A/N: Hello everyone. First off, thanks for clicking on this and welcome! Before you start reading this story, I have a few warnings I want to get out of the way.
Number one, this is purely a product of my own boredom. I'm writing it primarily for my own entertainment and decided that maybe it'd be fun to put it up here and see if anyone else wants to read it. I'm not out to offend anybody, let's be friends, love is love blah blah blah all that good stuff.
Secondly, there ARE original charaters, all of which are owned by me. If you've got a huge problem with OC's then I don't recommend you read this story. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. I don't want to recieve any email or review complaining about the presence of OC's...but you can complain about whatever else suits you. I'm not going to be unrealistic and scream "No Flames!" when I know that it's emminent. So it's whatever. Just don't bitch about the OC's because you already know they're there m'kay?
Thirdly, this story is rated "T" because yes, there will be language. I won't be putting sex or anything of that nature in here, if anything it may be implied, but nothing graphic. If you're looking for porn, is right around the corner. And finally, I'm a busy girl. I have two jobs, go to school full-time, and I tend to write somewhat lengthy chapters. In fact, this first chapter is probably the shortest one you'll see during the duration of this fic. Basically there may not be constant regular updates which I apologize ahead of time for, it's just the way life goes. So please don't constantly bug me to update if it's been a while. I promise should I decide to continue this fic, I'll let you know if I decide to discontinue it indefinitely.
So I think that's about it. Reviews are welcome, flames are welcome, questions are welcome, suggestions are welcome to an extent. This is of course a story revolving around the "Casper" universe, but it's not in conjunction with the movie, the cartoons, or anything previously released. Really, I'm just borrowing the characters and locations. And of course I don't own any of the cannon Casper characters, names, settings, etc. With that being said, if you choose to stay after my little schpeel, here is the first chapter of the story. Enjoy!
XX
Chapter 1
September 12, 1995
"With that being said Mariah, all we need now is your 'yes or no.' I think I've made it clear that this is by far the best way to get our readers' attention for our September issue and I hope you agree. "
Yeah, you've said that about fifteen times buddy. Repeat it again and I'll REALLY tell you what I think.
Mariah Moyers, editor and chief of Indulge magazine, uncrossed her legs and tapped her pen impatiently on the photos spread in front of her. This particular meeting had gone on for much too long as far as she was concerned and it was getting quite repetitious. For three hours now, she and eleven colleagues had been agonizing over whether Julia Roberts should wear red or orange on the cover of their next issue. It had become so redundant that Mariah felt she had already mentally checked out.
She loved a good argument as much as the next business exec, but once it got to this point; it was time to pull the plug.
The only problem is, I have no idea how. I'm so distracted right now, what time is it again?
Mariah glanced up at the clock, noting that their three hours had now turned into four. Her eyes then traveled back to the photos in front her, all of them showing different models in different outfits, all shades of red and orange. Mariah sighed, once again shifting her weight in her seat. She thought it was all very cliché and much too literal, considering this was a Fall issue and they were using such basic, traditional Fall colors. In the end, it would definitely work and Julia could wear almost anything and still look good…
Mariah shook her head and looked up. Eleven pairs of eyes stared back at her, all waiting for her go ahead. This was something she was used to, being the boss and all, but it was never something she fully understood. The room always got so quiet when it came to her final decision. It was like they were waiting for someone's death sentence to be given, or waiting next to the Clearblue Easy to find out if you were pregnant or not. When it came right down to it, it really wasn't that big of a decision. Indulge had been in print for over twenty years. They had never really had any trouble selling issues. In fact, they had done better on last year's charts then both Elle and Vanity Fair. So why this was such a monumental decision, she didn't know.
