Sisters

Part 2:

By HerBard

'Chris, I don't even know where to begin,' Ellie started. 'You are my daughter, you always have been and you always will be. I love you.'

'I love you too mom, and I'm sorry, sorry that you lost your child.'

'I am too, the hurt that Everett has caused this family is great and it's going to take a while to get over it. But I plan on finding my child. And you might want to think about trying to find your mother.'

Chris leaned into Ellie and have her a kiss on the cheek. 'You are my mother.'

'So, what about Lauren?'

'What about her?'

'Well, I don't see any reason why the two of you can't be together as you were suppossed to be.'

'You mean it? You're okay with it?'

'Chris, my child, Lauren is your soulmate, go to her, tell her you love her.'

Without any more prompting, Chris flew off the bed and ran downstairs to find Lauren. She went all through the house and couldn't find her. She ran out onto the patio and sure enough with the help of the brightening skies she could see Lauren down by the duck pond. With lightening speed Chris jumped off the patio and ran down to the pond, practically knocking Lauren into the pond as she jumped into waiting arms.

'Chris?' Lauren asked tentateively.

'It's okay. Everything is finally okay.' Chris melted into Lauren's strong arms. She never wanted the taller woman to let her go. Chris pulled away, startling Lauren. 'It's okay, I just want to look at you.' Chris broke out into a big grin, making her green eyes sparkle.

Lauren felt her heart rate increase and a warmth course through her body as their eyes locked. 'I love you Chris. I always have and I always will.'

'I love you too.' Chris leaned up and beofre either woman knew what was happening they were sharing a deep satisfying kiss. They finally broke away from one another. 'We don't have to be ashamed anymore Lauren. You have no idea how relieved I am.'

Lauren put her arms around the petite blonde. 'I think I do.'

'Lauren, please make love to me, right now, right here,' the blonde asked huskily.

Lauren momentarily stopped breathing. She wanted to take the woman right there but wanted their first time to be special. 'We will love, but I want our first time to be special, not hurried.'

Chris looked up at Lauren with a big pout on her face but couldn't hold it and began to laugh. 'Okay, but I'm not going to wait forever. Deal?'

Lauren laughed, 'Deal. Come on, let's find mom.' Lauren wrapped her arms around Chris and felt such happiness as an arm wrapped itself around her waist. The two walked back to the house. Ellie wiped a tear from her eye as she watched the two make their way back.

They enetered the house and heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Marie and Ellie were talking to Melinda and had apparantly said something that pleased the girl. They walked into the kitchen and saw Melinda at the kitchen table. Ellie and Marie were preparing breakfast.

'What's so funny?' asked Lauren as she poured two cups of coffee, handing one to Chris.

Melinda jumped up from the table and hugged Lauren and Chris. 'Mama explained what happened,' she laughed.

'Why do you think it's so funny?' asked Chris.

Melinda blushed a deep red. 'Cos I know that you two love each other, and I think it's funny. Just like mama and Aunt Ellie love each other.' The girl started giggling again, her blue eyes bright with laughter.

Lauren looked at the laughing girl and suddenly everything fell into place. She dropped her coffeee mug onto the floor shattering it into a thousand pieces.

'Lauren, honey, what is it? What's wrong?' asked a concerned Chris. Lauren was absolutely pale.

'Mom, how exactly did you and Marie meet?'

'I told you dear, we met through a mutual friend. Why?'

'Who?'

'It was Doctor Hanson's wife, Margaret. Such a nice woman,' Marie responded. 'He delivered Melinda.' she mused.

'Years later, Marie and I found out we were in the hospital at the same time, and we didn't even know one another,' Ellie laughed. 'And then we met one night at a dinner party held by the Hanson's. All the years we had gone over to their house we had never met Marie and her husband.'

Everything was clear to Lauren. She couldn't understand how the others couldn't see. She wanted to shout out what she knew but didn't want to do so in front of Melinda. At all cost she didn't want the girl upset.

'We need to talk but after breakfast,' motioning to Melinda.

Breakfast was a somber, quiet afair. Everyone felt the tension but not knowing what the cause. After breakfast Melinda was sent to the cottage to make her bed and tidy up, with a promise of a lunchtime trip to McDonalds if she was good.

The group assembled in the library. Ellie and Marie sat on the couch holding hands while Chris perched on the arm; put her arm around Ellie's shoulder.

'Lauren, what made you so upset?' Ellie asked.

'It suddenly all came to me this morning in the kitchen. Look at each other. What do you see?'

'Oh my God,' Marie gasped.

Ellie looked at Chris and then to Marie shocked at what she saw. 'Under our noses all along, and we were all too stupid to notice.'

Lauren's features became hardened and angry. 'I'll be back!'

'Where are you going?' pleaded Chris.

Lauren stormed out of the house before anyone could follow her. In a flash she was in the car leaving the estate.

