Trigger Warning: Child Sexual Assault
When Sunny came home there were clouds in the sky. Fitting, I thought. I pressed my nose against the long living room window as my parents barreled down the stairs. The neighbors stood in their yards watching as the wide, silver van pulled down the street toward our driveway. It almost crept across the pavement, as if to purposely draw attention to its contents. The giant Oak tree dividing our lawn from the Bryant's, shook its limbs. It waved back and forth in anticipation of being united with its best friend again. Wiping the moist fog off of the window, I held my breath and could see her tiny head bobbing with the faults in the road from the back seat. Sunny's curly, jet black hair covered her pale face.
"Scarlett, don't stare" My father said checking his tie in the mirror next to the door, "It will be best for your sister if everything is completely normal like before she left." Of all people Sunny knew that nothing was normal before she went to the rehabilitation center, or whatever they call it, but my mother was crying again and my father was pacing, so I hopped off of the windowsill and slipped into my sandals.
"Honey, come here." My mother said motioning towards the front door. "Here she comes." I shuffled toward her as the man driving Sunny helped her out of the van. A woman with a clipboard was two steps ahead of them, smiling from ear to ear.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Rose!" The lady said shaking my father's hand. "And let me guess, this is Scarlett?" I held out my hand, but the woman just grabbed me for a big hug. I tried to see Sunny over her shoulder but I was immediately pulled back. "Your sister has told me so much about you. I have a twin too, but he's my brother so of course we're not identical." I just smiled and acted interested. Pushing onto my tiptoes, I caught a glimpse of Sunny but the man that was driving was bent over talking to her. "My name is Joanie Berks. I was Sunny's lead counselor at the hospital. Your daughter is a treasure."
"We're really glad to have her back." My father said. He was never one for raw emotion. I pushed past Mrs. Berks and ran up to Sunny. My mother tried to grab the sleeve of my shirt but I was gone. The man wasn't finished talking to her but I didn't care.
"Sunny!" I yelled, and grabbed her hand, squeezing it three times. "I missed you so-much." Sunny stared at the ground and I slowly let go. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like I was looking in the mirror as I stared at her face. My twelve-year-old twin sister had changed into an adult. The navy blue rings under her pink eyes held loose on her pale face. I brushed a curl off of her translucent forehead. That was the only way most people could tell the difference between us. I had always preferred my hair straight, but Sunny never cared enough to change it. Her bony shoulders that once protruded out of her shirt hung, tired and calm from her thin neck. I wanted to wake her up or at least make her smile. "Sunny, wait till you see our bedroom–"
"Scarlett." Mrs. Berks said as she scurried down our sidewalk to the driveway. "Sunny needs to relax. Trust me, your sister is still in there but it will take quiet love and calm attention for her to adjust."
"Of course she is still in there." The man that had driven the van said. His hands were massive and she squeezed onto his thumb as he spoke. "She never left, did you Sun?" My sister looked up with a blank stare. I glanced back at my parents, anxiously. My mother had begun to cry again and turned her face. My dad stood over me with a firm grip on my collar bone.
"Sunny?" I whispered and my father tightened his grasp. "Mom and dad took our bunk beds down."
"She'll see the room, Scarlett." My dad said. "Your sister will be right in, how about you go wait inside while we finish talking to Mrs. Berks." I didn't understand why everyone was acting so serious. I mean I knew there was an accident and Sunny was hurt but she was still my twin sister. I reluctantly stammered to the house. Taking a look over my shoulder, I saw Sunny peek at me, and I smiled.
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