The Able Sisters

Chapter 50

"Letter for Miss Mabel," Pete said, standing outside of the shop.

"Wow, you must have a secret admirer," Sable remarked, laughing in the background.

Outside the cherry blossoms were slowly falling to the ground. The sun was brightly shining, and a warm breeze flowed against Mabel's apron as she reached for the letter.

"Have a nice day," Pete said, taking off.

She nodded and glanced outside. It was a lovely day, and she should've felt happy, but the young hedgehog just felt guilty and sad inside. Sable hadn't noticed yet, but she had picked up on the letters.

They were less often, one a month, then one every two months. When Mabel had received the first one back in November, she was absolutely shocked.

It was no secret to her that they had a sister, even if Sable never brought her up. Mabel could see the pictures scattered of her around the house, even if they slowly seemed to disappear over the years. She even had faint memories of the night Label left.

It was hard to picture her sister in her memory, but besides the night Label left, there were always warm and bright memories of her older sister.

Mabel wanted to bring it up to Sable, but she knew Sable would immediately snatch the letter away and burn it, perhaps. Mabel had kept it, but she didn't reply.

For months she had been torn on what to do, and she wasn't acting her usual self. It was harder to put on a happy grin when she knew Label was suffering and Sable was too. And she was caught in the middle of it.

"Well, well, and who is it from?" Sable asked as Mabel left to read it upstairs.

"Molly, the duck that moved away a little while ago," Mabel explained, trying to throw her sister off the track.

"Oh, I forget that you're friends with everyone here."

"I'm taking a lunch break. I'll be upstairs," Mabel said. As soon as she was alone in the living room, she opened the letter, desperate to hear more from the sister who had decided to write to her, not Sable. Mabel was touched in a way, but she wished Sable knew that Label was making an effort, or Labelle, she guessed she should say.

Mabel wasn't sure what had gone on with the name change, but it was still her sister. Mabel's memories were far and few of her, but she remembered her better than her parents, and that was enough.

Dear Mabel,

I hope it's as pretty back home as it is here. Everything is blooming, the sky is sunny, and there are pretty little butterflies everywhere. It's odd. I hadn't really thought so much about nature in the city. It makes me think of the beautiful flowers and river back home.

My job continues to not be well. I am still employed, of course, and making an income, but my attempts to speak to my boss about improvements have been shut down, and I am losing motivation constantly. 

I wish you would reply to me one of these days. I've checked with the post office multiple times, and they keep saying you're reading these letters. Maybe I am just writing to myself. Either way, it's a good practice for me. I felt like I was holding in the secret of my past for so long, and it's good to finally write these thoughts down.

As I stated, I am always here to talk. I would really love to reconnect, to fully apologize, and start anew. It took me so long to realize how wrong my life was, but I hope it's not too late to get it back on the right track.

I don't know if Sable has seen these letters. Maybe she's just throwing them away. But tell Sable I am sorry too. We had a big falling out, you see. I don't think she's forgiven me. Tell her I love her and miss her.

I love you, Mabel, and I hope I can talk or see you sometime soon. I want to see how much you've grown!

Love,

Labelle

Mabel sighed, the faintest of tears filling her eyes. She wondered what it would have been like to have a complete family. She'd never had one, never in her memory anyway. It would be a dream to be reunited with her sister, especially since she barely remembered her, but she had to keep in mind Sable too.

There was no doubt that Label had clearly hurt Sable. Mabel knew that. It was why she had neglected to reply. But perhaps if she spoke to her sister...

Later that night, Mabel sat with Sable at the dinner table. They both ate quietly, with the exception of Sable bringing up something about the shop every now and again or the spring weather.

"You're rather quiet tonight," Sable remarked as Mabel mostly nodded in response to Sable's conversation. "You've been a bit quiet lately. Is everything okay?"

Mabel's eyes lingered to the family portrait that hung in the kitchen.

"Do you ever think about Label?" Mabel asked. Sable's eyes widened, and Mabel suddenly regretted saying anything.

Silence filled the room. Sable flexed her claws and set her utensils down.

"Why are you asking this?"

"I was just wondering," Mabel muttered. 

Sable now appeared cold, no longer speaking about the sunny spring day.

"What do you care for? You don't remember her."

"Yes, I do," Mabel argued. 

Sable narrowed her eyes.

"N-not a lot," Mabel stuttered. "But I have some memories. I remember the night she left. I remember you telling me lies."

"Telling you--telling you what?"

"That she'd come back," Mabel whimpered.

"Listen closely, Mabel," Sable said. "You were only a toddler when Label left. I didn't want to upset you. You didn't understand what was going on."

"But you still lied to me. I remember for years thinking she'd come back."

"You need to stop romanticizing Label," Sable snapped. Mabel sat upright. She rarely saw her quiet sister get mad. Label was clearly a subject not to touch on.

"Label was a backstabbing, awful member of this family."

"Oh, that's a little harsh, don't you think?" Mabel suggested.

"I don't think so. We were struggling. It was right after Mom and Dad had died. She helped with the money, I helped take care of you. And she left, right around the holidays. She left us alone.

"She took money, she went to the city, and she didn't speak to us. She knew that we were struggling, yet she did nothing. That's why we don't speak about her. That's why I don't want to talk about her," Sable said. "I suggest you learn to do the same."

"But what if--"

"Who was there to raise you? Me? Or Label?"

"You," Mabel sighed, realizing she had not made Sable change her mind at all.

"I'm going to bed," Sable said, placing her plates away and heading into the bedroom.

Mabel sighed and retreated to her own bedroom. She glanced at the new letter she had gotten. She had thought that maybe she would reply to this one, but it didn't seem like a good idea.

She shoved the letter away with the others. There would be no replying. What Sable said was true. Mabel only knew Label from these letters. Sable remembered everything better. Sable had raised Mabel and tried to give her the best childhood she could. And for that, Mabel was grateful. 

She wouldn't reach out to Label. Doing so would be betraying her own sister Sable who had worked tirelessly to care for her. 

"I can never reply to these letters," Mabel whispered. "She just needs to stop sending them."

Outside, it was warm and bright, but all felt dark in Mabel's room as she shoved the drawer shut, not planning on looking at any letters again for a long time.