A Family of Two
By Nicole Wagner: the Deadly Gambit
Summary: In 1940's Lousiana, Remy LeBeau is now a grown man, and about to move out on his own. Before he goes out on his own, there is a forgotten part of his past he wishes to join him in a new life... his sister. All told from Remy's Point of View.
Rated: PG-13 for Child Abuse, Language, Mild Sexual Reference
Disclaimer: I do not own Jean Luc LeBeau or Remy Entinne LeBeau, Marvel Comics does. I make no profit off of this story, this is strictly fan fiction. However, I do own Alisa LeBeau. If you do wish to use Alisa LeBeau in any stories, works of fan art, etc. Please ask my permission first. Thank you.
It was the year of 1921 when I was born into this world... I was born with the name Remy Entinne LeBeau, to my parents Jean Luc and Marie LeBeau. My family was very rich, and when I grew older, I learned why, because I was born into the most infamous Guild in all of New Orleans, The Thieves Guild. Years later, during the great depression of 1929, my family still had lots of money, and we did not suffer the loss of money like many had. We were like the Vanerbilts of New Orleans, always so rich and happy. Living the good life, until later that year...
I was only eight years old when my mother was going to have another child. She doated on how it would be a healthy baby girl, and my father was so happy as well. When it came time for my sister to be born, my mother had a difficulty giving birth. My sister got stuck in the birth canal, and my mother died from the blood loss of her labor. The doctors told my father that because my sister was stuck in my mother's birth canal for too long, she may have dammage. When they asked my father if he wanted to hold his new baby daughter, he refused, and mourned by my mother's side, calling my sister an murderer... just for being born and killing my mother.
When my father brought my sister home, he never told any of us her name. I remember running over and asking where my mother was, and that set him off. He angerly pointed at the baby in the basket, yelling "Dis... dis abomination killed yer mother! dis non good chile is de reason yer Mother is dead, an' why ah'm a widower!" I was too young to understand death, and I was too young to understand why or how my father could hate a child so much. I then asked what the baby's name was, and he walked off yelling back at me "Ah don' care what her name be! Name her yerself if you wan' !"
After my father left the living room, I sat by the baby in the basket. Her tiny hands were reaching up into the air, and she was making noises. I remembered seeing that she had eyes just like mine, red on black, with a few strands of auburn hair on her head... the same color as my mother's hair. Even though I was so small myself, I picked up the baby from the basket and held her, watching her coo and smile at the contact. Now that I look back on it... this was probably the first time anyone ever held this baby... or even paid attention to her. I smiled and watched the baby in my arms, and even gave her a name. " Alisa..." I think I ment to name her Elise... after Beetoven's "Fur Elise" but calling her Alisa was more fitting. I thought it was a pretty name, and still do.
The next day was my mother's funneral. My father took me to say good-bye to her. I remembered crying alot, seeing her in a fine maple coffin, looking so pale, yet so beautiful at the same time. People asked my father about how the baby was doing, and that angered him. He lied and told them the baby died during the birth, and that the doctors had kept the body for medical research, or something like that. People believed him and stopped asking question about the baby. I wanted to say it was a lie, but I felt a tug on my sleave, telling me to remain quiet. When we returned home, Jean luc went to the baby's room, yelling and screaming at Alisa infront of the maid that cared for her. I remembered hearing her cry, and Jean Luc leave the room in a fury, slamming his bedroom door shut and then the maid running after him, to try and calm him down. I walked into her room and looked at her in the crib, and she was crying so loudly... probably from being yelled at. I went into my bedroom, and came back with a stuffed cat, one of the many toys my parents spoiled me with. I placed it by her side, and she calmed down, hugging the toy and looking up at me. I think that is when we truly bonded...
Four years would pass, and I was now twelve years old, and my sister was now four years old. I was sent to one of the best private schools in all of New Orleans. Jean Luc continued to spoil me and give me all the attention and love any child would crave. Alisa, on the other hand... her room was moved to the attic, and she was left alone for so long. Jean Luc refused to buy her any toys, or pay attention to her at all. When he did pay attention to her... it was often him beating or yelling at her with such hate. After school, I would sneek up into the attic to see her. When I did look at Alisa, I would find her in a dirty dress, bruises all over her arms and legs, and sometimes even a black eye. She would lay on the floor, crying... because she never learned to speak.
I would pick Alisa up and hug her, waiting for her to calm down. The only toy she had was the stuff cat I gave her as a baby... I called him "Mistah Kitty Head", because the name made her smile and giggle. I gave her the stuffed cat, saying Mister Kitty Head loved her, and she laughed, smiling and cuddling the toy in her arms. She was so much like a baby, even at age four. It was a sad sight to see her in such a way, but no matter what, I still loved my sister, no matter how she actted or looked. I wrapped my arms around her body, trying to hug her so she would feel loved. Instead, Alisa would back away at first, thinking I was going to hit her, like my father would. It took her awhile to realize I would never harm her, and she allowed me to hug her. I was the only person that loved her, and that was truly sad.
