Lynn, My Sister

At 35 years old, my older sister had the ideal life — a loving family and a successful career in real estate. However, that ended the moment she discovered her husband was having an affair. Naturally, her husband tried winning her back, but it didn’t work. Being the woman she was, she never forgave him and lived life as a single mother.

She lived on the other side of the state where her career was, while I lived near our parents. When they both passed away, the large, secluded property where they lived was transferred to Lynn and me.

As siblings, we became owners of a beautiful house, which neither of us wanted because it was in a remote area. It was an easy decision for us to sell the home.

We quickly found a buyer and the house was sold. Everything went smoothly. It became a sad feeling whenever I was in the home where we grew up, watching the movers pack old pieces of furniture to take away. I called my sister to tell her that she should visit the house one last time. She was reluctant at first because of how busy she was with her career. But I eventually convinced her that it was the right thing to do.

In the end, we both got more than we anticipated.

I was standing in the large living room watching park her car in the driveway. It was Sunday afternoon. The sky was clear, but it was really cold. The wind blew her long hair around as she walked toward the front door. She was dressed professionally as always, with her appearance well kept in a warm outfit. It looked as if she was dressed for work.

She smiled when she saw me through the window and we both waved at each other. When I opened the door for her, we gave each other a warm embrace.

“It’s nice to see you,” Lynn said while we hugged.

“You too.”

She ended the hug, “Come on, let’s go inside. It’s freezing out here.”

I closed the door once she stepped inside the house. Her eyes wandered the home, noticing that most of the furniture either had been taken away, or was in the process of being taken away.

“Looks different, doesn’t it?” I asked rhetorically. “This place being empty is a strange sight to get used to.”

Lynn nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Mom and Dad liked everything just the way it was. Now it’s all gone.”

“I know. The movers are coming back tomorrow, and they’ll take the rest of the stuff away. The new owners want to move in next month.”

“They’re very lucky people. This is a beautiful home. Plus, they bought it at a great market value.”

“You never stop thinking about work, do you?” I asked with a smile.

She turned to me and smiled back. “Guess not. I love my job.”

“Obviously – you’re always working.”

“What can I say? There’s always work to be done.”

“Speaking of which, come take a look at this,” I said. “There’s something you might be interested in seeing.”

My sister followed me as I led her towards the window overseeing our backyard patio. The view from where we stood was always beautiful. We looked at the pool, the forest, and a small statue of an eagle, which was sitting on the grass.

“So, you found it?” she asked with surprise. “Where was it all this time?”

“Dad hid it in the shelf. I guess he did it because of how often we used to talk to that thing. It must have really creeped him out,” I joked.

“That makes sense. It was fun. I can almost remember everything I’ve ever said to it.”

“Me too.”

“Can you believe it’s been so long?” she asked. “We used to spend so much time hanging around that pool together. It almost feels like we’re living in a different life.”

“Especially for you. You actually look like a businesswoman now.”

She playfully put her hands on her waist. “I am a businesswoman now.”

“Of course,” I winked. “You know what I meant. You’re the most successful person in our family right now. I think that’s great.”

“Thanks,” she winked back. “It’s a result of years of hard work and diligence.”

We turned our attention back to the small statue. Both of us continued looking at the spacious view as well. The room became quiet, but not awkward. We felt comfortable around each other, even in silence.

“It’s yours if you want. I’ll load that little statue in your car, and you can put it in your backyard.”

“You don’t want it?” she asked.

“I think it would fit better in your backyard since you have a nice swimming pool,” I replied. “That statue looks great by a pool.”

“Thanks. It brings back so many memories. All those summers lounging around after an afternoon swim. I used to stare at that statue a lot. It helped me relax.”

“I know.”

Lynn turned to me and smiled. “You used to spy on me when I was in the backyard. Especially when I went swimming. I would always pretend not to see you, but I knew you were watching.”

“God that was a long time ago. “What did you expect?” I shrugged. “You were the prettiest girl in town, and I was a young guy with a lot of new feelings. Things happen.”

“That’s why I never held it against you. Some of my friends used to complain about their younger brothers peeping on them, but it never bothered me. I thought it was cute.”

I nodded. “Yeah, and like you said, it feels like a different lifetime already. We’re both older. You’ve got a family, kids of your own.”

“I had a family. I love my kids more than anything. But it’s just us at home.”

“Sounds like a painful divorce.”

“All divorces are painful,” she said in a somber tone. “I hope you’ll never have to go through that.”

“Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, don’t hesitate to call.”

“I appreciate that. We rarely talk anymore.”

“We’ve both got our own lives now,” I replied. “That’s just the way it goes.”

“Do you still think about me?” she asked.

“Sure, I do. I’ve been thinking a lot about you since we’ve decided to sell this house. In fact, I’ve been thinking about you all afternoon since you kept me waiting for so long.”

She smiled, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“Do you ever think of me in the same way as before? You know, me coming out of the pool, wet and dripping wet.”

“You’re asking if I still have dirty thoughts about you.”

Lynn nodded. “Do you?”

“No,” I replied. “That was a long time ago. We were young. Why are you asking?”

“Curiosity. Every time I go swimming, I always think about it.”

“Anything else you’re curious about?” I asked sarcastically.

“Sure, what did you think about whenever you watched me in the pool?”

“I was being sarcastic Lynn.”

“I know you were, but I’m asking anyway. What did you think about?”

“Okay, now this is getting awkward. Let’s just finish this up and leave.”

Lynn looked at me with a straight face. “I’ll make you a deal: If you answer that question honestly, I’ll give you honesty in return.”

“Always looking to close a deal huh?”

“That’s what I do. So, what’s it going to be?”

“What exactly are you going to tell me in return?” I asked.

“It’s a surprise.