Chelsea stood at the threshold of her late sister Ruby's room, her heart heavy with a mix of sorrow and nostalgia. The air was thick with the scent of lavender, Ruby's favorite, lingering despite the passage of time. With a tentative step forward, Chelsea crossed the threshold, feeling as though she was trespassing into a sacred space.
Her eyes swept over the room, taking in the familiar sights that seemed frozen in time. The walls adorned with family portraits, shelves filled with books that Chelsea remembered reading together, and the cozy armchair by the window where they used to spend countless afternoons lost in conversation.
But it was the sight of Ruby's old teddy bear perched on the bed that brought tears to Chelsea's eyes. The bear, worn and faded with age, had been Ruby's constant companion since she was a babe. Chelsea reached out and picked it up, holding it close to her chest as memories flooded her mind.
Lost in her thoughts, Chelsea didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching until her eleven-year-old brother, Charles, appeared in the doorway. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying, a silent testament to the pain they both shared.
"I can't sleep," Charles said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Chelsea smiled weakly, patting the space beside her on the bed. "Come here, Charlie."
Charles crossed the room and climbed onto the bed, snuggling close to Chelsea's side. Together, they sat in silence for a while, finding solace in each other's presence.
"Do you miss her too, Chi?" Charles asked, breaking the silence.
Chelsea nodded, her throat tight with emotion. "Every day, Charlie. But I like to think that she's still with us in some way, watching over us."
Charles leaned his head against Chelsea's shoulder, his breathing slowly evening out as exhaustion began to take hold. Chelsea wrapped her arm around him, holding him close as they both drifted off to sleep, finding comfort in each other's embrace amidst the weight of their shared grief.
As the moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room, Chelsea whispered a silent prayer for her sister's peace, knowing that no matter how much time passed, Ruby would always live on in their hearts.
"Miss Shelby," Chelsea heard someone whisper above her, "ma'am your father has requested to see you. He says he needs you to get up and go to him."
Chelsea opened her eyes and looked up at their house maid, Frances, "Is h-he okay?"
"He's fine." Frances said, staring at the sleeping boy who was curled into his sister's arms, "He has a meeting that he needs you to be there for."
Chelsea shook her head and tried to keep her eyes shut, "I haven't slept in ages, Frances. Tell him I'll skip the meeting, I need sleep."
"I understand, ma'am, I do, but he's told me that you have to and that he knows you'll understand that he needs you there."
Chelsea let her words sink in, she knew that if her father was on his own, he wouldn't be able to go through with it and he would get lost inside his own head.
"Can you go into my room and grab me some clothes then?" Chelsea whispered, turning around and reading the clock on the wall that read 11:00 pm, meaning she had only had an hour worth of sleep, "I don't think Isaiah will be happy to see me at the moment."
Frances' face fell and Chelsea furrowed her brows, "I'm sorry, Mrs Shelby, Isaiah left. Your children have gone with him too."
Chelsea shot up instantly and ran towards the door, Frances running after her, "He left a note, Ma'am, I'll tell your father that you're awake."