Two years have gone by... and my sister continued to live in the attic, with a maid caring for her every now and then. When she came downstairs, she would wander about the house, touching things. Alisa often had trouble walking, and would just stagger or drag one of her legs. Sometimes, she would not even walk at all... she would drag herself around, and often, she moved about the house faster that way. A six year old girl, unable to really walk or talk... a little girl kept in secret and who no one really loved. It made me so sad to know this. I often found her crawling or dragging herself about the hall, looking for me when I came home from school. I would smile and walk over to her, picking Alisa up in my arms and carrying her about, calling her "petite" and watching her smile. Her smile was so innocent and happy, and I loved looking at it. My voice always seemed to make her happy and smile so wide and bright... but one day in April... the smile would fade, and a darkness would wash over my life.
Alisa had made her way downstairs, while I was off at school. She saw a vase on a counter, filled with flowers, beautiful wild flowers that grew around our home. She had never been outside, or even seen flowers in her life, so she was curious about the colors and smells. Alisa got herself to a standing postion and tried to pick up the vase, only to drop it onto the floor, and breaking it. She fell over soon after the vase broke, and my father came out. He became furious at her, and by the time I came home, he had been beating her non stop for three hours with his belt. Her skin was covered in red, angry welts... as well as many black and blue brusies. She was sobbing brokenly as my father continued to hit her, cursing and yelling at her. I ran over to my father and grabbed his hand, yelling him to stop it, to stop hurting her. He slammed me against the wall, a fury in his eyes as he yelled "She broke yah mother's vase! The one she made before yah was even a t'ought in our heads!" His eyes turned back to my sister, who was just laying on the floor, her mouth all bloody and tears falling down her battered face. "Ah won' 'ave her in dis house! Ah won' 'ave dat monster in dis house non more!"
My father finally released me, and went into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. I had no clue what he was going to do... not one clue in my head. All I could think about was Alisa, and I hurried over to her, hugging her in my arms and trying to smooth back her hair as she cried. I don't think she understood why she was always being hit, which made me feel worse. I sat on the floor with Alisa in my arms, like a baby. Her head was on my shoulder, and her tears soaking my shirt as she sobbed. Her mouth was still bloody, and along with the tears, the blood also stained my shirt. I just sat there for maybe a half hour, trying to calm her down. Then after another hour... the front door opened, and the men with the white coats came in...
I was horrified to watch my father come out of his bedroom and grab Alisa from my arms so roughly. I quickly stood up and tried to take her back, but it was too late. I watched the men take my sister from my father, one holding her legs, the other her upper body. Alisa was looking back at me, screaming and crying, as if telling me to help her. I tried to run after the men, but my father grabbed my shoulder, restraining me. I begged him to let me go, but he refused. I watched them take her to a white van, with the name "State Insane Asylum". My father was placing my sister in an institution for the insane... but she wasn't insane! My father turned to me, his eyes so cold and narrowed, while I watched the men strap my little sister to a cot, and put her into the van. "Dis is fer de best, son. Jus' forget about her... you never had a sister." The van soon pulled away, with my sister inside, and I was brought back into the house, just in complete shock. My father went back to his bedroom, leaving me in the main hall, just wide eyed and stunned over his actions. Once I was sure he wasn't coming back out, I snuck up to the attic in which my sister called home, taking "Mister Kitty head" into my arms and hugging it, thinking how scared she was when she had been ripped from my arms. How could he be so cold and cruel? How?
Ten years had drifted by... World War Two was almost over, and I was now twenty four years old. I had become the best thief in all of New Orleans, surpassing even my father. I had bought my own mansion, and lived as a millionare, close to the bayou. I was usually surrounded by the most beautiful women of that time, but even they could not make me happy. My younger sister was still on my mind. She was now sixteen years old, and I wondered what she looked like, now. If she ever learned to speak... if she was well cared for in that horrible place.
The questions ate away at me for years, and if I ever brought up Alisa's name, my father would ignore me, or tell me I was crazy, that I don't have a sister. Once I was old enough to leave, I did... taking all the money I had stolen through out my career to buy my own mansion, far away from the Garden District, where I had grown up. I took Alisa's stuff cat with me, even having the builders make a room for esspecially her. I put up pink wallpaper, bought a beautiful four poster bed for her to sleep on, and all the stuffed animals she would have wanted as a child. I even placed "Mister Kitty Head" in the center of her bed, so when she saw that, she would know the room was hers... but there was a problem. The problem was, how to get her out of the asylum, so she could be home with me... where she belongs. I finally had a plan, and I was about to execute it.
