In her dreams she saw Anju. She stood before her, drinking Chateu Romani, a smile on her face.
"I'm getting married," dream Anju said. She took another swig of her white drink. "I've never been so happy."
And like always her dream self asks, "Who are you marrying?" Her dream self has hope. A desperate hope, an impossible hope, a hope she clings to when there is nothing else left to cling to. As if Anju would ever love her that way. Anju saw Cremia only as her friend, and no matter how much she wanted to change that, she knew Anju would reject her. It hurt knowing she could never win. Telling her would mean the pain of rejection and not telling her would bring the pain of hopeful what-ifs. The fantasies were unreal, but they were fantasies after all. In them, Cremia's affections were returned by the red-haired woman. The two were happy together, Romani their surrogate child. In some Anju would move to Romani Ranch and live there with them, and other times she sold to ranch and moved into the Stockpot Inn. In some she would travel to the ranch every day and go back to Clock Town at night, and in some fantasies the roles were reversed, and Anju would come to Romani Ranch every night after working at the Stockpot Inn. In reality, the two being so far from each other would be a problem, and no matter what happened there would be many problems. But Kafei, Kafei. . . He lived in Clock Town, and it would be barely more than a five minute walk to go see Anju.
She couldn't remember when she first fell in love with Anju. It felt like a constant feeling. Who couldn't love her? She was beautiful, with her short red hair, soft skin (and likely very soft lips, but she knew she never would get to feel them), her deep blue eyes, and well-built body. She was slim and graceful, and though it would surprise many, she was a great dancer.
What she hated most was how much Romani saw and understood. Cremia despised the way her sister looked at her, with pity. She didn't want her sister getting stuck in the mess she was.
Just worry about archery, Cremia thought. My problems aren't worth your time.
Going into Clock Town hurt. Anju would be busy working, and so would Cremia, but she had to visit her whenever she went. The happiness on Anju's face hurt her, but at the same time she wanted Anju to be happy.
Anju didn't deserve to be like Cremia was, but she was.
"No one's seen him!" she said, throwing her hands in the air. "It's only a week until our wedding!" Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "Oh, by the giants, what will I do if he doesn't show up in time for the wedding, Cremia?"
"I don't know," were all that she could tell her friend. It was true, the hard truth, but the truth none the less.
"Do you think he'd do that?" Anju asked. She was wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress.
And again Cremia had no answer. Kafei was a nice enough man, though Cremia barely knew him. All she really knew was that she'd always be second place to him in Anju's heart.
Whenever she went to Clock Town, which was more often than she sometimes wished, she would always leave her sister with some Rupees to do as she pleased. She'd usually go to the Shooting Gallery, and when she went to pick her up the owner would remark about what a good shot she was. Cremia would give him a weak smile and take her sister home.
According to Romani, ghosts were coming, but Cremia knew they were already here. Anju's ghost stood before her, crying, begging for Kafei to come back. Every time she tried to touch her, if only to give her a few moments of comfort, she would vanish. When she came back she would be slightly less visible. Eventually, Cremia would just make her disappear altogether.
It was only a few days until Anju was to be married, so long as Kafei came, and something told her he'd come back. Then even the hopes she held would break and let go, and she'd alone, the real ghost. Perhaps her sister would shoot her, and there would be one less thing to haunt the ranch, and perhaps her dreams and fantasies would die with her. The hopes were already going, and the fantasies were beginning to fade. Reality hit in, and it was like ice water on her.
All she hoped was that her sister would be able to pick up the pieces, and that Anju would be happy. All Anju deserved was happiness; she shouldn't turn out like Cremia. But there was no denying that if she became like her that even Cremia wouldn't be able to save her.
The clock continued ticking, counting down the days until the wedding.
Tick tock. . .