"My betrothed is a serial killer." This was the lovely greeting my dad and I received as my baby sister walked in, depositing her tye dye messenger bag on the hook by the door. I hid my smile behind my copy of Rolling Stones as dad ignored her and continued to read his paper.
"You don't believe me?" She gasped dramatically as she stomped over and sat on the arm of his favorite chair.
"Not really." He grumbled as he turned the page.
"Really dad? I could tell you that Alaska has polar bear spies and you would so believe that, but my stupid soon to be life partner being a serial killer is to far fetched? You were in the army for crying out loud!" She exclaimed as she waved her hands around, accidentally slapping dad in the forehead. He released a heavy sigh before he sat down his paper and fixed his bright blue eyes on her face. I had long ago abandoned my reading to watch the comical exchange.
"Why do believe he is a serial killer?" He asked as he raised a dark eyebrow at her.
"Well, first off, he sniffed me. What kind of psycho sniffs people? And I didn't stink, I checked. Second, he was looking at me like Lavender looks at cake. He was totally salivating. And last, he kept looking down at his crotch!" She exclaimed as her cheeks flushed a light pink.
"Maybe he liked your perfume and he thought you were beautiful. The looking down part could simply be shyness." Dad reasoned, which probably wasn't the brightest idea.
"Yeah... Whatever." She grunted before she stormed off to her room. Dad looked up at me as if to say, 'Women. What can you do?'
As I approached Draven's room, I could hear her singing along to one of mom's mix-tapes, which was never a good thing. When I opened her door, I saw her sitting on her unmade bed hugging a large stuffed turtle that mom had sewn for her.
"Mom would have believed me." She spoke softly before she began to sob. I walked over and quickly embraced her, not caring that she was soaking one of my favorite shirts with salty tears.
"Do you think she's in a good place now?" Draven asked as she looked up at me with glistening green eyes. I'd never really given much thought as to where you go after you die.
"I'm sure she's in the best place." I spoke, because I knew that's what she needed to hear.
"Thank-you." She yawned as she clung to me tightly.
It wasn't long before she was breathing softly, a sure sign that she was in a deep slumber.
"How is she?" Dad asked as he stood at the end of the hall, his face pinched in concern.
"You know Draven. She'll bounce back." I replied with a shrug, though I wasn't entirely sure. She was not at all happy with the arranged marriage dad had set up, and I kind of agreed with her.
"I just don't know what to do with her. Ever since Emily-" It was here that his voice cracked and he shook his head before clearing his throat. "I'm glade she has someone like you to look after her. You're a good man Mason." He spoke with a light smile before going outside to work of his old car.
"Sure wish you were here mom." I sighed before I picked up my magazine and began to read again.