Angel of Mercy

Chapter 13

We stood there, in the middle of my living room, for what could have been seconds or hours, locked in a timeless bubble of love and security, of safety and hope. No words were exchanged between the two of us, but no words were needed. We both knew what the other felt, because in so many ways we were identical. We understood each other perfectly.

Mary hid herself, just like I did, for the same reasons I did. Mary was a product of her society, the perfect girl those chauvinistic men wanted, just as I was a product of my society. We both mirrored the people around us, taking what seemed the best, most vauled traits and inserting them into our personality. We were both so scared of rejection, of being an outcast, that we did everything in our power to hide the traits that seemed objectionable to others. And then, when placed in a situation where the personas we had cultivated were no longer admired, but found odd, found strange, found wrong. A situation where we were the outcast, where our deepest fears came true, we both retreated in to ourselves putting up wall after wall, acting the way that used to be perfect. Because we knew no other way, our personalities were not adaptable because they weren't real. We were like characters in plays, fit for only one environment, one story, one place.

Whilst we looked diffent, acted different, seemed different in every way possible, our souls, our hearts, our deepest beings were the same. We were sisters in all ways but the most common, in all the ways that mattered.

The door bell rang, causing us to break apart, to smile at each other and put back up our perfect images. My hair was smoothed back, Mary's fluffed. My dress was checked for creases, Mary's was was given an extra tip or two. My face transformed by a warm, welcoming smile, Mary's given a provocative smirk. I then went to answer the door, and Mary arranged herself in the sofa.

I opened the door, recited a cheerful greeting, made polite small talk, asked in the visitor. Mary rudely asked for a name, insulted and rolled her eyes. I made tea, offered milk and sugar. Mary made pointed remarks about the fattening effects. I apologised and the visitor left.

Mary and I went through all the motions, pretended to be the people we knew to be our ourselves. And we convinced every one. Months passed like this. James and I were reunited, happy together as we were before, other people soon forgot my scandal, Mary's antics taking up far too much of their time.

And in a strange way we were almost happy. Not really, not inwardly, but we were as happy as we could be, trapped inside ourselves. Because we weren't as alone as we used to be, we had an ally.

We had a friend.

Short, I know, but again instead of the romantic reunion between James and my protagonist, we get a complex Mary relationship bit. Mary just won't leave the spotlight! :)
This story is coming to an end :( Only a few more chapters left!