Part 385: Siblings
Kellye slowly stirred awake. The CD player/alarm clock on her dresser went off, playing Collected Soul’s Shine. The young woman stood up, and crossed the room to turn it off. She laughed as she did so. It was an old trick taught to her by Brian in their youth. He told her in order for to prepare for military life; she should place the alarm clock on the other end of the room. That way by the time she got up to turn it off; she was fully awake. Kellye calmly yawned and began to disrobe as she walked into the bathroom to take a shower. Today was her big day when she became a homicide cop. She had only been in Vice for three months with Ana-Lucia before the mayor promoted her. The young woman vowed not to let her down.
After the took her bath and got dressed, she stared in the mirror while she applied her makeup. When was finished, she looked at the two items attached in the mirror’s seam. One was a photo of her, Brian and Jesse. They were just finished playing kick ball with the team of kids next door and they had won. Brian and Jesse were both soaked in sweat as was Kellye. She didn’t mind. It felt so good to be united. The other item in the seam was Brian’s letter he had given her before he died. The common term for it was a Death Letter. Soldiers would often give out special letters to their family members before they died. It was a common practice, slightly often filled with supersticious results. Kellye had even wrote her own Death Letter but she burned it when she left the service.
It had been some years and Kellye had never opened it. She often wondered why she was waiting. She felt she would open it when she needed to hear what he had say. Perhaps she felt at her lowest or when she needed to hear his “words” again. When she lost her father, Brian was there for her. He practically helped mom raise her and Jesse. Now she hoped that he was proud of her. “Brooding again?” Jesse smirked, as he was leaning against the doorway.
“I’m the older sister. I am allowed to brood,” she shot back at him.
“Funny, Kell. Better hurry downstairs or I’ll eat the muffins mom made for us.”
“Mom made us breakfast?” the young woman asked, since she normally just ate cereal while her mom enjoyed coffee.
“I guess today is a special day for both of us.”
“I am so proud of you for getting a job, Jesse,” Kellye said, as she followed him down the stairs.
“It’s no big deal, sis. I just . . .wanted to help out you and mom.”
“The fact that you did think about that shows me you have grown up. I am proud of you. And I know Brian would be too.”
Jesse stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Kellye stopped with him, wondering why he was pausing. He looked at her and his eyes were slowly filling up tears. The police officer gently rubbed his arm. “Don’t cry, Jesse,” she hugged him.
“I can’t help it,” he wept, “I miss him so much.”
“I miss him too but Brian wouldn’t have wanted us to mourn him. He would have wanted us to get on with our lives and make every second worth it.”
Jesse shook his head and composed himself. He wiped his eyes and smiled; letting his sister understand that he understood what she said. The two siblings then walked through the hallway and into the kitchen where their mother had prepared blueberry muffins with eggs and bacon. May smiled at her two children as they came into the room. “Eat hardy, you two,” she smiled, “You need your strength for the day ahead.”
“Mom, you didn’t have to go through all this.” Kellye said, sitting down.
“The breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I know that may seem old fashioned to you two but it’s not to me. Now eat up.”
“I won’t argue, mom,” Jesse said, eating his blueberry muffin, “I could eat my weight in this things.”
“I am so proud of you for getting a job, Jesse. Your father and Brian would be proud of you too.” His mother patted him on the arm.
“I’m just sorry . . .I didn’t get off my butt and get a job until now, mom.”
“Better late than never.” Kellye giggled, sipping her juice.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Jesse said, menacingly waving his fork at her.
“I know it’s short order cook job but look on the bright side, Jesse.” His mom sipped her coffee, “If you work hard, you can advance.”
“I actually don’t want to advance, mom. Simple is good for me. Besides, I really don’t want to be one of those poor cashiers who have to say Have a Cluck, Cluck, Cluckity Day.”
“It does sound rather lame.” His sister agreed.
“Is . . Cluckity even a word?” their mother said, confused.
“No, mom, I am pretty sure it isn’t.” Jesse smirked, finishing his bacon.
Kellye put on her coat and got her car keys to her Ford Explorer. It was Brian’s but it was now hers. She gave her Avalanche Truck to Jesse to make sure he had a way to go every where. The young woman picked up her badge and got ready to leave. Her mother came up to her and gave her a brown bag for her lunch. Kellye laughed, not remembering her mother giving her a bagged lunch since school. As they were walking out, Jesse pointed toward the TV. The local reporter David Nevermind was at the station that will be Kellye’s new work place. “We are here at Precinct 28 where the mayor will be welcoming the first ever all female homicide division that she promoted from various female police officers all over the city,” he continued, “This comes short of the famous Goddess Slayings that rocked Lost Angeles four months ago. Detective Edmin Wallace was unavailable for comment. We’ll be here in the two hours where the mayor is expected to show up along with the six police officers she chose to fulfill these positions. Among them are famous Flight 815 survivors Kellye Schroeder, Jenny Baker and Ana-Lucia Cortez and as Ms Baker makes history as the youngest detective in Los Angeles.”
“Look at it this way, Kel.” Jesse chuckled, “All the focus will be on Jenny and not you.”
“God, I hope not, “Kellye mentioned, “They don’t know her the way I do. If she gets really pissed, they better get out of her way.”
“Don’t listen to that stupid reporter, Kellye,” her mother hugged her again, “You go out there and you make a difference.”
“Thanks, mom,” she smiled, “I’ll see you tonight.”
