Unbroken ties

Edna is on her way home from work after a very long day at the office

"Thank you Monte", see you in the morning

As usual Edna has everything planned and on schedule; a very neat and punctual woman

She walks to the side door of her sister's orange painted home and sigh as she put her first step inside the doorway

Mommy! Anna shouts as she runs to her mom

"Hi my baby"

She picks Anna from the broken tiles kitchen floor and walks to her sister's bedroom where she sits on the side of her bed drinking steamy coffee

"Hi sis" how was your day

Oh not much to tell, but we need to talk

Oh, sure

Let me just get rid of this high heels then we can talk Sandra

Edna walks bare feet to the lounge where her sister is already waiting on her

I will be straight forward with you Edna

You need to leave my house by the end of the month. It is tough times for me since Arnold left me and the kids

"But where should I go Sandra"?

I have no other place and won't find a place so soon

Well, please make a plan, because I need the room for my nursery as you can see I don't have much time left before giving birth

Edna sits still many minutes later in silence, too scared to think of the future

She finally managed to move her tired legs and gets into bed, but the news of her sister makes it difficult for her to fall asleep

It's the alarm that wakes Edna in the early hours of the following morning and Edna feels as if she walked in the desert as her eyes feels sandy and heavy

She manage to get everything done just minutes before Monte hoots in front

She kisses her daughter goodbye and fasten the seatbelt of the seat and closes the Quantum door; the transport to the daycare centre

She walks to ťhe white Ford Focus and pulls the seatbelt over her right shoulder and sighs a relief

"Someone got out the bed with the wrong foot this morning"

Oh no! Not at all Monte

I just have a few things on my mind

You want to talk about it?

No it's okay, I'll be fine

They drives in silence as she place her head to the back of the seat and close her eyes; swallowing back her tears

Edna have another busy day and the clients is more than usual in a bubbly mood today

During lunch time she walks to the office of Katie

Hi Edna, "I was just about to call you"

"And here I am", she laughs at Katie

What is wrong?

"Nothing really Katie"

Please Edna! We are working together for over ten years and it is something

Okay you are right; my sister told me to move out and I don't know where to go

"Oh that is terrible Edna" what are you going to do about it?

I don't know!

I hope you can find a place Edna

It is winter and the cold weather is setting in

Edna is standing at the small gate, lookingbdown the street as if a room will pass her by where she can just grab her daughter and moves into, but life is just not that easy

My sister is not on speaking terms and it is better that I move out

She buys a newspaper and browse through it, while taking a break at work

.......

Three weeks later and not a word spoken between her and her sister

Edna feels tired and drained after all the unpacking of her clothes.

She arrange her room in a wintry mood and she walks to the kitchen to make a light supper

"I was so lucky to have find this separate entrance"

It cost a few rands more, but we will be okay here

Sandra is on another level

"Edna it is best that you don't come to my house anymore" I am cutting all ties with you and the rest of the family

"But you cannot do that! We are sisters

I know we are, but I don't need you anymore

Edna closed the door behind her and knew that it was the end for her and her sister

She realize that she stirred her coffee nearly five minutes and the table clothe is with coffee

"What the hell" she wipes the table and put the cup in the sink and decides to go to bed instead

Anna is asleep in her single bed opposite hers and Edna listens to the rain pouring outside

"How could her sister be so cruel and being pregnant at the same time"

Her cellphone rings; she jumps up and looks at the tine

A number unknown to her, but she answers the call

"Hello" yes this is Edna

The following day Edna calls in sick and rush to the hospital, where her sister gave birth the previous night

"The doctor would like to speak to you"

Edna takes a seat on the red leather seated couch in the waiting room and cannot wait to see her sister's little baby

It has been a while, although it seems like an hour to Edna as she looks at the clock on the wall

The doctor finally walks in

"You must be Edna", Sandra's sister?

Yes that is correct doctor

They snake hands and the doctor takes a seat opposite Edna

Suddenly Edna feels uncomfortable as she does not know what to expect

"Why is she meeting with the doctor anyway"

"I have some bad news this morning"

Bad news?

Yes, "I am afraid so"

Sandra gave birth to a healthy boy, but there was complications with the delivery of the baby and your sister unfortunately did not make it.

"She had a hammeroage and is brain dead."

I am so sorry and my condolences

Edna cannot feel her legs, nor is she breathing; or so it seems

She just stares at the white hospital walls

The doctor calls a nurse to accompany Edna to her sister's bed

Edna pulls her arm away from the nurse and kneels doe on the white tile flooring, she feels the cold tiles through her pants, but that does not lesser the pain she feels in her heart

She pulls her hair with her hands and shout out loud, from the top of her lungs

Sandra! Sandra! Sandra!

No!!!!!!! Please don't leave me like this

"We have so much to talk about"

She sobbs uncontrollably on the floor

Nurses came to the passage to where Edna still cries for her sister

Everyone too sad to say a word

Edna quietly gets on her feet and walks with the nurse to the room where Sandra is lying

"Sandra looks like she is only sleeping", she whispered

She is; "only this is an eternal sleep"

Edna walks to the bed

She gets on the bed and puts her head on Sandra's chest

"Why did you leave me this way?"

What about your little baby waiting for you

"I don't know what to do from here"

Oh no, this pain is unbearable!

.........seven months later

Edna take the stand in court and finally signs the legally adoption papers

She walks through the glass doors to where Monte sits with Andy; her sister's son

She picks him up and kisses him on his cheeks

"I am now your mommy!"

"Mmmmommmmmy"

"He said mommy"

"Oh my goodness Monte; he said his first word"

He sure did!

"Let go and celebrate with an ice cream for this clever boy"

"I cleam" Andy struggles to pronounce ice cream properly

Monte and Edna burst out laughing as they walks to the ice cream shop opposite the court

The End