Mariah sighed. Maybe she was thinking this way because she hadn't been editor and chief for very long. She had only had the job for a little over six months and was still learning the ropes. Even getting the job itself had been a surprise. She had always been a favorite of her former boss, the previous editor and chief, Larissa Clayborne. Of course Mariah had initially started at Indulge with those kinds of intentions. If there was one thing she was good at, it was ass-kissing. She did it and she did it well. All it took was four and a half years of that and bam! Larissa retires, and it's a jump from a five-figure salary to six, a state-of-the-art New York penthouse, fully paid for by the magazine, all the perks of being a boss, and of course the title itself. It had been Mariah's dream come true and she had taken the opportunity and run with it.
Of course with that job came responsibility, the main one which was decision-making for everyone else. It was her word that was put into Indulge every month and she could sure put out an issue. Her twin sister Marlene had always told Mariah she was the one that was meant to be in charge because she wasn't afraid of responsibility or even failure. Mariah couldn't have agreed with her more. But today was just a little different. She couldn't focus and it was frustrating. Mariah cleared her throat, sifting through the photos for what felt like the hundredth time, when Marci, her new assistant, poked her head in the door. Of course, all of the eyes shifted from Mariah to Marci which really she was grateful for. Because as far as she was concerned, none of the outfits in any of these photos were going to work and that was sure to cause an uproar that she really didn't want to mediate at the moment. Marci cleared her throat nervously and stepped into the room.
"Excuse me Mariah? I'm so sorry to interrupt but there's a phone call for you in your office."
Immediately, Mariah felt her temper flare. Potential uproar or not, Marci knew better then to interrupt an executive meeting with a phone call. Raising her eyebrows Mariah put the photos down and crossed her fingers, resting her elbows on top of the mahogany conference table.
"Marci, what did I tell you before this meeting? Take messages and I'll return them once I get out." Marci paled, looking like she may faint. Mariah really hoped she didn't. The last girl that fainted ended up falling into $100,000 vase and breaking it. Nervously wringing her hands, Marci spoke once again.
"I'm sorry Mariah but it's very important. I was told that you need to take this call, right now. I argued on the phone with this guy for ten minutes and he's insisting he talk to you."
Sighing, Mariah pushed her chair back and got up, walking around the table and briskly out the door. Marci followed, almost jogging to keep up with her boss.
"I told him you were in a very important meeting and that you couldn't be bothered and he still insisted. He wouldn't tell me why, said it was private business and…" Before Marci could finish her sentence, Mariah shut the door to her office, leaving her assistant very shaken and nervous outside.
Once inside her office, Mariah sat down at her desk and looked at the phone. She recognized the area code on the caller ID but not the number.
"This had better be really really important…" Mariah mumbled to herself, picking up the receiver and pressing line 1.
"This is Mariah Moyers."
"Miss Moyers. I'm sorry to bother you, your assistant told me you're very busy but I'm afraid I have some…bad news."
Mariah stiffened, leaning forward at her desk.
"What kind of bad news?"
The man on the other line cleared his throat.
"My name is James Petersen and I'm a sheriff in Grantville, Kansas. I understand you're the sister of Marlene Holmes, correct?"
Mariah began to feel slightly light headed as she sat back in her desk chair, nervously twisting the phone cord around her wrist. Something had happened to Marlene?
"Yes I am. Why, what…what happened?"
Silence on the other end. Mariah ran a hand through her hair and tried to control her breathing. She felt as if she may hyperventilate.
"Well…Miss Moyers, your sister and her family were in an accident this morning. We're not sure of the details yet, but you're going to need to come to Great Bend as soon as possible to…"
"Wait wait wait, I'm sorry what?" Mariah couldn't believe what she was hearing. "My sister has been in an accident, well is she alright? I mean what's…?"
"Miss Moyers, your mother asked me to call you so that you could get down here as soon as possible. If you would just calm down…."
Mariah stood up, tears already threatening to seep through her eyes. "Calm down? No I don't want to calm down; I want to know if my sister is alright! Is she alright?"
"Miss Moyers… I'm sorry."
