sister sister // heathers au

four

You say tomato, I say tomahto.
- Jason Dean

A man sat in the cell, bouncing his leg relentlessly, willing himself to be tired enough to just sleep finally.

Veronica is safe.

Emily is safe.

Chloe is safe.

He was working when he got arrested. To see a profitable architect get hauled out of his office was a sight to behold. He was embarrassed more than angry. He was goddamn innocent. He didn't sell drugs. He smoked weed and those pills? They belong to my wife, he told the officers. Not a lie.

But the heroin? Who did that belong to? Because this man didn't know.

"Sir?" A mousy woman asked the man in the cell. "Are you Jason Dean?" She questioned. He cringed at his full name. He could not stand the sound of it. But no one outside of his family could have known this. Police tend to call you by your legal name anyways, not a nickname. They don't exactly give a shit if they make you uncomfortable, you've broken the law.

"Yeah." He replied in a tone that said I'm pissed off and haven't been able to sleep because I'm too busy being worried about my family.

"Your daughters, Emily and Chloe, they've gone missing." The woman said to him. He shot up, all of a sudden angry. When he tried to speak, no words came out. His throat swelled shut.

"I need to see my wife." He managed. His voice was strained and shaky. There was images flashing in his head. Emily drinking her tea this morning. Chloe practicing her turns last night. Him telling his daughters goodnight, the sight of Emily's messy bun and Chloe's big glasses.

"We can't let that happen." The mousy woman said.

"It's all a setup. Someone took my daughters." He said, purposefully keeping his voice low. Veronica wasn't that far away. If Veronica heard without him there to dry her tears, she'd lose it. "Someone put the heroin in my car and someone took my daughters." He added.

"Sir, it appears your daughters ran away." The woman explained.

"From the temporary placement?" He asked.

"From home." She answered.

"I'd like my one call now." He said. He was saving it. Either for someone to bail him and Veronica out or for an emergency with his children.

Jason Dean was led to the phone booth. He thought of who was more likely to answer, Emily or Chloe. He thought of who would tell the truth and that answer was easy to find. Chloe couldn't lie. He put in her phone number and hoped she answered.

"Daddy?" The squeaky voice of his younger daughter asked.

"Where are you and Emily?" He asked. He heard the phone be jostled between his daughters.

"It doesn't matter where we are, Dad. We're together. They were going to send us to foster care." Emily explained.

"They were putting you in a temporary placement." He said, his nose twitching with anger. "Where are you going?" He asked.

"Gramma Camille's." Emily answered.

"Is she going to bail your mother and I out?" He asked.

"Probably. But we gotta go Dad." Emily said.

"Love you!" Chloe sang.

Click.

They were gone now. He wanted to scream. Just have his knees hit the floor and let out a sound that hasn't escaped in decades. A cry of pure anger, agony and frustration. He could hear Veronica scream and despite wanting to stay, he was escorted back to his cell, his throat swelled shut and his nose twitching. He sat on the edge of the bench-like bed as he saw Veronica be taken by, sobbing.

"Baby, are you okay?" He asked her. She shook her head no. He could see the bright red of bleeding through the side of her glossy brown hair. The guard started to unlock the door. "Where is she going?" His voice held one emotion - panic.

"The hospital. She slipped and hit her head on the toilet." The guard, a sympathetic man, explained to JD. "I'll let you know how she is, but you have to stay here." He added.

"I love you, Ronnie. Okay? It'll be okay. I love you." He told his wife, who nodded and looked rather sleepy.

"Love you," She said through the tears. The guard helped her through the doors and into the arms of a female paramedic.

And then she was gone too. Then he did something he hadn't done in a long time.

Pray.

Jason Dean didn't believe in God. But his mother, a devout catholic did. So when he needed guidance, he sought it from her rather than a divine being.

"Hey mom," His voice was scratchy. "Today, heroin was found in my car. I've never sold or done it and they think I have. Veronica and I got arrested, Emily and Chloe have run away. Everything is falling apart." He continued, swallowing. "I'm scared for my family, mom."

He pressed his hand to his nose, trying to stop the flow of tears. It was all but useless, he just couldn't plug it up. His wife was injured, his daughters in danger. And his son was probably completely unaware as always.