Irreplaceable

T w o

F L A S H B A C K

"Vic! Vic! Victoria Kanny!" I squealed as I waved a necklace in her face.

"What is it, Mar?" she asked as her eyes took in the object before her. Seeing the expression on my face, she then again asked," You want me to help you put that necklace on?" I nodded eagerly at her response and turned to prop myself before the dresser mirror.

"Mar, you should know that seeing you swing a necklace in front of someone doesn't means you need help. It's not telepathy," she explained as she appeared behind me. A gorgeous smile stretched across her face and I equally returned the same. "Are you ready?"

"With you at my side, I will always be ready," I announced. The emerald gleam that emphasized her eyes darkened and she returned a weak smile. Obviously, my answer had made her uneasy.

"Mar, I think..." She hesitated.

"What is it, Victoria? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing," she sighed, "I'll talk in private with you later. This is our night to have fun. I don't want to ruin that." Suddenly beaming she included, "Besides, there is someone special in the crowd tonight." A special name shot through my mind, but the uneasiness in what my beloved sister had to tell me kept me more curious.

Turning around I asked, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it now? You know that the guests can wait. Afterall, this is our night and we can do what we want." A smile creeped across our faces, but quietly laughing, Vic shook her head. I nodded and we exited our room towards the grand stairways in quick, excited strides.

The grand ballroom stood before us, lighting the darkness outside. The hallways and rooms were filled with laughter and familiar faces. Waiters and servants moved in and out of the chattering crowds with utmost grace and delicacy.

Vic grabbed my hand and entwined our fingers together. We were like a lock and a key, it was impossible to separate us.

"Here we go!" she gleamed.

The guests looked up at Vic and I as we descended the wide marble staircase. Their eyes sparkled with fascination at our stunning entrance as clapping and whistling echoed through the ballroom. By the beauty of the hair salon, Vic's dark brown hair cascaded down in lovely curls that bounced against the farbrication of her slim royal blue gown. Silky straps hung loosely around her arm, exposing her bare shoulders. In hopes of not getting mistaken by name, our appearances were made to appear different for the night. My naturally straight hair fluttered softly behind me, and the opening of my strapless black dress revealed my long legs.

I found myself moving throughout the crowd, greeting and receiving congratulations. After a few hours, I finally reunited with Victoria by the steps of the grand staircase.

My mother, who was extremely drunk, stumbled out of the crowd holding a glass of red wine. The whites of her eyes were a bright red and her shoes were no longer on her feet. Although the alcohol made her look 'happy', it was obvious she was concerned about something.

"Have you seen your father, girls?" She slurred.

I turned to see that Vic was as uneasy as I was. Our mother was very laid-backed, and it meant trouble if she was worried.

"I haven't seen him the whole night. Have you, Mar?" Vic asked me.

I shook my head. "Maybe he's in his office upstairs. Earlier today he was on the phone talking to one of his coworkers about something important. I'm sure he will come down when everyone is singing happy birthday."

Glancing over, I caught sight of Gregory Markenson laided back against one of the hundred other marble columns. I whipped my head back to Vic to have our eyes locked with each other in an unspoken conversation.