I drove to Jackson Asylum in a Ford Pick-Up I had bought when I was seventeen, my first and only car. While I drove, I thought about what I was going to tell my sister, wondering if she would understand how sorry I was for allowing those men to take her away. Praying she knew how much I still loved her, and hoping she would be able to remember her big brother. Once I started to apoach the Asylum, my heart sank in my chest. It looked like a fortress, with huge iron gates, and tall towers outside. The Building itself looked very long, and lonely... why did my father have to lock my sister away in such a place! It looked like some prison!
I parked my truck out front and got out of it, noticing there were no paitents outside and the grass looked overgrown. I could see the faces of people looking out from iron bars upon the window, proably awaiting someone to visit them, or their families to take them home. Taking a deep breathe, I walked through the large front doors of the asylum, and up to the nurses desk. The nurse seemed rather over weight, he hair cropped short, like a page boy haircut, and a small nurses cap upon her head. "Can I help you, sir?" She asked me in a voice that sounded irritated. I told her who I was, and that I had a signed document from my father, saying that my sister was to be released. It was not his signiture, but a perfect forgery I had created. This was my plan, and the only way to free my sister. She looked at the document and then back at me with a frown. "Alright, just wait here and I will get her."
I sat in that room for what felt like forever. I looked out the barred windows, with a sigh, wondering what was taking so long. Finally a door buzzed and opening by the nurses station. The chunky looking nurse walked out, with my sister at her side, dragging one of her legs behind her. I wanted to cry, just looking at her. Alisa had grown up, she was much taller than I had remembered her, and her hair was very long, but slightly messy from not being combed in a long time. She wore a white and green sun dress, one that a nurse or kind soul donated to this terrible place. Her eyes, the eyes that were like mine, nervously peered around the room, as if looking for something, or someone. I stood up from my seat and moved over to Alisa, trying not to shed tears as I looked at her, for when I did, Alisa would try and hide behind he nurse.
"Petite..." I spoke to her softly, kneeling down infront of her on the floor. "It's your big broder... don' be scared. You comin' home wit' me, today!" It was very hard to smile, I hated seeing her so sad and miserable. Her skin was very pale looking, and there was no smile upon her face, not like she used to have around me. I kept kneeling, waiting for her to trust me enough to come out of hiding. "Petite... it's been ten years.. look at you. You so big, now. When ah last saw yah... you was a lil' peanut! Please, come over ta me... we gonna go home now an' yous gonna be so happy dere, ah promise!"
Alisa finally moved over to me, her eyes looked carefully at me, studying my eyes and face. She finally reached her small hand out to me, wanting me to hold her hand. My smile was so wide as I felt her hand in mine, I quickly placed my lips upon the top of her hand, then stood up. With her hand in mine, I walked out of that dismal place, walking slow, so that my sister could catch up to me. As soon as we made it outdoors, she stopped on the steps, a hand moving over to her pale face to block off the sudden light of the sun... something she had never really experienced as a child. This was the first time my sister was ever outside... and that made the pit in my stomach grow into a watermelon.
Despite the discomfort in my stomach, I placed my hands on Alisa's shoulders and spoke softly to her. "Petite... dis be what it looks like outside o' buildin's. Ain' it nice? Look how pretty de sky is... an' dem white puffy t'ings, dey be called clouds... ah show you more o' dis stuff when we get ya home, neh?" I tried my hardest to keep a smile on my face, while watching my sister look at the world around her. She placed her thumb in her mouth, like she would do as a child, while we walked over to my truck. I opened the side door for her.
It took Alisa awhile, but she got into the truck and sat down, her head moving about, gazing at everything she could see. It's sad... my sister never had been inside of a car before, and it seemed to have frightened her. It may have reminded her of the van my father had come to the house and take her away. I got in on my side and quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling as wide as I could, though my face felt like a heavy stone on my head.
"It's okay, petite." I said with one of the most friendly tones I could manage out of my throat. "Dis is mah truck... an' it's goin' take yah to mah house. See... all ah do is put de key in here an' turn it..." When I turned the key, the truck started up, and the enginge made Alisa cry out and cover her ears. It then quieted down and she looked up at me, uncovering her ears. "Sorry about dat, petite. de truck gets loud sometimes. Now, we move de clutch an' dere we go!" With those words, the truck started moving away from the Hospital that imprisoned my sister, and down a path full of old willow trees. Alisa was finally free... and we were going home.
The truck pulled up to my mansion in the bayou. It wasn't very grand, but it wasn't a dump, ethier. It looked like a normal home, just with some extra rooms. I opened my door and jumped out of the truck, eagerly running to the other side of the automobile to let Alisa out. She jumped out like I did, mimicing me, only falling to her knees and scrapping them on the rocks driveway below. She cried loudly and laid there, as if she had been hit by my father.
"Petite! It's okay... you jus' got a scrape on yah knee! C'mon, let's go inside an' big broder make it all bettah!" I picked Alisa up like she were my bride, and walked into our home together. The maids met us with smiles and look over at Alisa, greeting her. Alisa sniffled and smiled at them, waving hello. She calmed down quickly and snuggled up to my chest, like a cat. I placed her down on the ground, and one of the maids took Alisa to go get cleaned up from her fall. My sister was finally home... we were a family, again.