Clutching the receiver, Mariah sat in silence, trying to take all of this in. Marlene was gone? No, there was no way. They had just spoken two days ago, talking about plans for Christmas and when they were going to get together to do their shopping, and who was married to who, and what their crazy uncle was in jail for and…there was just no way!
"Miss Moyers, are you still there?"
Shaken out of her thoughts, Mariah straightened up a bit in her chair. This was some kind of joke. Marlene was always like that. She'd yell at her later. Chuckling a bit, Mariah smiled.
"You must be mistaken," she told the sheriff, "My sister is just fine. She's always pulling pranks and I'm sorry, but this one is a bit low, don't you think? I mean, who are you really? Is this Blake? Blake, you tell my sister, AKA your wife that this is not funny and I don't appreciate it and there is such a thing as a limit…" By now, the tears had begun to flow freely as Mariah put her head in her hands, her chest threatening to burst from sheer agony.
"Miss Moyers…"
"My god, Marlene…" The tears had turned into sobs by now, uncontrollable shaking sobs that made it hard for Mariah to breathe. Her sister, her twin, the one whom she'd shared her entire life with, gone. In a flash. What had happened? HOW could this have happened? Marlene had always been the careful one. As far back as Mariah could remember, Marlene had always been the voice of reason, the one who looked out for herself and others before her. Even as children, she had kept Mariah out of trouble countless times. She had always been the practical one, the sensible one; the one who was able to pull Mariah back to reality when things really got out of hand. She'd be last person Mariah would expect to die in a fatal car accident.
A million things went through Mariah's head those few minutes of silence on the phone. Why had she moved away to New York? Why had she been so eager to get away from home, from the life she knew…from her sister? So much wasted time avoiding phone calls, deciding not to fly back home for whatever reason, being too busy to answer an email or a Facebook comment, so wrapped up in her own silly life that she'd forgotten about everybody else. The tremendous amount of guilt she felt was overwhelming, not just because of those reasons. Mariah had been jealous of Marlene her entire life. It's true, Marlene was "the good twin", the one her parents favored the most…and Mariah had spent the better part of her childhood hating her for it. And it wasn't until now, knowing that she would never get to speak to her sister again, did she realize that she had been blaming the wrong person. It wasn't Marlene's fault they hadn't been together, it was hers. For every minute Mariah had spent hating Marlene, Marlene had spent loving her just as much. Knowing that she could now never let her sister know how sorry she was and how she truly felt was not something Mariah was prepared to deal with.
After a few moments, there was a rustling on the other end of the line.
"Miss Moyers, I'm so sorry. I know that this is a shock and I can't imagine how you must feel. Your mother told me that if you needed me to wire you a plane ticket…"
Mariah cut him off.
"No no, that won't be necessary. I've got plenty of money, I don't need her help. Tell them I'll be there first thing tomorrow morning. But first, please tell me that my brother-in-law and my niece survived at least. I need to hear that much…"
Once again, a pause, then a deep breath. Mariah's stomach clenched, preparing her for the worst.
"Your niece is currently in the hospital in critical condition. The seatbelt she had on saved her life, but she's got a head injury and a broken collarbone. I don't know the details of her exact state yet, but she's alive. Your brother-in-law however…he didn't make it either. I'm so sorry."
Mariah closed her eyes slowly. Marlene and Blake, both gone. The only survivor was Cera, her six-year-old niece and they weren't even sure of her condition, but it sounded dire. Mariah opened her eyes once again, willing herself to respond to the sheriff on the phone.
"I'll be on the first flight out tomorrow morning. Please let my family know. And as soon as you know the exact details of the accident, I want to be the first to hear about it." She could almost hear the sheriff nodding over the phone.
"Of course Miss Moyers. And once again, I'm so very sorry for your loss."
