Mylie

It had been twenty - four years since she'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. Mylie walked through into the kitchen running her hand across the island. Where she and her younger sister, Kate sat during breakfast before catching the 8 o’clock Adibure school bus. She noticed how the cabinets were worn out and discolored, the wooden floor still bore the scratch marks, and she and Kate had left when using their skates. Dad was so cross with us when he found out, he threw a fit of a lifetime. Burning both skates and lashing out at everyone. That was the last time we ever had of skating in this home. She went into the dining room and opened up the large door that opened up to the garden. The breeze blew her hair and she clutched her sweater wrapping herself. Her eyes fixated on the garden, recently mowed grass, covered with lilies, daffodils, roses and chrysanthemums. It was a beautiful sight. This is the one place that holds memorable memories, she thought. She breathed it all in as if it was the last breath of fresh air. Since she and Mat had arrived 3 days ago, this was the one place that she utterly loved. Suddenly, she heard Kate rushing in. Heeello sis! She jumped on her and hugged her warmly. Mylie replied, “heey you! It’s so good to see you." She spotted someone behind her. “This is Todd,” gesturing to both of them. “Todd met my lovely sister, Mylie,” she said beaming with excitement. “I have heard so much about you, Todd responded with a smile. “I wish I could say the same about you,” she said, glaring at Kate followed by a smile. They sat down on the navy blue adirondack chairs, while Todd excused himself to carry the bags into the house. He left them both sitting together, embracing the moment and allowing the emotions to breeze through their minds in silence.

Kate had joined doctors without border in India when their father passed on. She just like her sister had buried herself in her career. Until a week ago when she got a phone call from her elder sister, Mylie that their mother had passed on and left the house to both of them. After much persuasion from Mylie, she had reluctantly accepted to come for a 3 days, enough time to attend her mother’s send off.

"Why do you think she kept this place?" Kate asked while facing the garden. "Maybe it reminded her of dad," she said with a flat face. “I have always wondered what it would have been like if she had just left him, you know,” she said. “Yeah, me too, but I have always replayed in my mind how I should have blown his brains once and for all,” she retorted focusing her gaze on the garden. 

Fred and Martha Gallewoys, were farmers living in Sulmai village. Fred was a military sergeant, shrewd disciplinarian and cared nothing but for himself. He was willing to go to war for it for his county and similarly in his own home. He had married Martha, a country girl and a nurse. She had knack for detail and cared nothing more than for nature and family. She had an Achilles heel for stray dogs. The number of times, Mylie and Kate fostered dogs that Mum had found in the streets were way too many to even count. Of all the bad things at home, Jaba, a huge fluffy white Samoyed puppy kept them close and mostly happy.

The Gallewoy’s lives were not as rosy at it seemed. Martha had been admitted to hospital on numerous occasions for burns and bruises that her husband had inflicted whenever they got into a disagreement. She was a nurse and had learnt to take care of the bruises and burns as soon as the doctors at St. Anne's hospital began to raise questions about her constant "accidental falls" as she can accustomed herself to tell the doctors and nurses, every so often she went to hospital. She worked in a hospital so getting the drugs and bandages would not have raised an eyebrow.

What she did not know was that her daughters, Mylie and Kate, noticed and observed everything. They had both learnt to suppress their hatred towards their father, who in public was a respectable man but at home caused considerable pain and anguish. Mylie, had thought to herself that she must be one of the lucky ones. That even after a broken and distasteful childhood. Life had gifted her with, Mat.

Mat, a tall, sturdy, real estate lawyer at the County hall had always been convinced that Mylie was meant to be his wife. He met her in one of her depositions in front of the jury. He was not a time waster, because in two weeks of meeting in court. He had asked her to for a date at Mulley’s. She took a little over two weeks to accept. All this years she had harbored an undue aggression towards the men folk. But within no time Mat had activated his charms and charisma and deftly maneuvered his way into her heart They had recently gotten engaged and she was looking forward to a happily ever after something that she had never thought she would have.

"When are you going to introduce me to my Mat, Mum always spoke fondly of him," she asked in joking tone. "Well, he was meeting a client this afternoon, but he will be here in time for dinner. So, behave yourself," she said with a smile. “As for mum, she probably was just happy that I had finally gotten someone who likes me one bit," she said with a hearty laugh. It had been a while since Mylie had shown any signs of happiness, and Kate was glad that this time round, Mat was looking like a keeper.

“I am glad at least one of us will be getting married,'' Kate announced as they walked back into the kitchen. After watching the sun go down. “You know what, I thought love is like some heavy burden people carry like Mum and Dad had. But Mat makes it feels so surreal. It’s like something out of this world, so pure and liberating," she said. "Ohh my goodness, is this Mylie, the one who hated anything to do with love, family, and men. Where did you take my sister," she asked with grim look that preceded a smile. “Well, people change, we may have had dark pasts, but who said we can’t have some sunshine in our lives,'' she said heartily. The conversation about Mat continued as Mylie cooked coconut rice with grilled fillet as Kate enjoyed some cabernet Sauvignon wine.

Mat arrived in time for dinner and by this time Kate was bit tipsy. As soon as Mat joined them in the kitchen she jumped from her seat and hugged. Welcome brooother, she said loudly. And fell back on the chair. “I think you need to take it slow on the wine honey,” Mylie said as she kissed Mat on his lips lightly and proceeded with dinner carry the dishes to the dining room. Mat followed her cue and carried the foodstuff. Kate merely ignored her sister and took a gulp of wine.

