unentitled
Her sister's hand tightened around hers, but otherwise she took her first transport extremely well. Especially since she had very little warning. Or no warning.
Jess popped into school and gave Jetidi a tiny push and told her sister to trust her.
Mel didn't say a word as she glanced around them wide eyed.
Jess felt her heart take a deep breath as she watched life come into her sister's eyes.
Jess was already nodding before her sister could ask. "You can play as long as you want. What would you like to do first?"
"I don't know where to begin. It's so beautiful here."
It was. Tall grass and the sun shining down on them. There was just enough breeze that the water on the lake was softly beating against the shoreline.
"I know this place. You'll be safe here. In fact, if they haven't left yet, then you might find some kids around here to play with."
The girl she knew would have already been running away to enjoy the day. "I won't let anything happen to you, Mel."
"I know you won't, Jess. I'm not afraid, I just..." Her little sister shrugged away the rest of her words.
Jess pulled her down on the dock so they could sit across from each other. "Talk to me, baby."
"I know you don't like Jetidi, but the only thing that would make this a perfect day is being able to share it with him."
Jess frowned.
Mel lost her smile. "He would never let anything happen to me either."
"It's not that I don't like him. I just don't like the situation he's put you in. You're just a kid, Mel. One who likes to collect tad poles and baby frogs. One that skips and sings to herself. When you are around him, you don't do any of those things."
"I'm different, but I'm the same too. I still like all the same things I just like them with him now."
Jess tried to not let her frown grow darker. "We need some rules where that boy is concerned. He can be a part of your life, but he can't become your life. Mom would agree with me. I never wanted to leave you and I swear I'm going to make that up to you, but I need you to still let me be your big sister. I need my family back."
Mel looked up at her with wide eyes. "Jetidi says that you are a queen now. He says it's important for us to show that we honor you."
"Boloney! Queen my... butt. All that crap is messed up, but I can tell you this, the only thing that matters to me is that we are sisters. Family. That is more important than anything. Is that why you don't look at me anymore? Or talk to me? All this time I thought you were mad____."
Mel launched herself at her and damn if feeling her thin arms around her didn't bring tears to her eyes.
"Mel, I love you. I've been so worried about you. I never wanted to leave you. Never. I'm sorry I wasn't here for you."
"You are here for me. Always. Jetidi told me how important what you did was. He told me how brave you had to be and all I wanted was to be brave too. I was scared too, but Jetidi told me I would get you back and he'd never lie to me."
"I know it had to be pretty scary that Aunt Sarah couldn't remember me."
Mel nodded against her chest. "Jetidi, wouldn't let me forget you. Every day he made me remember something about you. He loves that story about the time mama took us canoeing. He loves it till I get to the part about that hornet nest, then he gets pale. Do you remember, Jess? Two of them stung you because you got too close. Remember how much mama laughed when you jumped out of the canoe because you saw that snake on the tree limb and you thought it was going to fall in with you and Julian, but instead it fell in the creek with you? Mama said she'd never seen you move so fast in her life."
"I remember my entire family laughing at me when my life was at stake. That damn canoe trip was a nightmare." Even though, Jess wore a big smile as she remembered it.
"I loved that trip. We slept in tents and told ghost stories. Danny told the best ghost stories, but they never scared me because I liked them too much. We roasted marshmallows and sang all night."
"Remember when Uncle Chad threw Aunt Sarah over one shoulder and mom over his other one and swung them around so much, they couldn't stand up straight?"
Her sister was wearing the smile she'd been missing so much. "Danny tried to pick you up."
"He should have tried before I ate all those marshmallows." Her voice wavered and tears filled her eyes, but Mel was right that was a wonderful memory. "I love you, boog. I can't lose you too. Not to some freaky alien. At least not till you're eighteen."
"Okay, Jess."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Then I'll promise not to dislike the little dude so much, but I wasn't lying about the rules. I won't let you forget who you are."
"Okay, Jess."
She moved them to the end of the dock, then stood and offered her sister her hand. Smiling, Mel took it.
"A run and jump on the count of three?"
