building Bridges

“Building Bridges”

Mountains of colorful leaves glimmer in the golden rays bursting over the horizon. Anna watches the clouds navigate through an impenetrable crystal blue sky. Her right thumb rubs the edge of her second cup of coffee this morning. Autumn, Anna softly whispers, lazily relaxing on her chair as she stretches her elegant legs.

Anna ambles out onto the cabin's wrap-around deck, with a slow intake of breath of the view. In the distance, Anna watches the rustling of leaves that carpet the ground.  Shielding her eyes, Anna muses to herself, “What is it?” She said out loud.  Quickly roots around, searching for her cell phone- no signal, shoving it back in the pocket of her sweater. 

Afterward, Anna waltzes back inside, draining the last few drops of coffee into her cup. Methodically her slender fingers broke a few eggs into a cast-iron frying pan as the butter begins to sizzle and spit, lowering the flames. There she said brushing aside a whisk of golden-red hair. Anna whispers a prayer. 

“Decisions,” Anna mumbles, swirling the fork around in the yolks, just like when she was small.  Her mother's descending words echoing in her ears, “Anna, please don’t play with your food,” “Yes, mama.”  Snapping to attention, Anna stops and listens, rushing toward the window as she spies a car coming down the lane toward the cabin. Like a cheetah, Anna bolts from the window through the door, leaping down the stairs. 

“What are you doing here? Anna glared at the visitor, her cheeks flushing.

“Well, this is no way to greet me,” the visitor's close gaze, as silence fell upon them.

“Sorry, but I didn't expect anybody, especially you,” she said

“Well, why not? I’m only your best friend and sister.”Hazel answered.

“Yeah, but.”

“But what? Hazel's arms crossed, tapping her left foot a little.

“Nothing, so why did you come?

“Well, after your text, I, um, was worried.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine,” Anna said

“Well, I’m here now,”-popping the trunk open, lifts out her suitcase.

“Okay,” Anna said with one swift motion, rushes back up the steps. She waits until her sister catches up before opening the door. With a speedy movie, the rubber eggs ended up in the trash.

“Well, I’m sorry,” Hazel said

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter now.”

“Well, nothing has changed. Has it?”

“Let me show you to your room,” Anna said, with one smooth move step in front of her sister.

“Well, don’t bother. I know which one is mine.” Hazel said as she quickly brushes past with her suitcase in tow.

Shadows spread across the mountains as the sun climbs higher against the clear blue sky, giving way to a sudden chill in the air. Anna sighs, lost in a cobweb of memories sticking like glue in her thoughts. Why is her sister here? Anna wipes away a few crumbs of an English muffin from the corners of her mouth as she stretches her legs across the sofa. Solitude Anna whisper, licking her lips. Hazel'shadow announces her presence.

“Um., Pardon me,” Hazel is clearing her throat.

“Yeah?”

“I, well, I, um...”

“Yes?”Anna asked

“Well, is there anything to eat? Hazel asked, “Other than eggs?”

"Yeah, you can help yourself."

Cold air escapes from the refrigerator as a warm glow spotlights everything inside. Hazels nimble fingers instantly carry an apple pie to the table.

“Do you want a piece?”

“Yeah, sure, why not?”Anna answers

“Come and get it,”

Silence like a shroud wraps around with a heaviness weighing on their hearts. Anna notices her sister's pale blue eyes with a sweeping glance, the same color as their fathers. Was that it? Anna frowns as she swiftly brushes some crumbs on her plate.

“You know what papa always said,” Hazel said

“Yeah, I know a penny for your thoughts.”

“Well, what’s going on? Hazel asked.

Anna gets up and wanders out to the porch, drinking in the beauty of the mountains, her elbows leaning on the railing. A quiet sigh escapes from deep inside her soul as she tries to form feelings into words, but no sound escapes her mouth. Anna stares off into the distance while her thoughts twirl around, becoming more tangled than before. A gentle touch momentarily shakes her from the spider web that has captured her.

“Anna, I want to help you.”

“I know,” Anna straightens her slender shoulders, turning away from the railing, soaking in the beauty of the scenery as she ventures into the cabin.

Hazel mimics her sister's footsteps as she follows Anna back inside. Hazel's feet soon find a steady rhythmic pace, rocking back and forth. A smile crosses her lips as a memory floated across her mind, a picture of their mama rocking Anna asleep. She mumbles and never loses her rhythm. 

“Did you say something?

“No, I didn’t.” Hazel answers

“Oh, okay.”

 Anna muses once more as she weighs the pros and cons of what to do concerning her situation. She takes a tiny intake of breath as her eyes glazed over, mulling about what she should do. A balance, a wrong step, and everything Anna fought for will fall apart.

“What am I supposed to do?” Anna said half to herself and partly to her sister.

‘Do what?'

“Huh?”Anna asks, giving her a slide glance.

'I said, do what?'

"It doesn't matter," said Anna, biting her lower lip as she moves off the sofa.

“Where are you going? Hazel asked – as an echo of a door slamming shut causes her to give a slide glaze toward Anna’s bedroom.

The night sky veils over the mountains, the moon's waxing among the stars casts its light through the trees. A faint cry of an owl echoes through the darkness, pulling Anna back to another time when she was but a child holding her father's hand. Somehow, she almost forgot that time, and now she is the one who has been holding her father's hand.

“May I come in?” Hazel inquired, her ear pressed upon the door.

“Yeah, sure,” Annas, arms wrapping around her legs.

“Anna, what's going on?”

“It's, dad,” Anna stated. In one swift moment, she takes a tiny breath, looking past Hazel to the window.

Following her gaze, Hazel ambles toward the window as the moon shone through the curtains. Just like old times, Hazel muses, as her eyes weaken under the light.

“What about papa?.”

“His health has been deteriorating for some time now.”

“But”

“Yeah, since you are never around, everything fell on me.”

“Well,”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know what to do.”

“How can..”

“Well, you can’t. I have taken care of dad ever since mama died, and not once did you help me.”

“Sorry,” Hazel said

That’s the word, sorry. Anna’s sorry for many things, in particular taking on the full responsibility for her dad. It's not that she regrets spending time with him, but putting her life on hold. Now, finally, her sister wants to help. Where was she all these years? Anna wonders. Can she trust Hazel to step up and help? “What about dad?  “ Will he understand?” Most importantly, how long will Hazel stick around to help?

“Yeah, I understand that you are sorry, but I know what to do,” Anna brushes away a loose strand of hair.

“Well, you do?”

“Yep,”

Decisions Anna sighed, praying that coming here to her family cabin would help to clear her mind. Instead, she is no closer to know what to do. A balance, a slip-up, everything will fall apart.