Samantha's POV
"So which one is it? Smoky hot red or spicy lace black?" My eyes darted between the two dress choices and somehow my mind couldn't come up with the better alternative. Meg's sapphire eyes bored into mine pleadingly. I had earlier had a heart to heart conversation with her and promised to make up for the time I hadn't been the best big sissy she clearly deserved. We were currently in her room deciding on her outfit for a dinner date with "detective McHotty", the nickname being my mom's idea. "Sammy! Which one?" She asked for the umpteenth time. I decided to do what Li would have done in a situation like this; I closed my eyes and counted one to ten, the red dress won. I was then put in charge of her hair and make up. By the time the clock struck six pm my sister was looking hot! Detective David had remained behind at the hospital where my mom was admitted. I had woken up the following morning to find myself in a warm jacket that had a woody scent. I instantly knew its owner, Pharell. I had looked up in anticipation hoping to spot him in one of the chairs but then I had felt the same pang of disappointment and instantly knew he was gone, again, without a goodbye. I had refrained from calling him or asking David about his whereabouts. I understood why he left. After my eaves dropping gone wrong incident, he had shown me a picture of a boy that was his exact replica but that's not all that was there, there was a striking woman whose reflection looked back at me intimidatingly. I had suddenly felt like an intruder of a family and even though I was sure I had feelings for Pharell, I knew it would never amount to anything. I was a lawyer trained to observe emotions. Even though he repeatedly told me that he felt nothing for the woman, I saw it in his eyes. His turquoise eyes held a love story that his brain was denying to accept. Yet I had smiled at him and said I believed him.
Meg had made me her personal slave for the day so I turned out to be her designated driver for the night. We climbed down the stairs as Aunt Macy exclaimed excitedly when she saw Meg. She was my foster dad's sister and had heard of my mother's condition and had flown all the way from Florida to visit her. My mother had been discharged from the hospital this morning and had insisted that Meg and I go out tonight to live our lives. Somehow David had been there at this exact moment and had immediately asked Meg out. Neither Meg and I had gone out on dates like ever. Meg had always been too busy between her computer obsession and taking care of mom while I didn't even recognise the male species, my first kiss had been on a bomb scene. Yes, I was just sad. I had thrown myself into my career, children's lives improving had become my only source of joy.
After a lot of blushing from Meg, who was being told constantly to remember to use protection, we finally made it out of the house. My mother was beaming with happiness. Her daughters were finally living. That had been her exact statement. I dropped Meg off at China town where her detective McHotty was waiting patiently with a bouquet of flowers. My sister had alighted the car delicately her eyes shy as the detective greeted her with a peck on the cheek. She had then seen the flowers and I could have sworn she squealed. Who squeals at that age? The girl was nineteen not fourteen! The detective's reaction had been heart warming when Meg got out of the car. His eyes had roamed all over her body and he had been stunned by her beauty. It was when they both looked back at me in the car just staring at them that I realised I was being creepy. I gave a sheepish smile, thrown the detective a glare and started my SUV.
I ended up in my usual coffee shop. I decided to order green latte from the barrister behind the counter since the waiters shifts were over. I thanked the barrister and he politely smiled back as I took a seat next to the window. I loved it here because of the view and not to mention the amazing latte. My mind wandered back to a couple of days ago when I had come here with Pharell. It was the first time I had genuinely laughed in a long time. And now here I was, with my little sister on a date and my mother happily gossiping with Aunt Macy about family. They could do that because things were normal with me. I can now smile at Aunt Macy's silly comments, pick a dress for my sister on her date and fluff a pillow for mom's comfort. A week ago I was but a shadow of myself waiting for death to take me thinking of how my sister hated me but now I was Samantha Terrance, the twin sister of the late Lindsay Terrance who loved me. She had loved me. I had faced my demons and I was on the process of conquering them. I promised myself to go to Phili and see if I could find anyone who knew her before she came to New York, I needed closure.
Since Pharell wasn't at the apartment ( David had told me of their visit to Phoenix) I decided to drive there and pack my sister's stuffs. He had told me he hadn't done it, it was too painful. I entered the apartment building trying to recall the door number. I quickly remembered the story Pharell had told me about Li and her creepy crush. I laughed silently at this. At least both my sister and I had been slow in the men department. I reached out to the door knob not caring to knock. I saw a splint of wood chipped on the side of the door and hesitated. It looked like someone had forcefully entered the apartment. I quickly removed my phone to dial 911 but stopped the action when I heard whimpering from inside the apartment. My heart started throbbing against my chest as I pushed the door open. I reached out to switch on the lights since the room was filled with darkness.
My eyes were immediately met by a saddening sight. I found myself launching towards his direction as his sadness drew me to him. Pharell was curled in a ball on the floor against the wall in one of the corners watching what sounded like a video. I could hear cries and screaming of a woman and a child. Then there was a deep manly voice that followed, talking about poison. I reached down to Pharell who was yet to acknowledge my presence. When I crouched down and touched his shoulder he looked up to me with his teary face. I pulled him into a hug which he returned fiercely as his shoulders started to uncontrollably vibrate. I shushed him, rubbing my hand up and down on his side. From my angle I could see the video on the phone which had started playing again. I recognised the boy in the video, it was his son.
"He is g-gone and I h-haven't even met h-him."