I walked over to the bathroom, watching one of the maids washing the scrape on Alisa's knee, as Alisa sat on the wooden bench in the bathroom. She just whimpered and watched as the dirt was cleaned away with a towel, and padded down with another. Her eyes looked up at me, as she realized I was in the room. I smiled at her, even waved my hand a little bit, and she copied what I had done. I barely noticed as the maid left the bathroom, leaving us alone. I knelt down to Alisa's level, brushing a strand of her hair from her face.
"See... yah leg all bettah, now." I smiled, watching her smile as well. She truly was beautiful... how could anyone hate her so much, I will never know. It's just something I can never understand. I finally stod up, grabbing a brush from the bathrom sink and sat on the rim of the bathtub, so that I was almost behind Alisa. Carefully, I would run that brush through her hair, trying to fix it up some, so it wasn't so messy. "Been a long time, neh? Been ten years since we've seen each other... an' you grown up so pretty. Me? Ah grew up ta be quite a charmer, neh?" Alisa giggled at what I said. I woundered if she understood any words that came out of my mouth. But for now, that didn't seem to matter, she was happy, and that's all I wanted.
After I had brushed Alisa's hair so it was no longer a messy mop of auburn lockes, I lead her to the dinning room, where my personal cook had made us a tradtional meal of Jambalaya and Gumbo... well... for me, that was tradtional. I have never seen my sister at the front of the table, before... and now, here she was, a lovely beauty. I would watch her eat every now and then, just to make sure she didn't have any difficulties or to see if she needed help. It saddened me to watch her eat so quickly, as if someone was going to take her food away from her. Why were people at that asylum treated like animals? She didn't deserve that, no one did. I put down my spoon and looked over at Alisa, and she stopped eatting, just I had done.
"Petite, why don' yah try ta eat slow? If you eat too fast, you get full fastah... dat an' a tummah ache. An' trust yah big broder... tummah aches ain' non fun!" I couldn't help but smirk as she looked at me with big eyes, and started to slow down her eatting. She understood what I said... she could understand! My sister wasn't a hopeless mass as that the asylum and my father thought! She could understand! "Tres' bein, Alisa!" I praised her as she slowed down, but when I had done so, I felt like I was training a dog. I bit my lip and decided not to do so, again. I didn't want her to be an animal, for that's how she was treated for years. I wanted my sister to be treated like a human, like I had been. "Petite... when yah finished eattin' ... you wanna go lissen ta de radio wit' mah? Den after dat, ah show you to yah room. You non gonna sleep in non attic anymore. You gots yah own bedroom, wit' lot's o' dresses an' dolls fer yah to play wit' ! You gonna be like mah lil' princess..."
My little princess... that's what my sister is to me, a little princess. As soon as she finished eatting, I stood up from my seat and gently took her hand in mine. She walked around the table to join me, and we walked into the living area, which was in the next room. I made sure to help her walk, knowing how Alisa tended to drag her leg once and awhile. I didn't want her to trip and hurt herself anymore than she had done so, today. I stopped her infront of the radio, which sat upon a small table near the window. I would move and kiss Alisa upon the cheek, before letting go of her hand, and moving towards the radio.
"Yah see dis, chere? Dis called a radio. Yah jus' turn de knob on de dial here... an' music play... or you hear people talk!" As soon as I turned the dial, some great N'aw Orleans Jazz came on, filling the room with sound. Alisa jumped hearing the sounds, but soon calmed. I quickly took her hands in my own and raised one hand up, and put her hand on my waist. I carefully started to dance with my sister, for the first time ever... I was dancing with my sister. I couldn't stop smiling as she followed along as best she could, until we were doing a basic foxtrot. "Dat's it.. yah doin' real good, petite!" A laugh of happiness escaped me as we danced to those soothing jazz tunes. Alisa was smiling and laughing as we danced for what felt like hours.
Finally, the music stopped and a man came on the radio, telling us what song had just been played, and what was coming up next after commericals. I hugged Alisa, resting my head upon her shoulder as I whispered in her ear. "You 'ave non clue 'ow much ah missed yah. Non a day went by dat ah didn' t'ink about yah..." I have honestly never felt so happy in all my life. Not even the money I had stolen nor the beautiful women I have been around could make me as happy as I was that night. I had my sister back... I had my family. I was no longer alone... I now was part of a family of two.
My eyes peered away from my sister, and to the grandfather clock that was in the room. It had gotten late... and I figured my sister was exhausted from all the excitment of the day. I couldn't surpass a small chuckle, seeing her yawn as her head rested upon my shoulder. Carefully, I lifted my sister up into my arms, and started walking towards her bedroom, which was down the hallway. "Come now... you've 'ad alot o' excitement fer today. 'bout time yah went ta sleep. We'll do more t'ings in de mornin' ! Cross mah t'ief's heart!"