Without responding, Mariah set the phone down and stared around her office in silence. She couldn't move, she could barely even breathe. All she could think about was Marlene. And Blake. And poor little Cera, now without either of her parents. What was she supposed to do now, call everyone she knew? Spread the word? 'Hey my sister is dead! How are you today?" Yeah, that's a great conversation starter. No, she had to get herself a plane ticket and get back to Grantsville. Never mind the fact that she hadn't spoken to her mother in almost a year, that her dad thought her the biggest disappointment since having to work on Sundays. Sure, Marlene may have been their daughter, but she had also been Mariah's sister and the only member of the family that had ever cherished her or been proud of her for her accomplishments. Marlene was gone, her daughter was alive, and Mariah was going to make sure everything would be alright for Cera. She felt that she owed Marlene that much.
Feeling as if she were on auto-pilot, Mariah picked up her phone once again and hit the "two" button, that which would connect her to Marci's desk.
"Marci?"
"Yes Mariah?"
"I need you to book me a plane ticket to KCNA. Right away, I need the first flight out tomorrow. First class, coach, or business, it doesn't matter. Earliest flight possible, book it. Charge it to my American Express. Then, I need you to set me up a hotel room at the Grantsville Marriot. When they ask how long I'm staying, just tell them a week. I'll extend it if I need to. Last thing, please arrange for a car to pick me up from my apartment and drive me to New York International tomorrow. I don't want to wait for a cab. You can charge the hotel and the car to my Capital One."
"Okay. Is everything alright?"
Mariah paused, thinking for a moment. Is everything alright. It was such a standard question and one Mariah usually had no trouble answering. Today she couldn't find the words, though the answer was obvious. She paused for a moment, and then chocked back a sob, one that had snuck up on her like a blast of cold air.
"No Marci, it's not. But thank you very much for asking."
XX
KCNA was just as crowded as NYI…but a lot smaller. Mariah sighed, entering the terminal after an almost five hour flight from New York to Kansas. Wall-to-wall people lined the room, pushing this way and that, trying to get to baggage claim, hugging family members and friends, doing head-counts, making sure they had all of their stuff etc. Mariah frowned and shifted her carry-on to her left shoulder, trying to properly adjust to her surroundings. She was used to crowds, but this was a little much in such a confined space. Hell, Grand Central Station was easy compared to this.
Clearing her throat in exasperation, she looked down to check her watch. It was just slightly after 9:30 in the morning and thankfully she had arrived on schedule. Marci had managed to get Mariah a flight leaving New York at 5am, though it was a coach seat which Mariah wasn't initially thrilled about. She hadn't flown coach since she had moved to New York and that had been almost six years ago! She had survived, though not without a bit of heartache. Unfortunately, she had been stuck next to a very fat, very sweaty, very talkative former insurance salesman who couldn't seem to take the social cue that Mariah really wasn't interested in idle chitchat so early in the morning. Not to mention, he had coughed and hacked all over her the whole time! The seats had also been terribly uncomfortable, so in addition to initial annoyance, her back was killing her. What a great start to a great trip under great circumstances. Mariah rolled her eyes and looked around. She had to stop standing and get moving if she was to be at the drop off station on time. Her longtime friend Beverly had arranged to pick her up at 9:45 and then drive her to her parent's house and Mariah didn't want to keep her waiting.
Channeling her New Yorker skills, Mariah began to push through the mass, looking up at the overhead signs to find the baggage claim. Upon locating the sign and direction in which she was to go, she began to make her way down the crowded halls of the terminal. As she walked, she noticed that people were a lot friendlier here then she was used to in New York. Like most airports, she was constantly being pushed and shoved, but the difference was people said "excuse me" or "I'm sorry." Of course Mariah made no response, but continued moving through the crowd, making a mental note to attempt to be more polite in public while she was here at least.
After finally reaching the baggage claim and waiting an agonizing fifteen minutes next to a large group of small, screaming children with one very exhausted looking mother, Mariah was finally able to obtain her three bags and once again began to push through the crowd towards the exit.
Bright sunlight struck her eyes as she walked through the revolving doors to the drop off/pick up curbside. Setting down her bags, she looked up and down the drive, hoping to spot Beverly's car or Beverly at least since Mariah had no idea what her friend would be driving. Seeing nobody that resembled her, Mariah set down her bags and took her carry-on off of her shoulder, unzipping it.
