haha this was a dream i had last night. I added in names to make it more realistic. Haha but it's very much a day-time soap..Bewarned...
"Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window"
"That's sounds good!" chirpped Gladis.
I smiled. Gladis always knew what to say to make me feel better. It was indeed raining. I used to cry everytime it rained, but not anymore. Not after our mother died. She wasn't our real mother but she loved us just the same.
"Look the sky's clearing up! Come on, Chrissy is waiting for us."
When we reached the auto-shop, Chrissy was already hard at work. Chrissy was our other "sister". She's a little older than us so now she kind of has to takeover caring for both of us and the shop.
I got down to work, giving a couple of old cars a new coat of paint. It was my favourite job to do. It always made me happy to see an old life given a new exuberance. Then he walked in.
"Hi. Is this Jenny B's Auto?"
The voice belonged to a tall man with defined features. He looked our age.
"Yes it is." Chrissy replied, paying more attention to the car she was fixing.
"Well, may I speak with Jenny then? See I heard she's the best in the area and I need someone to fix my car. Money's not an issue."
Chrissy dropped her tools and stood up to look at the man.
"Well sir, if you think money can bring back the dead then by all means throw your money on the table and see if our mum appears."
Chrissy didn't mean to snap at him. I know she didn't. It's just that she had developed a cynical view of men after having been hurt so many times. She devotes herself to cars now.
"Oh. I see. I'm really sorry."
Chrissy was about to retort but Gladis stepped in. She always more of a people person.
"Don't worry about it sir. Though our mother's not around anymore, the three of us have inherited her skills in the art of car fixing and we guarantee that there's no better auto-shop around. Why not let my younger sister and I tell you more over a cup of coffee?"
And that was the beginning. It turns out his name is Louis. He's family in some kind of business. But for now, he's just a budding singer/songwriter, like me.
His car was in a pretty bad shape. He said he found it in a scrap yard and saw some potential. It would take us awhile to fix it though. He hit it off pretty well with Gladis.
I left the two of them alone, I had too. And made my way down to the local hospital. It was an annual checkup to make sure my leg's okay. Jenny used to tell me my limp made me look cute.
I got home to a frantic Gladis.
"I'msostupid I'msostupid I'msostupid! You got to help me!"
She told Louis that she write. But she doesn't. And for a first date they've agreed to play an original piece of their own.
"So just teach me something please?"
Of course I would. Chrissy and Gladis are my only family. Their happiness means more to me than anything else.
I passed her one of my older compositions. She came back from the date glowing. I smiled too.
A few days later, Gladis could be heard shrieking again. She got the chicken pox from the kids next door.
"Now how am I going to go out with Louis. He's already waiting! You'll have to go in my place."
So I went. And told Louis about my sister's condition. He laughed and said he would visit later. The movie was nice. Then we bought ice-cream and sat in the park. He said he heard from my sister that I love ice-cream. I really do.
"So your sister tells me you sing and write as well?"
I smiled and nodded. We talked about musical influences and some other stuff.
"Hey, sing me something."
I didn't want to but after some persuasion I did.
"Woah. Both Gladis and you have great voices! And the lyrics were brilliant! Did you write it?"
I did. But instinct told me to say Gladis wrote it. For him.
He smiled. I smiled back.
On Gladis's behalf, I went out with him a few more times until she got well. Sang him songs on her behalf as well.
And seeing the both of them so happy made me really happy.
Soon, we were done with Louis's car. Initially he wanted it blue. But Gladis has always like red cars. So I repainted it.
"Hey thanks for everything! Maybe we can hang out again sometime."
Gladis was already seated in the passenger's seat.
They waved to me as they drove out of the shop. For awhile I just stood there, watching the sand settle.
"You like him don't you?" Chrissy walked in, wiping her wrench.
I smiled. It didn't matter whether I did or not. He and Gladis are so happy together and that's all that really matters. I couldn't compare to Gladis in so many ways.
That night, Gladis didn't come home. We received a call from the hospital. A drunk driver collided with their car. She died.
Louis had superficial wounds.
After the funeral, I spent most of my time either at the shop or at home. Louis felt responsible. He sent many things to make up for it. Chrissy turned them away.
He tried to talk to me. But I wouldn't listen. I was too sad. Chrissy chased him out.
But one day Chrissy went out. I didn't have the energy to chase him away.
"Please understand. I never meant for any of this to happen. You don't know how much Gladis meant to me as well."
I looked away.
"Then do you know how much Gladis means to me, to us? You will always be able to find another girlfriend. But can you get me another sister? A sister who you've spent your entire life with, a sister who knows you better than yourself, CAN YOU? CAN YOU?
I collapsed against him. I was so tired. For awhile the only feeling I felt the warmth of my tears.
Though Chrissy didn't like it, I kept in touch with him. He would visit occasionally to see if we were doing alright.
I passed out in the auto-shop one day. Thee neighbours told me Chrissy drove like a madman to the hospital. The doctors were very hush-hush about it. I wasn't keen in finding out anyway.
Turns out it was a brain tumour. Inoperable. But that didn't bother me. I was worried about Chrissy, the shop. I made her promise me that she would marry.
Louis came to visit. Brought his guitar everytime.
Chrissy called me to tell me how he found out. She needed help packing my belongings.
He was in my room and stumbled upon the compositions on my computer. Chrissy said she's never seen a man run that fast.
But he wasn't going to make it in time. I saw his figure coming in the room. I smiled. And as I felt his arms around me, I closed my eyes for the last time.
©
Entry @ 10:28 AM;
Saturday, January 28, 2006