I had the builders put her room on the first floor of my home, knowing she had trouble walking and with stairs. I carried my sister towards her bedroom, feeling her head rest against my chest. The door was already open, so I stepped into that pink room of hers, placing her on her bed and handing her "Mistah Kitty Head". As soon as she was given the stuffed cat, she began giggling and hugging it closely to her body. She remembered him... like she remembered me. "Dere yah go. Now let's get yah into a nightgown so you can go ta sleep an' 'ave pretty dreams, neh?"
I moved over to my sister's closet and openeing it up, and when doing so, showed her all of the clothes she had in there. She was too busy with her stuffed animal to notice, but I'm sure she would in the morning. I took out a simple nightgown, which kind of reminded me of a nightgown of the 1800's. All white, long, puffy like sleaves, and it would probably go down to her ankles. I returned to my sister's side, gently rubbing my hand over her arm.
"C'mon... time ta get yah ready fer bed... now let's get you outta dat dress an' into dis nightgown!" Alisa stopped playing with her stuffed cat and started to unbutton her dress. As her dress started to move past her shoulders, I noticed some old scars, probably left by my father... or so I hoped. She wore a slip and some panties under the dress that was given to her at the asylum. I helped her out of her slip, my sister did have trouble dressing herself from what I could tell, so I was the one who did it for her. I was uneasy about the job, but she needed care, and I was going to take care of her. After I finally got the nightgown on Alisa and buttoned it up and tucked her into bed, placing a kiss upon her forehead.
"G'night mah lil' princess. Sleep well."I told her, pulling the covers up to her chin and watching her cling to Mistah Kitty Head. As I watched her eyes finally shut, I left the room, closing the door behind me. As I walked down the hallway, I started to go up the stairs and into my bedroom. I shed my clothing and put on a simple pair of sleep pants, leaving my chest bare. I pulled my hair out of it's ponytail and got into bed. I had not even turned on the light in the room, since the moonlight was just enough for me. Closing my eyes, I slowly drifted off to sleep, wondering what I should do for tomarrow.
I was rich, so I never had to work... stealing was more of a hobby for me. I didn't need to do it unless money was low, or just for my own excitement. Stealing gave me a rush, one that was almost better than sex. I guess I have my father to thank for that, afterall, he trained me to be a thief. It was the only good thing he had ever done for me.
Just as I had started to go to sleep, my bedroom door slowly opened. I looked up, thinking it was one of the maids looking for a romp in the sack, but it wasn't. It was my sister. She had made her way up the stairs, hugging her stuff cat in her arms. I sat up in my bed, looking over at her, as she made her way to my bed.
"Petite? What's de mattah? You couldn' sleep?" I asked her and she nodded her head. A sigh escaped my lips, I wasn't annoyed with her, I was just worried that she could have hurt herself by coming up the stairs. I moved over in my bed, which was big enough for two people. She climed into bed with me, and I warpped my arms around her waist, burrying my face in her long auburn hair. "G'night, peanut..." and when I said that, I simply drifted off to sleep, holding Alisa in my arms, like a protector. I was her big brother, I was her protector.
I awoke the next morning to listening to song birds outside the window, and the organge glow of a rising sun on my skin. I squinted a bit, but then fully opened my demon like eyes. I smiled and hugged Alisa, waking her up as well. "G'mornin', Peanut! Time ta get up an' start de day!" I gave her a kiss on the cheek, and she started to wake up, letting off a soft moan. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up at me, and smiled. She returned the kiss by giving me one on the cheek.
"C'mon... let's get yah into de bath an' clean yah up a bit. Den you gonna pick out what dress yah wanna wear, today."I slipped out of bed from the other side, and moved over towards Alisa's side. I picked her up in my arms and carried her downstairs to the bathroom, listening to her giggling softly and playing with Mistah Kitty Head. We both looked a reck in the morning, so I guess that ran in the family. As soon as I reached the bathroom, I used my foot to open the door, then walked inside. I sat her on the wooden bench in the room, and walked over to the bath tub, drawing warm bath water.
As the tub was filling up, I moved back over to my sister, gently taking Mistah Kitty Head away from her. Before she could start crying or protest, I spoke to her. "Mistah Kitty Head can' go in de bathtub, chere. He'll get all wet an' soggy. Only you can go into de bathtub, okay?" She understood what I was saying, and allowed me to sit Mister Kitty Head on the hamper. I quickly checked the bath water, seeing if it was ready for her, yet. Statisfied that it was, I turned the water off, and turned to Alisa.
