Orphans Find Love In A Harsh World

Every time his laughing eyes looked at her, Denise felt the warmth grow inside her. They sparkled as he told his silly joke, making her laugh, and fall a little more in love with him.

The way his dark brown eyes locked onto her made her heart leap with a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation. She noted they were the same color as her own.

Had he always looked at her this way, or was she just now aware of it?

It was at the river only an hour before. That was the first time she'd seen this look in his eyes.

And that kiss. Holy shit! He'd kissed her, held her. Their nearly naked bodies pressed close as their lips pressed even harder.

If they hadn't already been sitting on the wet sand, having just come out of the water, she'd have been mortified by the wet spot growing between her legs and soaking her bikini bottom.

She reached over and took his hand, feeling his fingers interlace with hers. The beautiful New England landscape rolled by the car's side windows as they chatted and laughed together in the back seat.

Things felt different now, as if some of the recent darkness that had descended on their lives was lifting.

Who would have thought it would take something like this to make that happen?

She knew Danny's love for her knew no bounds, and now she wondered if that might actually be literally true.

Would his love cross that seemingly insurmountable boundary?

Each glance from his warm, brown eyes drove her heart, filling her further with love for him, changing that love. Denise felt happier than she had since the terrible events of last spring.

She laughed at one of her brother's corny jokes, her eyes clenched when it happened.

The impact threw her sideways, slamming her shoulder into the side door. A flash of pain radiated up from where she hit the armrest.

She felt his body bouncing against hers, then fly the other way as the car spun out of control.

Their mother's shrieks from the driver's seat sound eerily like her own as the large shadow loomed in the front window.

The horrible sounds of wrenching metal, exploding glass and her mother's cries cutting off in an instant were the last things she heard as pain coursed through her body, making her whole world go black.

####

"Thank God that's over."

Danny closed the door behind them as Denise walked over and hung up her black jacket. He took his off, and she held out her hand, taking it from him and putting it away.

"So many people showed up." Denise said and sighed as she stood at the landing, her head swiveling. Danny stood next to her as she first looked at the living room to the right, then at the dining area on the left in the large, open room.

He walked over to the kitchen in the far left corner, bounded by a large island with two tall stools in front of it. She followed him and sat on a stool, looking over the piles of paper and envelopes scattered around.

"Want something? Hot chocolate?" he asked her as he opened the cupboard, reaching for the box.

"Sure." She sighed again, her arms resting on the island's butcher block top. She moved a few of the envelopes around.

Danny busied himself with warming water in a couple of mugs, neither speaking. As he faced away, she saw how his shoulders, normally so broad, were now slumped.

Denise knew he was trying to be brave for her. He took the role of older brother seriously, always thinking of others before himself. She loved that about him.

The microwave dinged, and he took the cups out, stirred in the powder, and handed one to her. He stood, leaning against the counter and blew on his steaming drink, watching her.

Cupping the warm mug with both hands, she looked around at the mail that had been building up over the last week or so.

"How are we supposed to know what to do with all this?"

He followed her gaze as she gathered the papers into a messy pile between them.

Danny shrugged and sighed. "We'll open them and read them. Do what they tell us to do." He took a sip, and Denise looked at his face. She saw his eyes moving over the pile, not seeing her watching him.

She knew her brother better than anyone, and didn't miss the flicker in his eyes accompanied by the momentary pursing of his eyebrows. He was worried, but didn't want her to know.

He'd always shielded her from trouble, putting himself between her and anything he thought might harm or worry her. He was doing it again, now faced with something neither of them was prepared to handle.

"I miss mom." Her words came out in a sob, putting her mug down with a clunking noise, startling them both. Danny put his down more carefully and walked around the island. He took her elbow, urging her to stand.

Not looking up, she flowed into his arms as he pulled her to him, resting his cheek on top of her head. They stood, neither moving nor speaking, being there for the other as they had so many times in the past when the world seemed to turn against them.

"I do, too." His words came from above her as she felt his warmth. He comforted her as he always had, and she tried to put the horrible two weeks they'd just endured out of her mind, at least for a little while.

After a moment, he kissed the top of her head, right along the part of her long, black hair, then released her, but not before her arms pulled him tight for a moment.

"I'll make us some sandwiches," he said, going to the refrigerator. He opened it and looked inside. A waft of foul odor followed the door, flowing around him, making him grunt.

The smell reached Denise from across the island. "Holy cow! What died in there?"

He shook his head and reached for a pack of sliced meat and some cheese. He looked it over, then got a few more things out before slamming the door closed.

"Who knows. We'll need to clean that out tomorrow," he said, shaking his head as he opened the bag of bread. Together, they made a couple of simple sandwiches and took them with their mugs and sat on the couch.

They ate in silence, chewing and sipping, their sides pressed lightly against the other. She was still working on her sandwich as Danny put his plate aside and looked around the large room.

"It seems so empty."

She swallowed and nodded, her eyes tearing.

"We're all alone." She turned her head and looked at her brother.

He shook his head, then turned to look her in the eye. "No, we're not. You have me, and I have you. We're not alone."

A soft whimper escaped her throat, and he put his arm around her, pulling her close.

"Please don't leave me."

He tilted his head, resting his face against the side of hers.

"Never."

####

"Danny?"

He turned and looked at the doorway to his bedroom. He stood next to his bed, clad in boxers and having just pulled back the covers, when he saw his sister standing in the doorway in her customary long, thin night shirt.