"Two minutes here and I'm already sick of the sun…"Mariah mumbled to herself as she rummaged through her bag. Where were those damn sunglasses?
Before she could locate them, two abrupt honks caused Mariah to look up, her head snapping to attention almost immediately. Stopping in front of her was a white Jeep Liberty, its windows lightly tinted and rolled down. In the driver's seat was Beverly, looking almost exactly the same as she had the last time Mariah had seen her. Her red hair was pulled into a little ponytail at the back of her head, the same way she had always worn it, and she wore a long-sleeved t-shirt of baby pink. From what she could see, it also looked like her friend had lost some weight, especially in her face. Bev had always been husky, but now she seemed to carry it better then she had before. Then again, there was only so much you could tell through a window.
Mariah smiled as Beverly put the car in park and opened her door. Before Mariah could say anything, she was enveloped in a tight hug, one that she hadn't known she desperately needed until now. It seemed to be an instant tear-trigger as both women began to cry, holding each other on the curb side. Mariah hated the fact that she hadn't seen her friend in so long and now, these were the circumstances of their reunion. It all didn't seem fair and once again Mariah mentally punched herself for staying away so long. Not only had she missed Marlene, she had missed Bev as well. After a few moments, they pulled apart finally, Mariah looking teary-eyed into her friends face. Bev managed a weak smile through her own tears and put her hands on Mariah's shoulders.
"I'm so happy you're here Miah," Bev said, "I can't believe this is happening." Mariah managed to return her friend's smile, pulling away from her and reaching once again into her carry-on. Thankfully, she found her tissues without having to do much digging and handed one to Bev, while also dabbing her own eyes.
"I know, I can't either," Mariah replied, "I hasn't even fully sunken in." Bev nodded in agreement, though she said nothing. It was then that Mariah began to notice the line of cars piling up behind Bev's Jeep. How long had they been standing there? Somewhat coming back to herself, Mariah took Bev's hand and squeezed it.
"C'mon Bev, let's get out of these people's way and…"
"Oh jeeze, you're right. I'm sorry!" Bev seemed to snap out of her thoughts at that point too. Hurriedly, she reached past Mariah and grabbed two of her bags, picking them up and carrying them to the rear of the SUV. She popped the hatch and set the bags inside, Mariah next to her placing her bag and carry-on in as well. Once everything was secure, Bev closed the hatch and the two women got into the car.
"Seatbelts," Bev muttered as she fascined her own. Mariah couldn't help but smile. Even at times of great crisis, it was always safety first. Typical Bev. The car started and soon they were off, zooming down the drive port towards the interstate. For the first five minutes, they rode in silence, not even the radio was on. Mariah could feel that Bev was horribly upset and she reached out to take her friends hand. She almost regretted it, as this started another onslaught of tears. Mariah squeezed Bev's hand, doing what she could to comfort her friend while at the same time trying to maintain her own composure. She knew that Bev was probably having almost as hard a time as she was. Bev had been Marlene's best friend since they were children and the two had been as close as can be without being blood-related. They had done almost everything together, and Bev had been there for Marlene when Mariah had not. And with the two of them being identical twins, it was probably even harder for Bev to see Mariah. At this thought, Mariah immediately thought of her parents. If this was the kind of reaction she was getting from Bev, what kind of reaction should she expect from her mother, who hated her but loved Marlene? Or her father who had wanted Mariah to be just as perfect as her now dead twin sister? These thoughts were interrupted as a raking sob from Bev startled her out of them. Mariah looked over at her friend, who was crying so hard Mariah was sure there was no way Bev could see the road. Leaning over slightly, Mariah tried to muster her calmest tone.
"Bev, do you need me to drive?" Sniffing loudly, Bev shook her head, letting go of Mariah's hand putting both hands on the wheel.