"Okay... now ah gotta take off yah clothes an' put yah into de tub, okay? Don' be scared now, ah ain' gonna hurt yah." I gave her a warm smile, unbuttoning her nightgown, and pulling it over her head. She lifted her arms up, so that the nightgown came off with ease. I myself felt shy about removing her underwear. Don't get me wrong, I am a man, and I've removed my share of panties... but this was my sister. I wished she could do it on her own, but she can't, and I will do it. I placed my hands under the waist band of her panties, and slide them down her legs, and off her body. I was shocked to see heavy scars on her abdomen... what had those bastards done to my sister? I quickly held my anger, and looked up at Alisa, picking her back in my arms and placing her into the bathtub.
She spalshed around in the water, even getting me wet at times. I only laughed and grabbed a rag and a bar of soap. "Settle down, settle down, petite! Yah gettin' everyt'ing wet... includin' mah! It non time fer mah bath, yet!" I carefully took one of Alisa's arms and began to wash it with the bar of soap and the rag. She turned over at me, smiling and laughing.
I don't understand how she could smile and be so happy, after what has been done to her body for all these years. All the beatings she had taken, and the yelling and cursing at her... yet she still doesn't stand it at all. She just smiles and loves. In a way, it makes me happy that she doesn't understand or remember what my father and others have done to her. I shook my head and continued to bathe her, taking her other arm into my hand and washing that one as well.
After a few minutes, I had finished bathing Alisa and drained the tub out. I wrapped Alisa up in a warm, fuzzy towel and carried her into her bedroom. I carefully set Alisa down and removed her towel. I opened her drawer and took out a clean pair of panties and put them on her body, having her step into them and pull them up. I then opened another drawer and took a slip out of it, then put the slip on her. I opened her closet, showing all the pretty dreses I had bought for her. "Okay, petite. You pick out what dress you wanna wear! You 'ave some many ta choose from, neh?"
I watched my sister walk over to the closet, looking over all of the dresses in awe. From what I know, she's never been able to choose what she wanted to wear. This was her first time doing so. I watched as she picked out a navy blue dress with a white collar and cuffs on the short sleaves. I smiled back at her and took the dress off it's hanger and walked back over to her. I put the dress over her head and arms, as she had already had them raised. Once the dress was on her, I buttoned it up in the front, and tied the ribbon into a bow on the back of it.
I honestly could not stop smiling. She looked so beautiful. I spun her around, hearing her giggle. "Don' you look so pretty! Jus' like a lil' princess, neh?" I sat her down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Now let's brush yah hair an' den yah ready to go play wit' yah dollies an' Mistah Kitty Head!" I wanted to kick myself when I remembered I left Mistah Kitty Head in the bathroom. I laughed nervously and looked back at Alisa. "After Mistah Kitty Head done in de bathroom, okay?"
She smiled and nodded up at me. That was close, I was worried she would get upset over not having Mistah Kitty Head. I started to run the brush through her hair, careful of knots and tangles. I really didn't want Alisa to cry... I heard her cry enough for a lifetime. Once I finished combing her hair, I took out a blue ribbon and put it in her hair. "Dere! Now you look very pretty! Now, petite... ah wan' yah ta play wit' yah dollies while ah go get cleaned up. When ah'm done, we go eat breakfest, an' den ah take you outside ta play."
My sister just nodded her head and picked up one of the dolls I had bought for her, and began to play with it. I picked up the towel from the floor and left to go baack to the bathroom. I picked up Mistah Kitty Head off of the hamper, and threw the dirty towel and clothes inside of it. I walked back to Alisa's room and placed Mistah Kitty Head on the dresser as she continued to play with her doll. I ran upstairs before she could see me, and into my bathroom.
I felt a bit tired after giving my sister a bath and getting her dressed, but that was okay. Even if everyday had to be like this, I would be happy. I'm young, I have alot of strength, and I can care for my sister. With that in mind, I stripped down from my pajama pants and boxers, then jumped into the shower. Luckily, the water was still warm, so I was thankful for that. Going into a cold shower is not the best way to fully wake up.
A sigh escaped my lips as I just relaxed, washing up with a simple bar of soap, and then using shampoo on my hair. I had pretty long hair for a man, it actually went slightly past my shoulders. I never really cut it, I liked it long, so did many of the ladies I knew. It made me stand out, which would be a bad thing if I ever gotten caught as a thief. But that will never happen. I finally turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist. I walked into my bedroom and quickly changed into a fresh pair of boxers, and a new outfit.
I came out of my room in a pair of brown dress pants, a white tank top, and a simple pair of suspenders. My feet were bare, for I leave my shoes by the front door. I walked back down the stairs and into my sister's room. I leaned against the wall, watching her play with a fancy looking doll I had bought for her, and Mistah Kitty Head. It almost looked like she was having a tea party with them.
As I stood there, I put my hair back into a ponytail, with a band I had in my pocket. I just stood there and watch my sister play. How innocent she looked. Everything about her screamed innocence, which made it hard to believe that she was tortured for years. Why can't people see her as I do? A sigh escaped my lips, and Alisa looked up, finally seeing me. She let out a happy noise, not a laugh, but some type of noise since she could not speak. I smiled at her, even waved a hand at her.
