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The Bride's Sister
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Carrie had tried not to be jealous. She really had. But she had always lived in her sister Katie's shadow. Sports, grades, boys - even a part in the school play - Katie always got what Carrie wanted. And Katie was older, so Carrie had always been told to grin and bear it.
There was one notable exception to this rule.
Her senior year of college, Katie had decided she had one last chance to 'sow some wild oats.' And she had started dating someone she knew she shouldn't.
Lance was fun. He was wild and dangerous. He drove fast and recklessly. He hung out with the wrong people. He was everything she should have avoided, and she knew it. She liked it. She revelled in it.
Carrie tried to tell her. But she wouldn't listen. Carrie begged her. Katie laughed and drank another beer.
There was one bright spot, though. It was the only time in her life, that Carrie was the 'golden child.' Her parents were so proud of the way she was trying to help Katie do the right thing.
But only a couple months later, Katie broke it off with Lance. She settled down. She fought to bring up her grades and managed to graduate with honors. Of course.
Carrie smiled and took pictures.
A month after she graduated Katie met Michael (don't call him Mike). He was like her. They were perfect for each other. Their families were perfect for each other. Six months later they were engaged, and Carrie was flung into the "joys" of planning a wedding for four hundred guests. No one thanked her.
And of course - on their wedding day - everything was perfect.
And Carrie was miserable.
But then - much to her secret delight - Lance showed up! The wedding was ruined!
Carrie would never wish grievous bodily harm on anyone. Ever. Especially not her sister! But…
The only thing anyone would remember about Katie's wedding was how it all went horribly wrong. Carrie could confess to finding some satisfaction in this.
Unfortunately, her pleasure was short lived. She never would have guessed that Lance was actually serious. But as the seconds ticked by, it looked more and more like he was!
"I told you - If I can't have you - no one will. No one - Katie - No one."
Then - just as suddenly as he had appeared, it was over.
There was a gunshot. And for a second, Carrie was terrified that Lance had shot Katie. But then - "Congratulations!" came the cheerful greeting from the ridiculous, yellow sports car.
Carried stared - the image before her burned on her retinas.
The sports car was a bit outrageous, but the man in the passenger seat? In those brief seconds, Carrie memorized his every feature.
In the nights following, she fantasized about him: There were a few things that were obvious: He was handsome - gorgeous, even. He was fit - lithe - not muscle-bound… He was skilled with firearms. (She found out later he'd shot Lance in a spot that would so damage the nerves down his arm that he could not have pulled that trigger. - How did he know that?) And the simple fact that he'd let that woman drive told her he was so secure in his masculinity he had no need to 'take' control… he already had it. And seriously - if he had been driving that thing Carrie would have been convinced he was compensating for something.
She may or may not have wanted him.
What she really wanted was to be him.
She changed her major from law to law enforcement. She began looking into what it would take to join the CIA. No one would look down on her ever again.
Then - one day - everything changed because a pay phone rang.
She was eating her lunch in the park and, of course, ignored it. But it wouldn't stop. Twenty, thirty rings and it was just getting on her nerves. She walked over and answered, and what she heard, changed the course of her life for a second time. A mechanical voice, sampled from different sources said, "Do. Not. Follow. Him…" a brief pause, then, "Please. Care. Eee."
That day she stopped trying to become him, and started trying to find him.
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