"Lilly and Christina"

Chapter 9 – "Once in a Lifetime"

On the next day, the hours seemed to go by slower than usual, at least for Lilly. For the last year, she'd been working as a handwriting specialist for the Philadelphia Crime Lab. After Jake left, she decided she need to do something about her work life. If he was going so far to save money so they could buy their farm upstate, and get married, she should do her part too. So, took a course, got a degree, and quickly got the job. Besides paying a lot better than her previous job, she was closer to her old dream of becoming a Police Officer. She wasn't really sure that dream would ever come true, though. If everything went well between her and Jake, she would never be able to pursue that dream. It bothered her not being able to have both things, but having Jake was certainly more important.

Lilly looked at her watch. 5.59 p.m. "Finally!" She thought, organizing the stuff on her desk and getting her purse. She usually worked overtime, but on that day she left at 6 p.m. sharp.

It took her about 40 minutes to get to the train station. She checked the platform Jake's train was going to be in, and, at 6.45 p.m., she began to wait. At first she tried to sit, but she couldn't stay still, so she paced the platform for the following fifteen minutes.

The train arrived and many people started to come out. Lilly kept looking at the train's doors, trying to find Jake. However, it was almost impossible to locate someone in the middle of so many passengers, their relatives and all the hugs between people who hadn't seen each other for a long time.

"Hello, beautiful," Lilly heard a voice from behind her. She recognized that voice immediately. She turned around and hugged Jake, probably the tighter embrace of their lives. They kissed several times.

"I'm so glad to see you," Lilly said, "I almost can't believe this day arrived."

"Me neither, baby," Jake said holding Lilly's face. "But I'm here."

"You're not leaving anymore, are you?" Lilly asked, then kissed him one more time.

Jake scratched his head. "Well… this is complicated. I'm still expecting a call from my uncle. Let's go to my parents' house, and leave my stuff there. I can't wait to hear about all you did in these two years." Jake said, taking his suitcase, and they started to walk.

"Didn't you read my letters?" Lilly asked, as Jake put his free hand around her neck.

"Of course, but I want more details. I can never get enough of you." Jake said, making Lilly smile hugely with his words.

"Everything is fine. My job is going great, my sister is going to graduate from high school, which I never thought would happen; and, you're not going to believe this, my Mom joined a rehab program." Lilly told as they walked.

"Wow, this is really great, I'm so happy for you," Jake said kissing her forehead. Lilly smiled. She was happy to have him back, but something was different. She couldn't point it if she was asked, but Jake was definitely hiding something.

Jake had been in Philadelphia for a week. Lilly was starting to feel a little disappointed because he hadn't mentioned anything about their future. Jake was still sweet and caring as he always, which made her think that maybe she was just worrying too much, like she did sometimes.

She was having dinner at Jake's house, with him and his parents, when the phone rang. Mrs. Campbell went to answer it, and much to everyone's surprise, she said, "Lilly, dear, it's for you. It's your sister."

Lilly ran to the phone, feeling her body go cold. Her mother. "Christina?" She said, worried, as she took the phone.

"Lil, I'm so sorry, but I need you." Christina began.

"Where are you?" Lilly interrupted.

"At the police station." Christina answered. Lilly was speechless. "I was at a party, and we were drinking, and the neighbors called the police. Now they want a responsible adult to take me, and I figured I'd better call you, and not mom."

Lilly took a deep breath, still not believing how far her sister had gone. "Give me the address." She said, dryly. She wrote down the address and hung up the phone. She then turned to the Campbells and said, "I'm really, but I have to go. My sister needs me."

"What happened, can we help?" Mr. Campbell asked.

"No, thanks, Mr. Campbell, I can take care of it alone." She took her coat and purse and rushed outside. Jake followed her.

"Lilly, what's going on?" Jake asked, as Lilly called a cab.

"Christina. She's in jail. She was drinking at a party. I have to go bail her out of it." Lilly said, and the initial shock was starting to turn into anger.

"Oh, my God." Jake said, shocked. "I'll go with you."

"No, Jake," Lilly shook her head. A cab stopped to pick her up. "Thanks, but I don't want to put you in the middle of this." She entered the cab and left.

Jake walked back into his house, and his mother said, "Son, you have a call from Arizona, it's your Uncle Bob." Jake sighed. He was finally going to learn about his future.

Lilly arrived at the police station about 20 minutes later. She asked the desk clerk for information, and he pointed her towards a woman down the hall.

"Excuse me," Lilly said, approaching the woman, "I'm Lilly Rush. Christina Rush's sister."

"Oh, hello," the woman said back. "I'm Michele Benedict, from Social Services."

"Social Services?" Lilly asked, surprised and also worried.

"Well, your sister is a minor, and she was found drinking alcohol. The officers reported it." Ms. Benedict answered. "Don't worry, Miss Rush. I just need to ask a few questions, and you two will be able to go."

"Sure, but where's Christina? I really would like to see her." Lilly said, looking around, trying to find Christina.

"She's inside. Let's see her. It would be better if she was present when I talked to you."

They walked into one of the interrogation rooms. Christina was sitting there, along with another girl and a police officer. "Officer Smith, will you take Miss Andrews to another room? I need to speak with Miss Rush and her sister alone." The officer did what he was told without saying a word.

