Dear Tressi [✓]

10

Des walked into his house to the aroma of Tressi's French onion soup; it enveloped him. He hadn't eaten anything since noon and his stomach growled in response.

"Hey," his wife said, pulling him into a hug.

"It smells mouthwatering in here," he complimented her.

"I missed you so much," Tressi whispered; she really had.

Des smiled down at her. "Does that mean I'm off the hook for the TV?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow.

Tressi broke apart from the hug. "It was unnecessary and expensive and we don't have that kind of cash lying around. It was pretty irresponsible Des. You really should've talked to me before-"

Des placed his finger on her lips, cutting her off. "You were just saying how much you missed me?" His smile changed into a smirk.

Tressi could feel her own smile stretching across her face. "Fine. Not tonight," she mumbled past his finger.

"But we are gonna talk about it," she said quickly.

Des laughed and pulled her into a hug once more. "We'll see."

Keeping his arm around her waist, he walked into the dining room where she'd set the table.

Tressi watched her husband as he ate with relish. Her own appetite wasn't much. Her stomach was full of butterflies, going through every possibility if she told him what she'd been up to.

They didn't make much conversation as they ate. She could gather from his silence that the trip hadn't been as sucessful as he'd hoped. She'd give him time to work through it. It wasn't as if she didn't have stuff to think about.

How would he react?

Normally, Des would've noticed Tressi's abstraction. He'd have guessed immediately that something was on her mind. But being tired and hungry, he didn't pay as much attention as he usually did.

And today, Tressi was glad for it.

She still needed time to gather her thoughts, but more importantly, she just wanted to soak this up. Her husband, unencumbered by worries or distractions. Just with each other's company. This is what made her so indecisive. Her life, so peaceful and full of light. Bringing her darkness into this would be... a waste.

If she just ignored her past, let go of the stuff that had no longer had a place in her life, she could just move on. She could have dinner with her husband, enjoy the meal without her mind completely occupied and just take comfort in his company.

Isn't this worth it?

She didn't have an answer yet. At least, not tonight.

*

"Tress! Hey! You're back so early! Didn't you go up to the lake?" Edda asked, walking into the living room to see her sister on the couch.

"No," Tressi muttered.

"Mom left a sandwich. Don't flip out, she put ketchup on it. It's a bit soggy, but I think it's still edible."

"I don't want a sandwich."

"Don't give her a hard time, Tress. Just eat it, it's not gonna kill you. Besides, there's nothing else. I'll go to the store later. Do you need me to pick up something?" She sat down on the couch. Tressi scooted over to make some space and hugged her knees.

"No."

"Hey, did you ever find out where you left my red shirt? Cause I looked everywhere and I can't find it. It has to be with your school stuff."

"What red shirt?"

Edda rolled her eyes. "I wrote to you about it, remember? I need to find it, Tress. It's my good luck shirt. I need it for my dates."

Tressi snorted.

"What? I do need luck. Lately I've been needing it more and more. Guys are such idiots." She rolled her eyes once again.

"Yeah."

Edda got up off the couch and returned with the sandwich.

"I don't want it, Edda," Tressi said, turning her face away.

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Edda pulled at her chin making Tressi face her again. "Just eat it."

"Leave me alone." Tressi's voice trembled and her vision blurred.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

She put her head in between her knees.

Edda put her arm across Tressi's shoulders. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

"Go away."

"Tress, come on."

"Everything's different, everybody's different. I hate coming back here."

"Who's different? Mom?"

Tressi scoffed through her tears, "As if she's capable of change."

"Then who?"

"Well... I don't wanna talk about it."

Edda hugged her closer. "What happened?"

"I don't have any friends here."

Edda then understood. "Did you fight with Dax and Lila? Is that why you didn't go up to the lake with them today?"

"What am I? Ten? Who's fighting?" Tressi wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve.

"Well then, why're you so upset?"

"They're just so... different. They know all about each other's friends. They have all these little inside jokes from school. I just gotta act like I get it, but I don't even understand why they laugh at half the stuff they do. Lila does these impressions and Dax goes nuts for it. It's funny but not that funny. Anyways, I figured I'd just take a break and I dunno... unpack or something." Tressi shrugged, looking away.

"It's okay, Tress. Just let it go."

Tressi was bristled by her sister's apathy.

"Just let it go, Tress."

Tressi turned to Edda annoyed, but Edda wasn't on the couch next to her.

"Let it go!" Edda screamed.

Tressi's heart pounded, "Edda? Edda where are you?"

"Let it go! Let it go! Let it go!" Edda's screams filled the house. Tressi stood rooted to the spot, fear paralysing her.

She knew.

She knew where Edda was screaming from. She knew but she couldn't move. Her eyes travelled to the closed door next to the kitchen; sunlight pouring through it's crack.

"Let me go!" Edda's blood curdling scream shook the house. Tressi forced her unwilling limbs into action. Her hands trembled as she turned the knob on Edda's door. It didn't open.

"Let me go!" She screamed once again.

Tressi threw her weight against the door slamming it with her shoulders. It swung open. Edda stood at the foot of the bed, staring at Tressi. Her throat was slashed, dark blood pouring down her body. As Tressi watched, she swayed and fell onto the floor. Tressi rushed to her side, her panicked fingers wrapping around Edda's throat to stop the blood, as her sister's dark eyes bore into her soul.

"Let me go," she whispered and blood filled her mouth.

Edda mouthed, "Let me go" one last time, as the gurgling blood cut off her voice and her body went limp.