A Sister's Letter Of Love

Prologue to Epilogue

A SISTER'S LETTER OF LOVE

PROLOGUE

Sandra Erikson watches closely as her charges, Bethany and Alex Connor, have their weekly riding lesson at the local equestrian club. She had been acting as their nanny for the past four years, but it was likely that she would soon lose that position. It would be hard to leave them, not because she was their nanny and had grown to love them, but because she was their aunt and they didn't even know it because of family secrets and problems.

Shortly before they had left the Connor home this morning, Sandra had received a call from the family's lawyer Mr. Williams. He had informed her that the children's parents, Laura and Neil Connor, had been killed when their private plane crashed in the Colorado Rockies. Mr. Williams had warned her not to say anything to the children. She was to wait until their uncle Duncan Connor arrived that evening so as to give them the support that they would need when they heard the news.

As she watches the children, she remembers the first time that she had met Duncan Connor. She had been arguing with his brother Neil about joining the party they were having for family and friends to celebrate their new home. Duncan had been the first to arrive and heard them arguing.

"It wouldn't be right Neil. I'm here to take care of your children, not socialize with your friends and family."

"You're part of our family too Sandy. You have just as much right to be at the party as anyone else that will be here."

"Just because I was once Laura's stepsister, doesn't make me a part of the family. We didn't have any contact with each other after our parents' divorce. Even before the divorce, she made it pretty clear that she didn't want me for a sister. I can't see her changing her mind now or any time soon." She could hear the hurt and bitterness she had felt as a child. "I'm still in a state of shock that she even let you hire me to take care of Bethany and Alex."

Duncan had made his presence known then. "Why do you stay on then?" he asks sarcastically.

"Duncan!" Neil turned quickly to his younger brother. "Really Duncan. Sandra only meant..."

Sandra places a hand on Neil's arm to stop him. "It's all right Neil." She assures him never taking her eyes away from Duncan. "I stay because even though Laura never accepted me, I accepted her. She's my sister. We weren't family for long, but we're still family and I was raised to believe in it. To me family means loving them and helping them no matter what they may say or do, or how they may hurt you. Laura knows and accepts this about me and I accept her refusal to see it in the same way. Her children need a steady influence in their lives while their parents travel. I can provide that influence."

"Yet your voice rings with bitterness Miss Erikson. Don't you think that bitterness will influence the children as well as anything else? Especially when exposed to it every day."

She looks at him without blinking for several seconds. "No it won't Mr. Connor, because the bitterness you hear isn't towards their mother. Neither by word or deed will they know from me about the tension between their mother and me. I would never hurt them in any way, especially not in the way I was hurt." She stands straighter. "Now if you will both excuse me, I need to go and finish getting the children ready." Nodding to Neil she turns away and heads out the door, nodding to her sister who is standing in the doorway.

That had been three and a half years ago. Since then their meetings had been few and far between. When they did meet, they only spoke to each other when it was absolutely necessary, which was mainly in front of the children. Beth and Alex were their common ground, in which they both silently agreed that they would try to shield them from their parents neglect. Now there would be no shielding them from what had happened.