Kindness

Her Love

 “Ruth get down here.”

“Coming mother…”

“Now!”

       I never did know who she was talking to. My mother always wanted twins. After my sister was born she wasn’t able to have any more kids. So she named her Ruth too.  We had matching backpacks, shoes, dresses; you name it we had it. She even dyed my hair to match Ruth’s. The only thing different about us was our ages and middle names, Gabriella and Jocelyn.  However my mother never did care to call us by them. Our father gave us those names. When they divorced my mother only called us Ruth. She hated those names because she hated him. It never really was the same after the divorce.

         “Ruth what is this?” she yelled. “What the fuck is this?”

          She held up a torn condom rapper with a disgusted look on her face. I felt guilty and ashamed that she could ever think I was like that. That she could think I was some reckless teenage girl; someone looking to get lost in crazy stupid love. I wasn’t outgoing enough for that to happen.

           “I don’t know, ask Ruth.” I snapped.

           “I’m asking you!” she screamed. “You know Ruth wouldn’t dare!”

           “And I would?” I screamed back. “Mother why would…”

          “You’re older Ruth, why don’t you just admit it? And besides I found this in your wastebasket!” She snarled.

          I was stunned into silence. She wanted it to be me that flirted. She needed me to be the one she couldn’t trust. She wouldn’t imagine Ruth that way, not even if she suspected it was true. Ruth was her last baby. She meant too much.

         I looked at her, our mother, through teary eyes and then looked to the top of the staircase where Ruth was sitting. She had a desperate look on her face. So I lied out of kindness.

          8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8 NIV)