Chapter Six:
Jill got out of bed and walked to the phone in the living room, first checking that Kris was still in her room. Then she dialed the number.
"Hello?" a sleepy voice answered.
"Hello, Charlie. It's Jill. Sorry to wake you up."
"That's okay. Is everything alright?"
"No Charlie, it's not. It's worse." She described what had happened. "So whatever is bothering her is giving her nightmares. I don't know what to do, Charlie. I don't know if I can help her."
"Stop it, Angel. I know you can and I won't have these self-doubts clouding your judgment. Of course you can help her. You're her sister. You've known her since she was born and haven't you always looked out for her?"
This was true. "Thanks Charlie. Talk to you later."
The next morning at breakfast, Jill didn't mention the previous nights incident. She desperately wanted to, but controlled the impulse. She knew that Kris was aware that she had discovered her secret. The question was how to deal with it. Jill was still working on that.
"Look, I'm sorry about waking you up last night."
"I know you didn't do it on purpose. I would like to know what it was about."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I thought you didn't remember it."
"I don't, but I still don't want to talk about it, okay? Let's just enjoy this place. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
And over the course of the next few days, they did. Kris kept herself busy in the hopes that the nightmares would go away, but that didn't work. Every night it happened and every night Jill was there to try and comfort her.
Jill was waiting, but knew that she couldn't wait forever. Sooner, rather than later she was going to have to confront the issue. After all, she couldn't just stand by and let her baby sister be destroyed like this. So, the time came to force the issue because she couldn't let this go on.
"Kris, why don't we go down to the lake today?"
"Sure, why not? That's a nice idea." So they went down to the lake and Jill drove the boat out to the middle of it. Then she dropped anchor and they both laid down to work on their tans.
"Kris?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry, but we have to get to the bottom of this," she turned toward her sister.
"Jill, leave it alone. Okay? I can handle it."
"You're doing a really great job of it so far. Look at you. You're not sleeping, barely eating, and you're having nightmares. You know you can't go on like this."
"Stop it Jill. Nothing's wrong. Just please leave me alone."
"That's not going to happen."
"I think our little vacation is over. Let's go back."
"No. You have to listen to me, Kris. Something is really bothering you, and I have to tell you I'm afraid for you."
"Why? Because I can't handle anything? Because I'm not as good as you?"
"That's not what I mean."
"Isn't it? You didn't even want me to go to the police academy like you did. What does that say about what you think of me??
"Where is this coming from? I only thought it was too dangerous for you. I didn't want anything to happen to you."
"But it was alright for you because you were better at it than me. That's what you really meant, isn't it?"
"No. You know that's not true. Please just tell me what's wrong. If it has anything to do with me I have to know so we can work this out."
Kris was sobbing now. Gradually she got control of herself. "You want to know? Alright, I'll tell you. It'll prove once and for all that you were right and I'm not as good as you." She began telling Jill about what happened to her in prison.
*2. "This didn't happen to you when you did that case in prison that you told me about. So now you know. I hope you're happy." She began crying again.
Jill just looked at her sister. So this is what was going on. She'd had no idea. Well, at least it was out in the open now. Kris was no longer bottling it up inside. Jill had done it. She'd gotten her sister to open up. Charlie had been right when he'd said she could do it.
Jill spoke softly, "Kris honey, there's one major difference between my prison case and yours. I had Kelly and Sabrina with me to face the danger. You were all alone. Makes a big difference, believe me. And how do you know what bothers me anyway? You're not being fair to yourself by comparing yourself to me. And who says you're not as good as me? I never said it. Mom and Dad never said it. Where did you get that idea? It's just not true."
Kris had stopped crying. There was hope on her face. "It's just that you were so athletic growing up. I wanted to be just like you, but it never quite came together for me. So I just thought that by following in your footsteps I could get to your level. This being so shaken up by one case certainly doesn't inspire me to think that I've gotten there."
"Don't you see, though? It wasn't just a case. You were in serious danger and had been through some horrible experiences. That's going to get to anybody. And I'm not some superhero, okay? I'm just a woman who has her own talent, just like you. There's no way I would ever compare you to me and have you come up short. Never once crossed my mind. From the day you were born I was thrilled to have you as a sister. I still am because you are one special lady."
"Oh Jill," Jill opened her arms and Kris came into them sobbing. They remained there for a long time with Kris letting it all out finally, and Jill just being there and comforting her.
*2: See Episode four, "Angels in Chains"
