The Difference Between You and Me

Chapter 32

Ammie woke up to a throaty sound of a truck's engine outside. She peeked through her window and saw that a family was moving into the house next door. Sighing, she laid back into the bed and stared up at the ceiling. The bell rang, and as if on cue she hopped out of the bed and went downstairs, expecting it to be the new neighbours as was customary. She opened the door to see that it was only the mail that were delivered. Ammie never cared about collecting the mail because nothing ever came for her, just the usual bills for her mother. But something came over her this particular morning and she found herself picking it up and scanning through on her way to the kitchen.

"For mom"

"For mom"

"For mom"

"For mo-, me?"

Ammie stared at the crisp, white envelope with her name scribbled fancily across the front, there was no institution or corporation's name, nothing to indicate who the sender was. Many questions swirled around in her head and she believed all the answers were enclosed inside the envelope. Placing the rest of the mail on the kitchen counter, she bellowed for Katy.

"Mom, the mail is here!"

Ammie then ascended the stairs as if she was in a trance, eyes trained on the envelope. Ensuring to close her room door so as to prevent any disturbance from her brothers, she proceeded to carefully open the envelope revealing a letter.

Dear Ammie,

I know what you must be thinking, what do I think I'm doing trying to contact you after so many years. And I understand. I'm not sure if you'll ever get this letter because you probably moved but I'm hoping that's not the case. I miss you Ammie, so much. It's my fault for not calling you after I left Washington, I guess you could say I got caught up in all the noise of being wealthy and though I never forgot you I didn't stopped to make time to show you that. And I'm truly and deeply sorry for that. A lot has happened since then though and I hope to tell you all about it soon. I would give my number for you to give me a call but somehow giving my email address feels right. So here it is anniebrians@gmail.com. Send me a message whenever you get the chance.

Your sister,

Annie Brians

Ammie couldn't believe her eyes, Annie still remembered her. Two years ago if she had sent this letter Ammie would've probably ripped it up and burn the remains. But she was too old to carry a grudge especially against her sister. Life happens and forgiving her was the least she could do especially now that Annie was reaching out to her.

"Ammie sweetheart, come downstairs. Breakfast is ready," Katy called. Ammie refolded the letter along its lines and placed it under a book on her desk so her snooping brothers don't find it.

"Morning dear," Katy greeted but Ammie was too deep in thought to hear her mother, and just walked to the table and sat there staring at nothing in particular. Katy walked over to her and rest a hand on her shoulder. Ammie jumped at the sudden contact and looked up to see Katy's worried expression staring back at her.

"Are you okay?" Katy asked

"She must've finally taken a look at herself in the mirror," Tristan piped in as he entered the kitchen

"Shut up moron," Ammie snapped

"Really? Moron? That's the best you could come up with?" Tristan asked raising his eyebrow, "you're slipping my dear sister," to which Ammie responded by flipping him the finger and started on her breakfast.

---

The day went by pretty quickly. Ammie was on her way to her room when she caught a glimpse of Katy in the kitchen focused on a piece of paper in her hand

"What's that?" Ammie asked taking a seat next to Katy.

"It's a letter from the hospital in San Francisco asking for my final decision regarding the job offer," Katy sighed

"Go mom"

"Hmm?"

"Go," Ammie repeated. "It was selfish of me to keep you from going when you first brought it up. I wanted to go to college on the other side of the country and you let me without protest, so I don't see why I made such a big deal out of us having to move two states. I love DC but I'm sure San Francisco will be even greater,"

"Thank you Ammie, truly"

"There's no need to thank me mom. Make the call. I'll be outside,"

"Okay," Katy smiled

Ammie found herself on the steps outside the front of the house instead of going upstairs. She needed the aid of fresh air to mull over all that had happened since she returned to Washington for the holidays. Jade literally forced her and Josh alone in a room together to work out whatever was going on between them. Ammie did not tell her that Josh had said he loved her back in New York because Ammie wasn't ready to say those words back to him and she tried her very best to avoid talking about it at all cost. In the end she and Josh did iron out their problems. But Jade was off and distant for the most part the entire time they were in Washington and she wouldn't tell Ammie why no matter how hard she pressed so Ammie left it and hoped she'd come around. And now this, a letter out of the blues from her twin sister. It had been quite an eventful time to say the least.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for me"

Ammie looked around confused as to where the voice came from. Her eyes landed on the teenage boy grinning at her from the house next door. Her face contorted into disgusts at the nerve of this child trying to hit on her,

"Is that how jerkheads like to pick up girls these days?"

"I don't know. I'll ask one and get back to you," the boy shrugged

"Okay smartass how old are you?"

"Are you a cop?" the boy asked

"Just answer the question" Ammie said growing impatient to make her point

"16. What's it to you?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Why don't you do both of us a favour, crawl back into your house and research some better pickup lines. Or better yet, I'll leave and if you dare ruin my day and try to hit on me again I'll have my brothers hunt you down like a pack of grey wolves desperate for a piece of meat. Welcome to the neighbourhood," Ammie grinned and left the frighten boy to himself.