The sun was just coming up over the water as Lina pulled her red and silver 1988 Chevrolet C/K over the hill. Squinting through the bright light. Keeping her eyes on the road she reached over and shook her sibling's shoulder. Brown eyes blinked blearily open as the met her dark blue. They stretched with a yawn and Lina smiled fondly before gesturing with her head past yawning teen.
"Morning sleepy head might wanna wake up Erika. We're finally here."
They nodded and set about rosing their twin. Lina turned her attention back to the road as they drove past the overly friendly sign welcoming travelers to Angel Grove.
"We are here?" Erika muttered, stretching out the kinks she'd gotten from falling asleep against the door.
Lina hummed an affirmative and Erika looked eagerly around out the window. Her twin was far more subdued, but they also held a hopeful smile, even if their fingers fidgeted nervously.
As Lina turned down one of the main roads she started playing travel guide, pointing out the high school, the beach etc. She smiled fondly around at the tall buildings and green parks. It was a good mix of city and small-town vibes. They had towers and office buildings; it had a museum and a library. But it also had smaller communities where most of the residents knew each other.
That was where Lina had settled two years prior. She frowned at the memory; their parents barely had a right to be called that. Their mother had taken off when Lina was 5 and the twins just turned 3. Not that she had been much of a caretaker prior to that. They'd lived in one of the poorer outskirts of Los Angeles and their mother had gotten consumed by the drugs she indulged in. Originally their father had been aloof, small-time businessman. However, after their mother had run off he took to the bottle.
He became quick to anger, but sober enough to be able to fool anyone who asked questions. Lina had started stashing away money over the years. Taking their father's attention off the twins. She took a brunt of the abuse, sometimes if she was too beat up to cover with makeup her father would keep her home from school, making some excuse about her being ill, until the bruises and cuts faded. She'd keep them with here as she picked up a job with one of the local mechanics. Her boss didn't mind if they stayed in the lobby, doing their homework, or watching the tv. Her mentor was the one who she confided in, and he helped her get a lawyer. And when she was 16 she got emancipated.
Their father put on a good show of the devastated man who lost his wife 'doing his best' But thankfully they court was skeptical. They assigned a guardian to the twins which kept them safe, to a degree. And, with a plan in place and a promise to her siblings to come back after she could claim them, Lina took off north along the cost, using her money to pick up her truck and settled in Angel Grove.
Over the course of the last two years, she worked odd jobs, earning a fond reputation with many of the local business. She started taking self defense classes, and slowly built up enough savings to be comfortable. Then, soon after her 18th birthday she called up her mentor for one last favor. He helped her get a lawyer and over a long, exhausting process, she gained custody of her 16-year-old twin siblings.
She glanced at them from the corner of her eye. They looked, haggard, if healthy. The court guardian had kept their maniac father at bay, and Lina had checked in with them almost daily. It took moths to convince the courts of her suitability to be their guardian. But with some in person references from her employers, and martial arts instructors, it was finally over. They'd never blamed her for leaving them for those two years, even if Lina still felt guilty over it.
Now, out from under their oppressive father's thumb they looked more carefree and lighter then Lina had ever remembered seeing them.
Reaching down into the bag at her feet she rummaged around for a moment before coming up with founder. "I got you both signed up for classes at the high school. I know it will be a little rough going into a new year a little late, but I managed to get you both all the same classes after talking to the councilor about our…situation." She handed the folder over to Erika who scanned it briefly before grinning broadly and shoving it into her twin's hands.
They looked at the documents and froze. Fingers shanking slightly, they looked up at Lina, a hopeful, nervous light in their eyes. "Th….this" they cleared their throat and tried again. "This says…..Rebecca?"
Lina smiled innocently. "I know, that is the name you chose correct? I hope I spelled it right."
Brown eyes filled with tears and Rebecca threw herself around Lina in a desperate hug.
"Hey!" Lina squawked, attempting to keep the truck between the lines. "No aggressively hugging the driver." She said with mock seriousness, but freed one arm to pat her sister affectionately on the back as Erika leaned into Rebecca's other side. Rebecca was the more timid of her siblings. And most of that stemmed from their awful father failing to accept her as she was.
When they had barely been 8 she had come to Lina, who had been bed bound after a particularly nasty argument with their father. She snuggled into her side on the bed and had told Lina they had a secret; they weren't a boy. Lina had been confused, only 10 at the time and asked what they meant. Rebecca said in her soul, deep down, she new she was a girl. And Lina had accepted that, Erika claimed she always knew. Their father however was furious when he heard them call their sibling by her chosen name. Rebecca had tried to explain but their father had none of that slapped her across the face, yelling that 'no son of his would embarrass him like that' Lina a flown off the bed and shielded her sisters as she'd always done. Ended up with a broken leg and a few fractured ribs. Rebecca had been banned from her chosen name and identity. To afraid to let her hair grow or dress how she longed to, she hid. And for 8 long years she would endure the denial of herself, seeming to draw more and more into herself as the years continued. Erika, by contrast drew bolder, trying to draw her sister out, and furiously confronting their father whenever he'd deny Rebecca's chosen name.
Lina was determined that Rebecca would thrive away from the bastard. She would dress how felt right, she could grow her hair as long as Rapunzel for all Lina cared. Her sisters would be happy here in Angel Grove, no matter what Lina had to do, or who she had to stand up to, to make that happen.
Rebecca pulled back, brushing her red bangs from her eyes. Lina and her sisters all had dark red hair, and slightly tannish skin. Lina however sported eyes so dark blue they where almost purple. And a spattering of freckles crossed her nose. Her sisters were identical twins, and once Rebecca's hair grew out the only difference between the two would be Erika's glasses, and brash personality.
"Thank you." The amount of emotion behind those two little words had Lina blinking back tears. She pulled back and kissed Rebecca on the forehead before she pulled her arm free to turn down a street.
"Anything for my sisters!" Lina smiled. "Now how about we head for the mall, we can get you guys some clothes you like, and maybe get you too into the salon. Lord knows I'm hopeless at anything makeup or hair related."
They laughed and their eyes sparked with renewed life. Erika pumped her fist into the air with a shout. "This is gonna be awesome!"
Rebecca whipped the tears free and clutched the folder to her chest, lovingly. Lina's heart swelled at her sister's joy. "Oh and I got to change your last names when I got guardianship. So hope you don't mind but your stuck with the one I chose when I got emancipated."
Erika leaned back with her hands behind her head, staring thoughtfully out the window. "Simmons right?"
Rebecca nodded glancing at Lina. "That's the patronymic surname from the personal name Simund, meaning "victorious protector," right?" she questioned.
Lina snickered and ruffled Rebecca's hair. "You got it book worm. I thought it was a bit of poetic justice, what with all we've protected over the years. And hey I figured after school tomorrow; I could pick you guys up and we could head down to the Youth center. Its like a gym/juice bar. Lost of the kids hang out there and you could check out the events board and stuff."
Her sisters nodded eagerly as they pulled up to the mall. They had all day; Lina had gotten it off to help finish moving them to house. And she'd be back to the auto shop after she dropped them at school tomorrow.
She paused after locking her truck and watched as the twins practically skipped ahead. She closed her eyes and took a steading breath. "You're going to be safe here. And you'll get to be yourselves, I promise." She whispered.
"Lina come on!" Erika shouted and Rebecca turned, smiling and held a hand back for her.
Lina jogged forward to catch up and grabbed her sisters' hands. She would give them the best life she could, and heaven or hell help anyone who tried to stand in her way.