"You 'avenin' fun, Peanut?" I asked her, and she nodded her head yes towards me. "Dat's good ta hear. It time fer breakfest, now. You can play wit' yah toys later." I held out my hand to her, and she put down her toys, walking towards me, and taking my hand in her own. We walked down the hall into the dinning room, where my maids had already made a breakfest for the two of us. Eggs, sunnyside up, bacon, and hashbrowns. I lead Alisa over to her seat, and then took mine.
I watched as she started to eat her meal... she didn't seem to not like anything. I guess when she was in the Asylum, she didn't have a choice on what foods to eat. I began to partake in the breakfest that had been made for me. I kept watching Alisa every now and then, making sure she didn't make a mess of things, or herself. I was pleased to see that she was eatting without making a mess.
"You like dis meal, non? De maids do good work." Alisa just nods at me, finally finishing her meal, as I had finished mine. As I had promised her, we were going outside to play, today. She never really experienced the out doors, and I wanted her to experience that. Taking her hand in mine once more, I lead her away from the table, and towards the main doors of my mansion.
"Petite, you never really been outside. Ah wanna show you what it's like out dere. Ah wanna show you all de beauty you've been missing for years!" As I opened the front door, Alisa's eyes went wide. She could see the many willow trees outside of the house, as well as the many wild flowers that grew around my home. The house was also near the bayou, so there were a plenty of wildlife around for my sister to see. I placed my hands on her shoulders and lead her outside, walking her to the center of the driveway, and turning her around.
"See... isn't it pretty?" I let Alisa go and watched her wander the grounds of my home. She walked over towards the wildflowers and poked at them. I moved over to her, kneeling down, since she was sitting down on the ground. I brushed her hair off her shoulder and spoke softly into her ear. "Dey smell, too!" I told her, and I laughed as she started sniffing the flowers. She looked up at me with a large smile on her face, the largest I had seen since I brought her home. She picked a flower and brought it up to my nose, as if asking me to smell it. I took a sniff, and then she brought it back to her nose and sniffed it as well.
"Yeah, dat does smell nice, petite." I smiled back, giving her a kiss on the cheek. I watched her open her mouth, as if searching for a word or trying to speak. Seeing that made my heart stand still. Could she speak? Could my sister really speak? I didn't even take a breath as I watched her. Finally, something came out of her mouth.
"Nice..."
I finally took a breath of air. She spoke. She spoke! It sounded rather slow, but she spoke a word! I actually could feel tears coming to my eyes as I answered her back. "Oui... nice. Dey smell nice." My sister could speak. She wasn't as dumb as those doctors or my father had dubbed her to be. All she needed was time... time none of them were willing to give her. Her first word was "nice". And I would always remember that. "Petite... can you say mah name? Can you say Remy?" I asked her with tears still in my eyes. Her hand moved over my tears, while the other hand still held the flower.
"W-wemy..."
It sounded funny, but she could say my name. I held Alisa tightly in my arms, trying to calm myself down. She can speak... she can say my name. She knew who I was! "Oui... oui. Mah name is Remy, petite! You can talk... you can talk!" I just end her up against me, clinging to her as if she were the only thing that could save me from drowning. My sister... she can understand me and she could understand little things. She wasn't stupid or dumb... she was smart.
"W-wemy..." Her hands moved over my face, as if trying to wipe away my tears. She smiled more at me, and I... I was smiling too. I couldn't stop smiling as we just stayed there for a few moments, until she pulled away and went to go look at some more flowers.
I sat myself down on the ground, watching her play with the flowers. She was gathering them up, as if making a bouqet for a wedding, or for someone special. I just watched, feeling a different feeling of happy... one I had never felt, until I got my Alisa back. Sure, she wasn't like most girls her age, but she was my sister, and I was proud to have her as my sister.
"Who you makin' dat bouqet fer, chere?" I asked her, watching her slowly turn around to face me, her arms filled with flowers. "Dem flowers for me?"
"F-fer... Wemy..." She said, with a soft little voice. The flowers were for me. I watched as she made her way over to me, Alisa handed the flowers towards me. I held the flowers in my arms, and looked up at Alisa. She laughed and sat down next to me, taking a flower from my arms and smelling it. "N-nice..."
"Oui, Alisa... dey verah nice. T'ank you!" I laughed, looking down at all the flowers she had collected. "You almost picked dem all! But don' worry non... dey always grow back." She continued to smile and laugh. She was really having fun outside with me, and I was having fun with her. I placed the flowers down on the ground and actually started to weave them together, making a crown of flowers for Alisa. I placed the crown on her head as she giggled. "Look at dat, chere! A pretty crown, fer a pretty princess!"