"So, Miss Rush," Ms. Benedict said to Lilly, "As I said, I just want to ask a few questions, and if everything's OK you two will be free to go."

"Please go on." Lilly said to Ms. Benedict. The whole time she was in the room, she didn't look once at Christina.

"How many adults live with in the house, with Christina?" Ms. Benedict began.

"Two. Me, I'm 22, and our Mom." Lilly answered.

"But none of you were in the house tonight."

"Well, our Mom works the graveyard shift at a convenience store, and I was having dinner at my fiancé's house."

Ms. Benedict took notes and said, "You see, Miss Rush, what happened today is a very serious thing. I'm going to let Christina walk today, but if this event repeats itself, there'll be charges brought to the adult responsible for her." She pauses for a moment, "That would be you?"

Lilly nodded. "Yes. Our Mom is going through some … " She stuttered, "Personal problems right now. With our grandparents, they're very old. It'd be better if I handled the situation with Christina. I have a stable situation, I'm engaged, I have a job."

"Well, fine," Ms. Benedict said, filling out a paper. "But you'll be responsible for Christina's actions until she turns 18."

"Don't worry, Ms. Benedict." Lilly said, looking at Christina for the first time, "This won't happen again." Christina looked down when she felt Lilly's gaze.

Lilly signed all the papers she had to and they left. They were already walking for five minutes when Christina finally had the courage to say something, "I'm so sorry, Lil, I swear to God, I didn't know there was going to be alcohol in the party…"

"Shut up, Christina!" Lilly yelled. "I'm not stupid. You, on the other hand, seem to be." She kept talking as they walked. "Is this the life you want to have? Do you want to end up like Mom? Age 40 and working as a desk clerk at a convenience store? Going to AA meetings?"

Christina's eyes were full of tears. "I don't know why I do the things I do. I just want to have fun."

"Well, I think you had enough fun already." Lilly said, stopping. "Listen, tomorrow, I'm taking you for a job interview at the ice-cream shop. I heard they need a waitress there. You're going to get that job, and from then on, you're going to go to school, and go to work, and come home. You get it? You're not going to put me through this again."

Lilly had lectured Christina many times in their lives, but that was the first time that Christina didn't answer back. She just said, "OK, Lil."

And the two sisters walked the rest of their way home in complete silence.

Three days later…

Jake picked up Lilly at work and took her for a walk in the park.

"I don't know if I should be happy or worried about this," Lilly said as they walked.

"About what?" Jake asked.

"About you bringing me here. Every time we come together to this park something decisive happens." She said, smiling at him.

Jake laughed. He then said, seriously, "Well…I wanted you to be happy with this, but I don't think you're going to be."

Lilly felt that cold shiver down her spine. "You have to go back to Arizona? The project is not ready?"

"No, it is ready. Everything went perfectly." Jake answered, "My Uncle decided to begin a company, instead of taking only independent projects. He called me the day Christina got arrested and he offered me a managing position."

Lilly couldn't believe it. That certainly was the end of their dreams of buying a farm, but it would be a million times better for them. Why Jake wasn't happy about it? "This is amazing, Jake."

Jake looked down. "But he decided to stay in Arizona. I want you to come and live there with me. After we get married, of course."

"What about my Mom and my sister?" Lilly asked, although she already knew the answer.

"We really can't take them. At least I won't have the conditions to support you three. The city we will live in is really small and antiquated, there aren't many jobs for women."

Lilly looked down, and sighed. "I can't leave them, Jake. Not now. If I leave, my Mom will quit rehab and my sister will get more lost in life than she already is."

Jake took Lilly's hand. "We could wait a little more, and you'll come to meet me when you think they're ready to be on their own."

Lilly laughed. "I don't know if this day will ever come."

Jake shook his head. "I don't what to do, Lil. All my family is moving there, including my parents. I never thought I'd get a chance like that in my life. This is something that happens once in a lifetime." He bit his lip, "But I also know that a love like ours is something that happens only once in a lifetime too."

Lilly smiled, sadly. "At least we're lucky to meet each other. Some people go through their whole lives without meeting their one true love."

Jake had tears in his eyes. "I don't want to end this, Lil."

"We don't have to end it. Something like what we have here never ends. We will just follow our paths, and one day, who knows, we might have the chance to finish what we started." She was holding his face with her hands.

They stood in silence for a few moments.

"I think you should go no. The longer we stay here, the harder it'll be." Lilly said.

Jake nodded. "You're right. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, so…"

"…You probably have a lot of things to see, and to prepare," Lilly completed.

Jake kissed Lilly's forehead. "Take care of yourself, fix your family. We're not over."

Lilly nodded, and smiled. "Have a good life."

"Don't say that, Lil! We'll see each other soon." Jake said, really meaning it. He kissed her one last time and turned to leave.

Lilly watched Jake walk away, and when he couldn't hear her anymore, she repeated, "Have a good life."


To be continued
On the next chapter: All experiences in our lives bring something good. Lilly finds a reason to go on with her life, and she's as happy as she can be until Christina makes the worst mistake of her life, one that Lilly might never be able to forgive.