brothers.

74~ Sister

It was still cold this time of year, but there wasn't much snow anymore; just small showers every now and then. I was sure to avoid the outlet this time, sticking to my surrounding neighborhood. I'd learned my lesson.

I was actually a bit proud of myself for finally going out to run despite the circumstances. I'd been locked up in my room for days. Of course, I knew better than to go alone.

"Can we... take... a break?" Harry panted.

"I thought you played football," I said.

"It's been a while. We quit, remember?" Tommy also sounded exhausted.

"Okay, fine. Lonnie needs a break." I slowed down. Next to me, Lonnie panted, his tongue hanging out in the cold air.

"Oh, yeah, Lonnie needs a break." Harry rolled his eyes.

I checked my smart watch. It was about 3:30. It would start getting dark soon. We'd stuck close to our neighborhood, but ventured a little further to visit someone. After a little while, we resumed trotting, reaching our destination.

"You want to be alone?" Tommy asked.

I hesitated. "Just stick close."

"No, we're gonna leave you here by yourself," Harry said sarcastically, earning a nudge from his brother.

"I'm just answering." We entered the cemetery. "And I'm 16, not 6. I can be 'by myself'."

"Not like this."

Sludge stuck to our boots as we walked through the graveyard, reaching the two. I stared at Julia's name; Julia Aurora Field. She was supposed to be Watson. She was their daughter.

If Heaven was real, would she be up there with her parents? Would she even know they were her parents? And Amy, did she know? Did she know I was her sister and not Julia? Could she see me now?

Harry crouched, leaving a handful of periwinkles on Amy's grave. He then stood with us, our eyes on her name.

"She was so peaceful," he suddenly said. Tommy didn't respond, instead biting his lips to resist his tears. "She told me..." His jaw trembled. "She said she was at peace. And she wanted me to feel the same. She knew it would be hard, but that we would feel better soon. One day."

"Do you?"

Another long pause. "It's hard to say," Tommy continued for him. "I think... personally, I've accepted she's gone. But life just seems less bright without her. I've felt better with you, though. You bring your own light. But Amy... life without Amy is still something we haven't gotten used to."

"I think I feel the same," said Harry. "I'm happy with you around, Diana. So happy. But at the same time... it just feels so unfair that Amy didn't get to have a sister. It just feels so wrong that she's not here for all of this."

"I wish she was here, too," I said. "It feels like... I really missed out."

"You did," Tommy chuckled tearfully.

"We did, too." Harry's eyes turned down. "We were... mean. And insensitive. We were jerks. We didn't realize how much we were taking her for granted... I know that sounds so cliched, but it's the only way I can describe it. And then we did the same with you."

"It was different with me," I told him. "I get it. I'm with you now."

They stared at her stone for a while before Harry patted my shoulder. "We'll be right here, okay?" He and Tommy turned away, walking towards some of their other family members that were buried here.

Our family members. Right.

"Amy..." I chuckled, blushing awkwardly. "This feels so weird. I... I'm still trying to get over the fact that... you were my sister this whole time. And I never knew you. Even though we were... pretty close by."