KEYS

Chapter 8: The Sibling's Secret

Debbie Rothman spent most of her time cramped up in her apartment smoking a cigarette while watching crime stories on television. Every afternoon when she came home from work she pops a two minute meal into the microwave, pours herself a glass of red wine and opens her third packet of cigarettes for the day. Debbie was a thin woman who had short brown hair, a milky white skin, and a mouse shaped body. Her nails were always manicured and her face was covered in make-up, mostly to hide the huge amount of freckles on her nose and forehead. She certainly differed a lot from her older brother, York Victor. It was a Wednesday afternoon in Chicago when Debbie arrived at her apartment after another busy day at work. She grabbed her mail from the building's mailboxes while digging in her purse for her apartment's keys. She browsed through her mail as she climbed the stairs to the 9th floor avoiding the broken steps and cobwebs when she came across a letter from someone she did not had any contact with for twelve years. She stopped right in front of her apartment door holding out the letter trying to figure out if her mind was playing tricks on her. The letter was sent from Stuttgart Germany from a Mr R Victor. Her only thought on who this could be from, was her older brother's son Ross. She went inside straight to the kitchen, poured herself her usual glass of red wine, lit up a cigarette and headed to the couch to read the letter.

Dear Auntie Deb

I know it has been a while since you have seen or heard from us and you are probably still mad at my father for what he did last time we saw you, but me and Rochelle need your help!

You may not know this but a few months after I graduated from music school we moved to Stuttgart Germany because one of my dad's branches went on strong this side of the world, but we had a little accident a month ago and we seriously need your help. You are the only relative Rochelle and I know and we use to get along with you so well and to be honest we are old enough now to go our separate ways, but the point is we missed you a lot. My sister and I will be leaving Germany on the 16th of October and as soon as we arrive in Chicago we are coming to see you.

I am so sorry if we are going to cause any trouble Auntie Deb, but we need you now more than ever.

Hope to see you soon

Ross

Debbie folded the letter over and took a long drag of her cigarette. It has been ages since the last time she saw her god children. She sat there completely stiff and silent. 'For what do they need my help for?' She thought and took another drag of her cigarette. She checked her calendar and was shocked to see that today was the 15th of October. She quickly rushed down her glass of wine and nipped her cigarette to tidy up her messy house before they arrived tomorrow. She emptied out two rooms used for mild storage that use to belong to Ross and Rochelle when they were much younger and still used to visit her. She knew that their visit would have something to do with her brother and was prepared to help her god children in whatever it was they needed help with no matter what.

There was a knock one the door on the morning of 16 October. Debbie checked her appearance in the mirror just before she opened the door and took a deep breath. She did not know what to expect. She had been away from them for such a long time and was uncertain of how to treat them now that they were all grown up. She slowly turned the door knob and pushed it open. She nearly cried at the sight of them standing in front of her. Ross was the spitting image of his father and Rochelle of her mother. She did not speak or waited for them to speak, but instead threw her arms around both of them locking the three of the in a tight embrace.

"Hi Auntie Deb." Ross and Rochelle said together.

"Hello my darlings!" She said hugging them even tighter.