A gift you can’t give away

Everything in my life was perfect, I just got engaged to the man of my dreams. He is 10 years younger than me, it was love at first sight for us both. I got my promotion at work, finally I’ll have my own office with a door.  I was on cloud nine, I felt like nothing could pop my magical bubble of happiness. I was wrong. 

Monday morning, I floated out of bed into my work uniform and got into my car. Put in my favorite CD, track number 3, turned up the volume and backed out of the driveway. I seemed to get green lights all the way to work. When I pulled into the parking lot, my favorite parking spot was still open; I quickly turned in. 

All settled in my new office.  I catch a glimpse of the largest bouquet of Lilies I have ever seen...and they are headed my way.  They immediately filled my new office with a fragrance so sweet, I closed my eyes, tilted my head back to better enjoy the scent.  My ringing phone made me jump, snapping me back to reality.  I grabbed the receiver and said “Navy Operational Support Center, Chief Ray speaking, how may I help you?”  The voice tickles my ear as I hear “Soooooo, is there any room on your desk left?”  Then he chuckles.  It’s my finance, I could talk to him on the phone forever, he has a great telephone voice.  I sigh and say “Nope, only room for my phone and my flowers.  Thank you, they smell amazing.  I love them and I love you!”  He quickly asks “Did you read the card?” I can hear the excitement in his voice.  “Hang on a second, they just got here.”  I stretch my arm out, the card is deep in the middle of the flowers.  I pull out the card, open the envelope and read the words-“Did you read it!!”, “Shhh, I’m reading it now”.  My eyes lower and carefully read each word again, 

Dear Soon-to-be Mrs. Halladay,

Count your lillies, and you will know how many times I have thought of you today.  Tonight I’m so excited for you to meet someone who holds a special place in my heart.  I hope you will love this person as much as there are lillies on your desk.

Love,

Your Prince Charming 

“Did you read it?” I jump again. Forgetting I was still holding the receiver to my ear. “Yes, yes.” Was all I was able to get out. My mind was racing, scrolling through every name he has ever mentioned. I could not, for the life of me, think of who he was talking about. “Yes, my love, how exciting. Who is it?”  I could hear him smile through the phone, “What time can you get off?”, This made me nervous, he knows it’s not very difficult for me to leave work early. “What time do you want me to be off” trying to hide how nervous I was.  There was silence, then “2pm should be good.  How’s that?”  “Perfect” I say. 

The warm air stings my cheeks as we walk into his Mom’s house. I can now clearly see the roaring fire in the fireplace. His Mom makes the best hot chocolate. On a cold day like today, it’s great to look out the window and see the blanket of angel white snow. It’s another to be outside looking at someone in a window looking at you while they are warm and your freezing. Happy I’m on the inside. Hee-Hee, I think to myself.  I’m hilarious, also crosses my mind. 

Janet, my finance’s Mom practically leaps from the kitchen to where we are standing, near the fire place.  Of course, you think.  Janet is talking so fast I completely miss why she is so eager for us to go into the dining room. But I follow along anyway.  I hear the loudest squeal “AHHH, MY LITTLE BROTHER, IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG” “Hi, Sissy, I missed you” I can feel the emotions behind his words.  His grip tightens on my hand as he pulls me closer to him.  “Sissy, This is Samantha, my finance.”  I stick out my hand.  But I am greeted with a bone crushing hug, all while my finance is still gripping my hand, tighter than ever. Gasping for air, she pulls back and looks me in the eye.  “Hi, It’s so nice to meet you, we’re gonna be best friends!” And then pulls me in for another hug.  Finally freed from human bondage, I turned and saw my finance, Janet, my soon to be father in law and I think maybe even the dog were all tearing up over sissy and I’s first meeting. I actually want to cry a little myself. 

Finally the weekend has arrived-and I have no plans.  This is marvelous because usually my weekends are full of activities. By Monday, I’m happy to be back at work...sometimes.  My cellphone lights up.  Ohhh, a text message, probably my sweetie, my mind starts to drift as I imagine our future.  How beautiful our lives will be because we will be together.  I pick up my phone to read the message.  It’s from a number I don’t know and it reads: “Good Morning Samantha, this is Sissy.  I’ll be by in 30 minutes to pick you up. We are going out for breakfast and then to try on some wedding dresses. See you soon.” I gently place my phone down. I start to bite my nails, a cloud of disbelief is moving in.  “Did she just tell me what to do?  I don’t think she even asked me?  What if I had plans...crap...But I don’t. Maybe my finance told her that.  Errr, he must’ve given her my number. Reminder, raise royal hell!!” I looked back at my phone, oh no, she will be here in 20 minutes. I jump up and run towards my closet. 

