the simple joys to the gut-wrenching difficulties, not glossing over a single detail. When she finally finished, both sisters found themselves in a tangle of tears, clinging to one another tightly as Sharon silently seethed, her anger directed towards her sister's reckless mate.
"I'm here now, okay sissy?" Sharon said, offering a tender smile as she gently wiped away her sister's tears. "We'll get through this together."
She nodded, attempting to regain her composure from the emotional whirlwind. "By the way, did you manage to ask Mum and Dad about my address?"
"Yes," Sharon confirmed, her tone growing serious. "I had to since you hung up on me so suddenly. Anyway, when are you due? Because judging by your belly, it looks like it could be any day now." She rubbed soothing circles on her sister's stomach, her expression turning concerned.
"I'm thinking probably tomorrow or the day after that. I had some fake Braxton Hicks yesterday," she replied, her voice tinged with anxiety.
"Where are you planning to give birth? At the hospital? At home?"
"Of course, at home," Karol said firmly, though unease shadowed her tone.
YOU ARE READING
The One
FantasiaA regular bedtime story that was being told as a small kid turns into recurrent dreams as an adult then dismisses them as childhood imaginings. But as she passes her 21st birthday suddenly her dreams of wolves become more vivid, more realistic, a dr...
