The Able Sisters

Chapter 13

"Sissy, where's Label?" Mabel asked in the morning over breakfast. A silence had settled over the small house, and it seemed as if the room was not as bright as it used to be.

Sable poured oatmeal into both of their bowls, knowing that if she made eye contact with her younger sister she'd begin to cry.

She had no knowledge of whether Label would come back or not. Perhaps her sister would cool off and come running back once she realized how stupid she was being. But then, perhaps not. Label had always dreamed of living in the city, and now she was one step closer in her career.

"Label went on a field trip. She'll be back," Sable promised.

Promises like these were hard to keep though. But how could Mabel lose her older sister right after her parents. Mabel barely understood her parents weren't coming back. She couldn't understand having half her family ripped away from her in a year.

"Where did she go?" Mabel asked curiously.

"Just a quick trip to the city," Sable replied.

"Oh," Mabel replied quietly, now turning her attention back to her oatmeal.

"Today we can go pick more fruit, and maybe we can even browse the windows to look at toys," Sable suggested, knowing Toy Day was approaching even closer.

"Yeah!" Mabel responded excitedly, throwing her tiny paws up into the air.

Later that day, Mabel ran around happily in the snow as Sable picked red apples from the snow-covered trees. Her sister's giggles were a comfort, but Sable knew by this point that Label wouldn't be coming back.

She knew her sister had struggled after their parents had died, and now that Label was finally in the city, Sable saw no chance of her coming back. Sable quietly threw apples down to her sister to throw in a basket, careful to hide her face so Mabel couldn't see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

It was the worst betrayal of all. Sable wasn't even as much sad anymore as angry. How could Label be so selfish, leaving them behind with basically nothing and taking off to the city?

Well, I hope she gets her dream, then, Sable thought angrily. Otherwise, this will be a waste.

"Sell apples now?" Mabel asked, trying to lift up the heavy basket.

Sable laughed and nodded, grabbing the basket from her sister. Mabel hopped into each of the footprints Sable left behind in the snow as they headed to the store to sell.

As Sable made the exchange for bells, Mabel wandered around the store. Sable kept a close eye on her sister, watching her pause at a pink dress.

Sable shoved the few bells she had received in her pocket and walked over to her sister.

"What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Pretty," Mabel said, pointing to the dress.

"Yes, but that's too big for you. You know that," Sable explained.

"For sissy," Mabel said instead.

Sable frowned.

"Maybe if we save up enough we can buy that for her another time," Sable assured her sister, patting her on the head.

"Would she like it?" Mabel asked.

Sable shrugged. "I don't know what she cares about anymore," she murmured.

As they headed back outside into the cold, Mabel peered into the window displays, excitedly pointing out the different assortment of toys.

"Maybe if you're really good, Jingle will bring you something," Sable told her sister.

"Yay!" Mabel exclaimed.

As soon as they got back home, Sable started up a fire while she tucked Mabel in for a nap. Her sister fell asleep quickly, probably dreaming that Label would be back when she awoke, though Sable severely doubted this. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain that Label wasn't coming back.

As soon as Mabel was asleep, Sable headed downstairs and turned on the lights to the shop. She grabbed her sewing supplies and began practicing, following patterns her parents had once used.

Her sewing had improved some, but not enough to open the shop. Not yet. For now, Sable just had to practice, and eventually, maybe she'd be as good as her parents.

Sable worked with the sewing machine, sewing patterns of yellow and white. Her goal was to make a T-shirt, though she could tell halfway through that it wouldn't turn out as she wanted.

Nearly an hour or so later, Sable held up the finished product and frowned. Sure, it was better than past attempts, but the seams were too noticeable, the sleeves were different lengths, and the collar was too thick.

She sighed, throwing it in a pile of other failed attempts. They weren't all "fails." All were somewhat wearable. But they weren't perfect in Sable's eyes. Her parents would have never approved of selling them in the shop.

Sable clutched a pen and drew mindlessly over a sheet of paper with it. She clicked it against the table and sighed. Now that Label was gone, the extra income would be gone too. Sable had to find work, and she had to find it fast.

She glanced down at the fabric on the table. She hesitated for a few moments, then reached for a new piece.

She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to keep on sewing and keep creating outfits. All she had to do was keep practicing, and eventually, she'd be as good as her parents one day.

Sable wanted to open the shop back up again, and this time, Label wasn't here to stop her. But it had to be soon. They could only rely on the extra money Label brought in for so long.

"Sometime in the New Year," Sable muttered. "Around spring. That'd be the goal."

Sable quickly jotted down the notes on a piece of paper and hung them from the wall, hoping to use her goal as inspiration. She grabbed another sewing pattern from the box and began practicing once again.