“Hear comes the bride” she sings it as I model dress after dress. We are at our third bridal dress store. I think she is enjoying the free champagne a little more than helping me select the perfect wedding dress to marry her brother. Hell, I bet I could come out next, in a moo-moo, and she would still sing, here comes the bride.  After the 5th store she wanted to hit the bars and play darts.  I dropped her at one close to her parents house.  I had to drop off her car and get a ride home and when  I finally walked through my door it was dark outside. I didn’t even change into my jammies, I just kicked off my shoes and fell into bed and thought what a day!!

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve heard from Sissy. However, she is all my finance can talk about. He idolizes her, she is so important to him.  I just wish she didn’t always disappoint him, the way she does.  

Date night!  As I’m putting on my lip gloss, my doorbell rings. I grab my things and Outside is a white limousine. I pause and just take in the moment. I’m the luckiest girl in the world, I whisper to myself. I have no idea where we are going, all I can say is being chauffeured is the life for me.  My finance instructed me to bring an overnight bag, my anticipation is building. We pull into a driveway of a beautiful three story home. The driver opens my door and helps me out. There is a note tapped to the door-COME IN, BE RIGHT BACK-So the driver sets my luggage down just inside and was on his way. I fought the urge to rapidly text my finance and get an estimate of when he will be back. So I distracted myself by becoming my own personal tour guide. Floor one, living room, sliding doors to a veranda, an infinity pool, built in grill, jacuzzi and a fire pit. Ahh heaven. 

I hear the front door shut. As I swiftly turn around ready to give my finance the greatest welcome home greeting he has ever received. I am startled and frozen when I see Sissy and NOT my finance. I start to panic. Tears start to well up in my eyes.  The promise of a romantic weekend was slipping away. Sissy sees me in the doorway and squeals “Samantha, welcome to your Sister’s WEEKEND!!!”  She runs over and again gives me another bone crushing hug.  She grabs my hand and skips with me towards the kitchen. She starts to unpack to grocery sacks. Vodka, Tequila, Crown Royal, French bread, spinach dip, ice cream and Tylenol. I’m scared. One bottle, two bottle...a short car ride...hello stranger...wait what did she say? “Huh?” I respond.  “Matching sister tattoos, we HAVE to do this.  My treat.”  I don’t have any tattoos, no piercings, not even my ears. I cry every year when I get my flu shot.  I was trying to conceal my hysteria that was raging inside of me. “Samantha, we should get frogs on a Lilly pad...ohhh, what about these hearts...no, no, no.  Oh! Oh! Samantha! Get over here this is it!  COME HERE!!”  I took a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other. She pointed at a picture of a butterfly, it was cut in half. When we put our arms together, the butterfly would be whole, she explained to me. My head was spinning. I heard sissy talking, but all the alcohol made her words fuzzy and in comprehensible. 

SMACK!!  “OUCH!!  WHAT THE HELL!!” I cry out.  I open my eyes barely, I fell out of bed. Bed, when did I, last I remember we were at...getting a picture put somewhere... a butterfly...maybe we just came back instead. Man, my head is pounding, where is that Tylenol?  Half sleeping/half trying not to want to puke my brains out. I hear “Sissy 2, Good Morning!  So you had a blast last night?  Right?  Should we activate our vivacity sister tattoos?” WAIT, WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY? “Come on.” She says lifting her arm and motioning for me to do the same. I look down, unsure of which arm to lift. And then I see the wrap on my skin. She had already removed hers. “Take off, that plastic wrap, I wanna see it. Also you need to put some ointment on it.”  I do as she says. I feel a pain, that I cannot describe.  My arm feels like it’s been set on fire. The tattoo is unique. A butterfly, half on each arm, my name on her, her name on me, sissy 2 on her, Sissy on me. Together it looks pretty, apart it looks umm, oh crap, it looks awful. Why do tattoos have to be permanent?  How much did she pay for this?  Is she gonna ask me to active our sister tattoos every time we see each other?  I’m interrupted by Sissy “This is the best tattoo I have ever gotten.  They look great together and cool on their own.  I’m so happy, aren’t you Samantha?”  What do you say when you are given a gift you can’t give away?  “Yes, thank you Sissy.”