Sisters

Katrina Swete
Maine, Earth
Home
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It was 1 AM. Lucy and John had finally bustled all their children to bed and
Katrina was happily snuggled in her childhood bed. She was beginning to fall
asleep when she smelled something. She opened her eyes and began searching.
With one finally whiff, she reached under her low bed and pulled out a half
eaten peanut-butter sandwich. "Gross!"
Katrina wandered downstairs, ending up in the kitchen with the sandwich. She
threw it out and realized she was hungry. "Mmmm, peanut butter."
As she was spreading the peanut paste on some bread, her sister Lucy walked
in.
"Hey Kat," Lucy greeted.
"Hey Luce. What are you doing up?"
"Hungry," the dark haired woman answered. "Make me one of those, would ya?"
For a while, the women ate their sandwichs in silence. When Lucy finished
her's first, she began to speak. "Carrie seems to like you. She didn't cry
once when you were holding her. Reminds me of when you held Jim the first
time."
Katrina swallowed her last bite. "What can I say? Kids like me."
Lucy got up to get a drink. "When are you gonna have some of your own?"
"Oh, don't start that, Luce," Katrina complained. "You have enough kids for
all three of us girls."
"True," Lucy replied as she poured herself some OJ. "It's just that you'll
make an excellent mom."
"An ex-con like me? A good mom? First, I'd have to find a man that wouldn't
mind about my past."
"Sounds like you're still single," Lucy said in a sing-song voice.
"You are correct," Katrina replied. "Not that I haven't looked," she added.
"Good men too little and too far apart in space?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Katrina groaned
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3 AM
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The girls stifled a laugh. Memories were a lot funnier in the middle of the
night.
As the laughter died down, Katrina said seriously, "I'm really worried about
Mom. Did you hear her talking about RJ at dinner?"
"Unfortunately, I did."
"She was talking like he's still alive. 'I wonder if he's ever going to marry
that girl he's dating? I'd love some more grandkids!' It was heart-breaking."
"I know." Lucy frowned. "What's worse is we always indulge her with, 'I don't
think he will, Mom. No, I don't know why he hasn't visited in a long time.'
So sad."
Katrina changed the subject. "So, what'd you do with the money he left you?"
"It's going towards the kid's college."
"College? You'll have plenty of money left over even if you send all seven
kids."
"He did leave us a lot," Lucy admitted.
"A million each? Plus, you and John both have good jobs."
"It all goes to the kids." Lucy smiled at the thought. "What about your mil?
What have you done with it?"
"Nobody knows exactly how much I really have, besides us. I thought it was
best to keep it from the JMC. But I've left for good, so I'm going to start a
buisness. One like RJ's."
"VR games?"
"Yeah," Katrina answered. "I figure, contact the same people RJ knew and it
won't be too hard."
"Maybe settle down?" Lucy suggested.
"Maybe."
Lucy gave her sister a look. "The JMC knows you left, right?"
Katrina gave her a sheepish look.
"Kat! Are you nuts?"
"No, worried for my life."
"Oh, don't exaggerate. You have to go back and leave the right way, or stay."
Lucy grinned. "You know, maybe you could get to know that Commander you were
telling me about...."
"I told you, he's not meant to be with me. I'm a smegging janitor!" Katrina
exclaimed.
"You never know if you don't try."
Katrina frowned, thinking over what her sister said. "I hate it when you're
right."
"I always am."