Chris sat down in the big easy chair and started to cry. Both Ellie and Marie were by her side. 'This is a nightmare. It feels as if we're in a movie of the week.'

Two hours later Lauren reappeared with a very upset looking Doctor Hanson. He kept his head down as Chris, Ellie and Marie entered the sitting room. 'Go on, tell them!' Lauren said harshly.

The doctor stood there for a moment trying to gather his thoughts and explain what had happened all those years ago. With his head still down he began to speak.

'I don't have an excuse for what I did. Bottom line, Everett offered me a lot of money at a time when I needed it.'

Ellie could feel the anger well inside of her, but knew she needed to try and stay calm to avoid another heart attack. But with the events of the last few days it was getting increassingly hard to remain calm.

'So you just switched the children like it was a common everyday occurance,' Ellie said bityterly.

'You don't understand Ellie, Everrett had the power to destroy me. I had a gambling problem at that time and he knew about it. Used it against me. It was shear luck that you were both pregnant at the same time. I was shocked when a few years later you met at a party my wife gave. And then even more so when Marie came to work here. I thought for sure everyone would find out. But no one did until now.'

'Did Everrett know who was involved in the switch?

'No, he would have killed me if he had found out his servent was involved.'

'The jokes on you, Marie is much more than the hired help.' Ellie looked over to Marie and smiled. Lauren was warmed by how much the two women loved one another.

Chris sat on the couch stunned. Her beloved mother really wasn't her mother, her sister wasn't her sister, but now she was her lover, and the woman who had come to work at their home was really her mother. It was all too much to take in. Chris felt herself snap, and began to scream. The only thing she was aware of were strong arms holding her down and a soothing voice telling her she was loved and everything would be all right.

********************

Chris opened her eyes and shut them again quickly, the bright light shining in her eyes made her head hurt. She slowly opened them again and tried to focus. Her heart melted as she looked into familiar blue eyes. 'Where am I?' she croaked.

'Sshh, relax, you're going to be fine,' came the velvety voice.

Chris opened her eyes again this time for a little longer. Finally she was able to keep the open as she let her eyes adjust. Chris looked around and saw she was in a hospital bed. 'Where am I?'

'You're at Mercy.'

'What happened? How did I get here?'

'Honey, you became upset.'

Chris remembered everything. 'Oh God,' she rubbed her temple, 'I made a fool of myself screaming. What an idiot!'

'No honey, you were overwhelmed, you just reacted. You're not an idiot.'

There was a tap at the door. Lauren went over and opened it, letting Ellie and Marie in. The two women looked somber as they entered the room. Ellie was pale and tired looking. Lauren knew this ordeal had taken a lot out of the ailing woman and she was afraid this would cause her to have another heart attack so soon after the first one.

'Mom, are you okay?' Lauren asked.

Ellie put her hand on Lauren's arm. 'Yes dear, I am. For the first time in a long time, I actually feel that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Of course I was shocked, we all were, but think about it. Nothing has really changed except you and Chris can be together as well as Marie and I. We are still a family, nothing can change that.'

'You just looked so tired and drawn.'

'Oh Lauren,' the older woman smiled, 'I'm not ready to have another heart attack. As a matter of fact I just came from the doctor and he gave me a clean bill of health.'

'Mom?' Chris asked.

Both women answered in unison, then laughed.

'Guess we need to work on names,' Chris laughed. 'What about Melinda? What are you going to tell her?'

'We had an appointment earlier this morning with her doctor. She did so well in handling all of this,' Marie remarked.

'The doctor feels that it won't be an issue because she is already comfortable with everyone. He said that at some level she doesn't really understand that Marie isn't her mother. He said don't push it, as long as she feels loved and is happy, all should be fine,' Ellie said.

Chris felt her eyes begin to shut. Suddenly she was exhausted. In seconds she was asleep and stayed that way until the following morning. Lauren had been concerned over the number of hours Chris slept. But the doctor assured her Chris would be fine. She just needed to rest.

******************** Epilogue:

Chris stood by the duck pond feeding her friends their crushed corn. Strong arms came from behind and enveloped her. 'You better not let my girl see you here, she gets jealous,' came the playful voice.

'Oh really?' asked Lauren

'Yup.'

'I'm not scared.'

'You should be, she'll tear you apart,' Chris laughed and turned around, coming face to face with a smiling Lauren.

'You're up early.'

'I know,' replied Chris. 'I couldn't sleep.'

'Everything okay?' asked a concerned Lauren as she played with Chris' hair.

'Actually for the first time in ten years, everything is wonderful,' Chris stated as she felt herself being pulled into a tight hug.

'I love you Lauren, so much.'

'I love you too baby.'

The End?

I don't know, it's up to you. Write me and let me know if you'd like to see more of Lauren and Chris.