"No Miah, I'm fine. Marley was your sister; I need to be strong for you. I feel so stupid right now that you're the one trying to calm me down when I…" Mariah shook her head.
"Don't say that. Just because she was my sister doesn't mean I loved her any more than you did. I'll drive if you need me to, really." Mariah wished she would. That was all everyone needed, for the two of them to die in a car accident as well because Bev couldn't drive properly. What would her mother say then? Well, since Mariah is gone, maybe God will give us back Marlene? Mariah shook her head, shoving that thought away. This was no time for that kind of thinking. She had to regain control, but Bev once again refused her offer.
"No really, I'm fine now. It just kind of hit me for a second. But I'll be okay till we get to your mom's." Mariah sat there for a moment, almost insisting once again that her friend pull over, but decided to let it rest. She seemed to be okay for now. Nodding, Mariah sat back in her seat, staring out the window at her surroundings. Rolling plains sped by as they made their way down the interstate, the sky blue and cloudless. The land went on for miles, stretching as far as the eye could see. She was feeling overwhelmingly nostalgic at this time and wasn't sure if she liked it. Seeing these surroundings reminded her of when she was a little girl. Her father, a former Marine who had served in Vietnam, had been a crop duster much of his life after retiring from the military. One of Mariah's most vivid and fond memories were of when he used to take her and Marlene with him when he worked. He would strap them into his little yellow duster plane (he had named it Stinger), and the three of them would fly to nearby farms, dusting the crops and having lots of laughs. Things were so good back then between Mariah and her parents. Things hadn't taken a turn for the worse until after she and Marlene were in middle school, but that wasn't something Mariah wanted to ponder at this moment.
Marlene…
Thoughts of her sister through the years flooded Mariah's memories as she recalled several special times they had had together. The summer when she, Marlene, Bev, and their other friend Kesha had hitchhiked all the way to Hartsville and almost didn't make it home in time for dinner, their high school graduation where Marlene had been valedictorian, Marlene's wedding to Blake, her sweetheart since they were in elementary school, the birth of Marlene's daughter Cera, Mariah's college graduation where Marlene had been the only member of her family to show up, all smiles and so proud of her sister. Mariah once again felt the tears begin as she quickly tried to wipe them away, not wanting to upset Bev again. Out of nowhere, her friend spoke.
"Did you hear about what exactly happened? With the accident?" Mariah turned towards Bev and shook her head, once again quickly wiping her eyes.
"No. The police officer I talked to wouldn't give me many details over the phone," Mariah scoffed, "If I wouldn't have been freaking out already, I would've given him an earful. I mean, I'm in fucking New York and you're calling me about this in the middle of a work day. You could at least tell me what happened you know?" Bev nodded.
"Well, they weren't sure of the exact details till this morning but…"she swallowed, "they were able to figure some things out from analyzing the scene as well the autopsy." Mariah cringed at the mention of that word. She didn't want to associate it with anyone in relation to her. But she wanted to know what had happened and if Bev knew something, Mariah was going to ask.
"What did they find out?"
Bev cleared her throat, decreasing her speed a bit on the road. Apparently she wanted to prolong the trip and Mariah was just fine with that. The longer it took to get to her parent's house, the better as far as she was concerned. Continuing to drive, Bev began to tell Mariah all that she knew about Marlene's accident.
"Well, apparently they were driving home from Blake's parent's house at around 4:30 in the afternoon. It's been super foggy here the last few days. Literally, today is the first sunny day we've had in a while…" Mariah nodded.
How convenient. "I know, I heard it's been all over the Midwest. Go on." Bev continued.
