Chapter II

Shock!

Riley Poole was sitting with Ben and Abi at his favorite restaurant. He was thinking about what Ben had just told him. Truth was Riley was jealous of Ben and Abi's love. He wished he could find someone special like that. He was broke out of his reverie when a woman came up to their table. She was short and petite, with long blonde hair. But what really blew Riley away were her eyes. She had beautiful, pale violet eyes. They were different...but captivating. Riley watched as Ben tried to figure out who the mysterious woman was. He laughed at the jealous expression on Abigail's face. It was truly priceless. He tuned into the conversation.

Mysterious purple-eyed woman was talking earnestly to Ben. "Ben, it's me, Lyndzi. Remember? Lyndzi Lou?"

Riley watched as shock and realization dawned on Ben's face. That was priceless face too. Ben's face turned extremely pale and he dropped his fork on his plate. "Lyndzi? Oh my god, how did you know who I was?"

He listened to the two of them talk like old friends. Riley wondered who she was. He shook her hand when Ben placed hers into his. He wondered why he did that. He quickly glanced at the white cane in her hands, then back at her eyes. It suddenly hit him that she was blind. But, he received another shock when Ben introduced her as Lyndzi Gates, his sister.

"Ben, you never told me that you had a sister," Abi said, her face filled with relief that it wasn't some ex-wife or something.

"Yeah, Ben," Riley said.

"Sorry, guys. It's just that we haven't seen each other for awhile."

Riley rolled his eyes at Ben, "Yeah, you'll have to spill it all later." Then he took Lyndzi's hand in his own. "Do you want to eat with us? We're almost done."

Lyndzi nodded at him. "I'll go back to my table and tell the waitress."

As soon as she left the table Riley and Abigail stared at Ben. "Explain. Now," Abigail said in a scary Exorcist-like voice. Abigail Chase could be very evil sounding when she wanted to.

Ben fidgeted for a moment then began speaking. "Lyndzi was born to my parents very, very late in life. I was 15 when she was born. We were very close. But, then we had an...accident. It left her blind and me practically unharmed. She's been living with her blindness for five years. She's 20 now." Ben looked depressed. Abi gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Riley groaned," My eyes! My virgin eyes are bleeding!"

The two lovebirds just rolled their eyes at Riley and laughed.

"Ben?"

"Yes, Abi-dear," Ben answered.

"Would you terribly mind if Lyndzi a week or so with us at our house? She'd be no bother. It'd be nice to have someone besides us and Riley. Please, please, please," she pouted.

Riley could tell that Ben was deciding between making Abi happy or not. "Well, I guess so."

"Thanks, Ben," Abi gushed.

"Are you sure you can handle her-well, being blind?" Ben asked the others.

"Ben, come on. We stole the Declaration. I think I can handle a blind chick," Riley said.

"She won't be a problem at all," Abigail assured Ben.

The trio quit talking when Lyndzi came back to their table. "The waitress is going to bring my food over in a sec."

They talked and ate for awhile, when Abigail asked if Lyndzi would like to stay at their house in Washington D.C. for awhile. They would fly in their private jet.

"I would like to-but only if it's okay with Ben," Lyndzi told them.

Ben reassured her it was fine with him. They finished eating and paid their seperate bills.

Lyndzi grabbed onto Ben's sleeve. "Um...Ben? Can we go by my apartment? I really need some clothes if I'm staying with you."

"Lyndzi, Abi and I have to go to a meeting. But, I'm sure Riley would be more than happy to. Right, Riley?" he asked, nudging Riley with his elbow.

Riley winced. "Yeah, I'd be...overjoyed," he said, sending Ben death glares.

"Bye, Lyndzi! Bye, Riley!" Abi shouted over her shoulder as she and Ben walked off.

Riley nervously kicked the ground. Great, he thought. Ben has left me alone with his hot, blind sister.

Lyndzi turned to him and put her hand on his arm. Oh crap, this is going to be one looong night, Riley thought to himself.