She was drank alright. "How did you love birds meet,'' She asked. Well it’s a long story, Mat said. “Well let’s hear the short version," this time in a snappy tone. “I think we should take a walk,” Todd whispered to Kate as he wrapped his hands around her waist. “I just want to know the story. It’s just a story right!" Kate snapped gazing at Mylie and Mat who glanced at each other. Mylie couldn’t quite understand what had gone wrong, it had all seemed perfect until Mat showed up and heel just broke lose. Only she quite didn’t understand, had she missed something or was this just a bad dream for she had never seen her sister this agitated. “Kate, please calm down, we will tell you all about it in a few minutes," she responded trying as much as she could to stay calm.

“How can I calm down, we are in the house where our mother, our own mother was constantly abused before our eyes everyday of our lives. Tell how?," she said angrily and placed her wine glass hotly onto the table with a bang. “Can we talk about this later and not in front of our guests" Mylie pleaded. “We cannot, you have never wanted to deal with this, you know. You are always pretending nothing happened. Like nothing happened. All you want to do is forget. Well I cant. I can never forget. I can never forgive myself for not pulling that trigger on Dad. You should have let me kill him," she squirmed. By this time Mylie was rather troubled and reached out her hand to touch her sister in the hope of making her to stop. Kate moved her hand away, this time shaking. Mylie reached for her napkin slowly placed in on her face. “Stop it! Stop it. I can’t take it. Just stop!” Mat realizing that his fiancé was unequivocally emotional tried to wrap his arms on Mylie, but she brushed him off. Suddenly both sisters sat staring at each other. The tension was rising by the minute and both ladies had begun sobbing uncontrollably raising their voices at each other.

Suddenly, Kate stood up and headed to the door. “Kate, please don’t leave like this, we need to stick together and get through this," she pleaded. “That’s what you always say. I’m done dealing with this crappy past, I just want out completely out. I don’t want anything to do with this family, I am out, “she retorted. Todd, looking confused and embarrassed followed her to the car while apologizing profusely.

Mylie sobbed until she couldn’t cry anymore. She and Mat had moved to the sitting area, where she narrated the life that she and Kate had gone through in the hand of their father. She cried the whole time and Mat held her close stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks filled with tears. “It will be fine, she will come round," he said calmly. Mylie was exhausted with the emotional turmoil and had fallen asleep on Mat's arms. She would occasionally wake up to realize it wasn’t a dream, look up at Mat's face and realize the pain in her chest and start crying all over again. Mat would again reassure her that all would be well and she would fall asleep.

When she finally fell asleep Mat carried her to the bedroom and tucked her in. He went downstairs to make some hot chocolate. He too needed to process what had just happened. Mylie would need more support and he needed to put his thoughts together as well.

He sat there and thought how he loved Mylie and how he hated to see her in so much pain. He rested on the fact that he was there and he would do everything to protect and support her. He picked the empty mug and placed it on the sink, as he headed to the stairs. The phone rang, he thought to himself, not now I cannot be thinking of work. He pinched his eyes and frowned from exhaustion. He then bend down to pick the nearest phone. “Hello, is this Gallewoys residence,” came a female voice. “Yes it is," he replied. “I am calling you from St Anne hospital, there has been a terrible accident this evening. We need you to come to hospital as Miss Kate Gallewoys has been admitted with severe injuries.” His heart sank. This night cannot get any worse, he thought. It was after a minute, he could hear the same voice asking whether he was there. He broke out of the trance and responded, “Yes I am. We will be there shortly,” he said. He hang up. Sat down and put his hands on his head. He wondered how he was going to break the news to Mylie. He decided to wait until he was stable enough. He then breathed heavily into his clasped arms, stood up extremely exhausted and begun walking towards the staircase.

He found the door half way opened. He panicked for a second. He then pushed the door and glimpsed at Mylie who was sound asleep. He went in sat beside her and immediately she opened her eyes slowly. “I can’t seem to sleep, I am feeling restless," she said softly. When she looked at him closely, she noticed he had a sullen appearance. “What is it," she asked. “I got a call from St Anne's hospital.” She sat up and this time faced him. “And they would like us to go to the hospital, there has been an accident," he said. He watched her clasp her mouth with one arm and allowed the news to sink in and once again the tears were running down her cheeks. They silently took their jackets and hurried off to the garage. The drive took 20 minutes and it was pitch dark with few cars on the road and barely any pedestrians.

When they got there, Mylie enquired on her sister and Todd's condition. The nurse motioned her to sit at the waiting area for the doctor return. They both sat together. Throughout, the wait she did not say a word. Her eyes were swollen, she was already grieving, and she could feel it within herself, the unsurmountable grief. The doctor finally came to meet with Mylie and Mat. My name is Doctor J. Mason, Mylie will be alright, a trailer had ramped into their car, and she broke her leg. We have successfully operated on her, so she will need time to recuperate, however, she will be alright. She is asleep but you can come and see her.

Thank you doctor, Mylie said as she held on the doctor’s hand tightly. They walked into the room. Kate's leg was handing above and she had a ventilator in her mouth. As soon as Mylie saw her she broke down and rushed to hug her, tears rolling down her cheeks. We will get through this. I love you and you are alive and that was all that mattered.