She kissed my cheek and got up, twirling around until her leg gave out, and she fell on top of me. I quickly caught her and gave her a kiss. She was laughing and giggling at the same time, making her snort a few times. "'ey! You sound like a lil' piggie, petite!" I told her, and that made her laugh more. I stood up, carrying Alisa in my arms, as she put the crown of flowers on me. I let off a chuckle and started to carry her inside. "C'mon! time ta go inside! We'll go outside again soon. You can play wit' yah dollies while ah do some stuff, okay?"
"O-okah... Wemy..." It took her awhile to speak, but she did it. I carried Alisa into her bedroom and placed her down by her dollhouse. I gave her a kiss and left the room, the crown of flowers still on my head. I took the crown off, placing it on a table, as I walked into the kitchen, and over to one of my maids.
I nipped at her neck and asked her how she was doing. I was still a man, and a man has needs. Luckily, my maids were always ready to give me what I wanted. But I now had my sister around, I had to take care of her needs, so I had to put my needs on the back burner. But since she was busy playing with her dolls in her bedroom, I could go upstairs with one of my maids and take care of my needs. I took her hand and quickly moved up the stairs to my bedroom, locking the door behind us, just incase Alisa wandered up the stairs, again.
I spent maybe an hour upstairs, trying to be as quiet as possible. When we were finished, I told the Maid to wash the sheets, and that we had to do that again, sometime. She happily obeyed. Honestly, I felt guilty doing that with Alisa in the house... but as I said before, I have my own needs to worry about, too.
I quickly made my way down stairs and back into Alisa's room, fixing up my clothing as I walked in. She was busy playing with the wooden dollhouse I had made for her, even before I got her back into my life. It was a replica of the house we lived in, down to the yellow paint. I made my way over to her side, resting my head on her shoulder. "What are yah doin', chere?" I asked her, wondering if she could say more than my name and the word "nice".
"Pway" Was all she could say, and that was enough for me. I kissed her forehead and watched as she made the doll move from room to room. She looked back at me and gave me the prettiest smile, then held the doll up for me to take. I took the doll and gave it a kiss, then made the doll kiss her. She laughed at that and I couldn't help but laugh as well. I hugged Alisa in my arms, and then let go, so I could watch her play some more.
I wished Alisa understood how proud I was of her. She said four words, today. And even if she could only say four words, I was the happiest Cajun in all the Bayou. I watched her play with her dolls, making them move from room to room of that dollhouse. One of the maids came into the room, whispering into my ear that lunch was ready. I nodded to her and moved towards Alisa, gently touching her shoulder. "Petite... lunch is ready. We gonna go eat, now."
"Okah..." She said with the sweetest voice I ever did hear. I took her hand and walked her out of her bedroom, and back into the dinning room. I sat her down in her seat, and sat in mine. I was starting to wonder how many times I would have to lead her into this room just to eat, and if she could understand what this room met. I watched as the Maid brought in two bowls of soup for us. Alisa was looking at the dish in awe. I picked up a spoon and began eatting, and she mimiced what I was doing. I smiled and she smiled. She then went back to her soup.
"Dat's a good girl, you eat yah soup. After dat, you can go back outside wit' mah." When I told her this, she got excited and started to eat a little faster. I guess she liked being outside alot more than I imagined. It made me happy to know that she liked being with me so much. Alisa loved me uncondtionally, unlike many people in this world.
Once she finished her soup, I took her back outside, and showed her the bayou. She poked at the water, then ran behind me, making me laugh. "Dat's water, petite. Non de same water as in yah bathtub, but it be water. It ain' gonna bite." As soon as she said that, she put her hands in the bayou and began to splash the water about, laughing so happily. As she started to get closer, I had to pull her back. "Non, non! You can' go in de bayou! De bayou is okay ta put yah hands in, but you can' go in it!" Once I was sure she wouldn't jump into the bayou, I let Alisa go, and she went back to just splashing the water about.
After awhile, Alisa moved away from the bayou and went back to the flowers around my home. I smiled and watched her play, watched her explore the world around her. She was having so much fun, but the image of those scars on her abdomen came back into my mind. She's been through hell and back, and yet, she still manages to smile. She still manages to be happy, despite the condition she is in. Does she even know how different she is from everyone around her, or are well the different ones in her world?
I must have been looking sad, wondering what my sister thought in that head of hers. She must have noticed my facial expression and started to walk over to me, wrapping her arms around my frame, hugging me tightly. I closed my eyes, returning the hug, trying to be as gentle as possible. I started to pull her away, so I could looking into her eyes. Her smile was so beautiful, so innocent... how could anyone hate or mistreat her the way she ahd been in life? I brushed a few strands of hair from her face, and spoke to her, allowing a tear to roll down my face.
"J'aime beaucoup ma soeur... toujours." I whispered. I would always love her, and nothing could change that. I would always protect and love Alisa, no matter. Who knows what kind challanges we will see in the future, what kind of problems tha may arise. All I know for now is that we are happy, and as healthy as can be... and life can only get better from here.