"And yesterday it was really bad Miah. Like, you couldn't see an inch in front of your face. It was a complete gray-out and they were closing interstates and highways and everything. Basically, they were advising people not to drive." Bev paused for a moment and then continued some more. "So they were getting onto a ramp to merge east and there was a huge semi stalled right at the end of it. Blake didn't see it in time because it was so foggy and…" Bev stopped altogether, hands gripping the steering wheel so tight Mariah could see her knuckles turning white. Choking on a sob, Bev said, "He t-boned it. Their entire car slid underneath his trailer. The truck driver didn't even realize what had hit him until he got out of the cab five minutes later! Mariah, they hit at almost 50 miles an hour! Marlene and Blake were both…" She didn't need to finish. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened next. The impact had been so strong that both her sister and brother-in-law had been killed instantly, their necks breaking from the pressure. Mariah couldn't stop the tears this time as they silently began to seep out of her eyes and Bev wept openly, finally easing the car onto the shoulder of the road. For a few moments they both just sat there, hugging each other once again, mourning the loss of their beloved sister and friend. Bev then pulled away, reaching for a tissue that was sticking out of her purse. After blowing her nose, Bev continued.
"And Cera…they have no idea how she survived. In the end, they had to use the Jaws of Life to cut all three of them from the car! They're assuming it was because of the seat that she was in. They said if it wasn't for that seat…and Miah, she's in bad shape. She's in a medically induced coma because of her collarbone and her head. She had internal bleeding in her stomach that I know they managed to stop, but…" Mariah continued to listen, her heart beating so quickly it felt as if it were going to jump out of her chest.
"She's only five years old Miah! And her mommy and daddy are gone and she's hurt so badly. What are we supposed to do now?" Mariah shook her head, looking out the front of the window. The sunlight again. It seemed so cruel, almost garish. How dare you shine so bright considering what's happened to my family Mariah thought to herself, what do you have to be so happy about?
And truth be told, Mariah had no idea how to answer Bev's question. That had always been Marlene's job. Marlene had all the answers; she always knew what to do. How the hell was Mariah supposed to know? Ask Marlene! 'Ask Marlene' had always been their answer to everything because she was technically the oldest. She knew the most about life. She knew how to make good decisions…but that was no longer an option. They were on their own now and it was time to finally step up. Mariah was now the oldest…and she needed to act like it. Placing her hand on the handle of the car door, Mariah spoke.
"C'mon Bev, I'm gonna drive the rest of the way." Bev began to protest once again, but Mariah cut her off. "Nope, don't argue with me. I feel like I need to be physically doing something other than just sitting here or I'm gonna go insane. Just let me drive." Bev stared at her, still not moving.
"But do you know where you're going? I mean, it's been a while since you've…"
Mariah cut her off once more. "Please, I may have been gone for seven years but I lived here for a lot longer. I remember how to get to my parent's house from the interstate, I remember that much. Now c'mon. Move your butt." Resignedly, Bev got out of the car, switching places with Mariah as she climbed into the driver's seat. With that, Mariah started the Jeep once more, pulling back out onto the almost deserted interstate, it being 10 in the morning on a work day.
The rest of the way they drove in silence, only the hum of the car could be heard. Mariah couldn't get what Bev had said about the accident out of her head. Killed instantly. Neck broken. At least they didn't suffer, Mariah offhandedly thought, and then she shivered. Why would she think of something like that? Granted she was glad for it, the last thing she wanted to consider was her sister suffering in pain but still. Of all the thoughts to come to her head, that one comes first. Her mother was right about one thing. She really could be insensitive, even to herself.
Noticing her exit, Mariah signaled and began to merge right to get off of the interstate. God it was bright. She was really starting to hate the sun…and still had no sunglasses. Then, out of nowhere, she remembered they were still on her coffee table in her penthouse back in New York. And she'd been searching for them the whole way here, certain they were with her and they were there the whole time. She distinctly remembered walking out the door without them and she didn't even realize! She couldn't help but laugh a bit and Bev looked at her, startled.
"What could possibly be funny?" she asked, sounding a little upset. Mariah shook her head, slightly startled at her own outburst.
"It's nothing. I'm sorry. Really, I am." And then she stopped in the middle of the road, opened her car door and vomited.
XX
End Chapter 1