Kellye waited till Jesse left the drive way and made her way into her vehicle. She calmly put on her seat beat and then reached into her shirt. She gently pulled out her dog-tags; mixed with Brian’s. She kissed them and then placed them back in her shirt; her daily ritual of good luck. She then took the car out of park and backed out of the drive way. She hoped that traffic wouldn’t be bad and she’ll get their on time.
After the took her bath and got dressed, she stared in the mirror while she applied her makeup. When was finished, she looked at the two items attached in the mirror’s seam. One was a photo of her, Brian and Jesse. They were just finished playing kick ball with the team of kids next door and they had won. Brian and Jesse were both soaked in sweat as was Kellye. She didn’t mind. It felt so good to be united. The other item in the seam was Brian’s letter he had given her before he died. The common term for it was a Death Letter. Soldiers would often give out special letters to their family members before they died. It was a common practice, slightly often filled with supersticious results. Kellye had even wrote her own Death Letter but she burned it when she left the service.
It had been some years and Kellye had never opened it. She often wondered why she was waiting. She felt she would open it when she needed to hear what he had say. Perhaps she felt at her lowest or when she needed to hear his “words” again. When she lost her father, Brian was there for her. He practically helped mom raise her and Jesse. Now she hoped that he was proud of her. “Brooding again?” Jesse smirked, as he was leaning against the doorway.
“I’m the older sister. I am allowed to brood,” she shot back at him.
“Funny, Kell. Better hurry downstairs or I’ll eat the muffins mom made for us.”
“Mom made us breakfast?” the young woman asked, since she normally just ate cereal while her mom enjoyed coffee.
“I guess today is a special day for both of us.”
“I am so proud of you for getting a job, Jesse,” Kellye said, as she followed him down the stairs.
“It’s no big deal, sis. I just . . .wanted to help out you and mom.”
“The fact that you did think about that shows me you have grown up. I am proud of you. And I know Brian would be too.”
Jesse stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Kellye stopped with him, wondering why he was pausing. He looked at her and his eyes were slowly filling up tears. The police officer gently rubbed his arm. “Don’t cry, Jesse,” she hugged him.
“I can’t help it,” he wept, “I miss him so much.”
“I miss him too but Brian wouldn’t have wanted us to mourn him. He would have wanted us to get on with our lives and make every second worth it.”
Jesse shook his head and composed himself. He wiped his eyes and smiled; letting his sister understand that he understood what she said. The two siblings then walked through the hallway and into the kitchen where their mother had prepared blueberry muffins with eggs and bacon. May smiled at her two children as they came into the room. “Eat hardy, you two,” she smiled, “You need your strength for the day ahead.”
“Mom, you didn’t have to go through all this.” Kellye said, sitting down.
“The breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I know that may seem old fashioned to you two but it’s not to me. Now eat up.”
“I won’t argue, mom,” Jesse said, eating his blueberry muffin, “I could eat my weight in this things.”
“I am so proud of you for getting a job, Jesse. Your father and Brian would be proud of you too.” His mother patted him on the arm.
“I’m just sorry . . .I didn’t get off my butt and get a job until now, mom.”
“Better late than never.” Kellye giggled, sipping her juice.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Jesse said, menacingly waving his fork at her.
“I know it’s short order cook job but look on the bright side, Jesse.” His mom sipped her coffee, “If you work hard, you can advance.”
“I actually don’t want to advance, mom. Simple is good for me. Besides, I really don’t want to be one of those poor cashiers who have to say Have a Cluck, Cluck, Cluckity Day.”
“It does sound rather lame.” His sister agreed.
“Is . . Cluckity even a word?” their mother said, confused.
“No, mom, I am pretty sure it isn’t.” Jesse smirked, finishing his bacon.
Kellye put on her coat and got her car keys to her Ford Explorer. It was Brian’s but it was now hers. She gave her Avalanche Truck to Jesse to make sure he had a way to go every where. The young woman picked up her badge and got ready to leave. Her mother came up to her and gave her a brown bag for her lunch. Kellye laughed, not remembering her mother giving her a bagged lunch since school. As they were walking out, Jesse pointed toward the TV. The local reporter David Nevermind was at the station that will be Kellye’s new work place. “We are here at Precinct 28 where the mayor will be welcoming the first ever all female homicide division that she promoted from various female police officers all over the city,” he continued, “This comes short of the famous Goddess Slayings that rocked Lost Angeles four months ago. Detective Edmin Wallace was unavailable for comment. We’ll be here in the two hours where the mayor is expected to show up along with the six police officers she chose to fulfill these positions. Among them are famous Flight 815 survivors Kellye Schroeder, Jenny Baker and Ana-Lucia Cortez and as Ms Baker makes history as the youngest detective in Los Angeles.”
“Look at it this way, Kel.” Jesse chuckled, “All the focus will be on Jenny and not you.”
“God, I hope not, “Kellye mentioned, “They don’t know her the way I do. If she gets really pissed, they better get out of her way.”
“Don’t listen to that stupid reporter, Kellye,” her mother hugged her again, “You go out there and you make a difference.”
“Thanks, mom,” she smiled, “I’ll see you tonight.”
Kellye waited till Jesse left the drive way and made her way into her vehicle. She calmly put on her seat beat and then reached into her shirt. She gently pulled out her dog-tags; mixed with Brian’s. She kissed them and then placed them back in her shirt; her daily ritual of good luck. She then took the car out of park and backed out of the drive way. She hoped that traffic wouldn’t be bad and she’ll get their on time.
posted by Jason | 12:45 PM
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