"Hey." He gave her a small smile and watched her foot move as she looked around his room.

She took a breath. "Um..."

He waited, then raised his eyebrows. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head, her brows furrowing and pursed her lips tight.

"Come here." He held out his hand, and she came over, her hair bouncing lightly with each step. He took her in his arms. She couldn't help shuddering as he held her, the memories of what they'd been through swirling in her mind.

"I couldn't stand to be alone in there." Her words shook with the tears that had begun as she held her brother.

"You're not alone. I'm here."

She nodded, her head against his bare chest. Her sobs eased, and she sniffled. He chuckled and reached, still holding her with one arm, for a box of tissues on his dresser. He got one and held it close to her head.

Denise let go of him, taking the tissue and wiping her face. With a blow, she smiled at him and threw it in his wastebasket.

"There. Feel better?" His smile warmed her as they stood close. Looking into his soft, brown eyes, she saw the love he had for her.

She nodded, her eyes red. "I don't want to sleep alone in my room."

His face softened as the corners of his lips raised. "You can sleep here, there's plenty of room."

"Thank you." She turned and climbed onto the bed and looked up at him as he turned on the small light on the nightstand next to where she sat.

Denise noted some new definition in his chest. He'd recently started using some machine in the garage he'd gotten at a garage sale. It was all handles and wires, but he seemed to enjoy working out for the first time in his life.

"Is it alright if I sleep on this side?" She patted the mattress next to her.

"Sure. You always liked this side when we were little, right?"

She nodded and smiled as he walked over to the door, closed it and shut off the overhead light. The soft glow of the small lamp was enough for him as he walked over to the far side along the wall and got into bed next to her.

They settled in, pulling the sheet to their necks. The night was still warm, the last gasps of summer holding on in the face of oncoming autumn.

She lay there, thinking. It was just the two of them now. Their mother was gone.

Why had she died and they both walked away with only a few cuts and bruises?

They'd been happy. Danny and Denise sitting in the backseat, feeling the warmth of the unexpected events of the afternoon in the river. Stealing furtive glances at the other as they joked and talked with their mother.

Neither understood what had actually happened between them. What it had meant. She felt changed in some way from it, and wondered if Danny did, too.

Then, out of the blue, their life was upended. In a screech of tearing metal and the horrible noise of vehicles colliding, their mother's life was snuffed out in an instant.

Glass flew, and the siblings were thrown around, bound by their seat belts. Neither remembered that final impact that stopped them on the side of the freeway, or the hours after.

For the last couple of weeks, the memory of those terrible moments invaded her thoughts, intruding when she least expected them. With an effort, she pushed them away and rolled onto her side, facing her brother.

"Danny?" Her voice sounded small, as if she were a little girl again.

He rolled towards her, their faces a foot apart. "Yeah?"

She shuddered for a moment. "Do you think about it?"

His hand reached out and moved over her arm. "Of course I do. You're thinking about it right now, huh?"

She nodded, her eyes moistening as stroked her forearm.

He sighed, then said, "It's going to take time. Maybe a lot of time, but we'll handle this. Get through it."

Her breaths came heavy as she searched his eyes. "You're all I've got left."

The smile that had always filled her with comfort grew on his face. "And you're all I've got." His eyebrows rose. "But it's enough. We've got each other. Don't ever forget that."

She nodded, her head jerking as she frowned. "But someday, I won't have you anymore." The words came out so low he almost didn't hear her.

He tilted his head, looking into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes moved away, looking over at the wall. She paused, then took a breath. "Someday... you'll be gone. Get a girlfriend. Get married, something like that." She looked into his eyes again. "You'll leave me and I'll be all alone. Forever."

She couldn't stop a small whimper and clenched her eyes tight. Her body curled under the sheet, her knees coming up to her abdomen.

He slid closer, his arm wrapping around her back as her knees touched his chest. "I'll never leave you alone. We need each other. I need you."

She opened her eyes, focusing on his that were now closer and boring into hers.

"But you're gonna meet someone. A girl, and fall in love with her and get married."

He exhaled and smiled. With a light chuckle, he said, "Yeah, the girls are just beating down my door. I have to fight them off."

He pulled her closer, and she straightened her legs and put an arm over his side.

"It's more likely some good looking guy is gonna sweep you off your feet and take you away." She saw his eyes wander her face, looking at her hair as it lay about on the pillow. He pushed a strand behind her ear.

"You're so beautiful." His words were soft, and she thought they sounded kind of sad.

"I am not beautiful. I haven't even been asked out and I'm a senior."

His brows rose, and he lifted his chin. "Oh, yeah? What about that guy... Bobby! That was his name. He asked you out."

She chuckled and shook her head. "Come on. He was a freshman, and that was last year when we were juniors. That doesn't count."

"He liked you. So what if he was younger?"

"I still think his friends dared him to do that."

Danny grinned at her. "At least you got asked out. Remember Susie?"

Denise's eyes flickered for a moment. In a low voice, she said, "I remember."

"She laughed when I asked her out."

Her eyebrows fell, and she sighed. "She was a bitch, and didn't know what an amazing guy you are. She didn't deserve you."

He shrugged. "Either way, it hurt."

She cupped his cheek. "You're the most handsome man I've ever known."

Smiling, he said, "At least one girl thinks I'm handsome. I know what I look like. I'm a skinny nerd who likes video games and is into history."

"You're handsome," she said, patting his cheek. "And I don't mind your games. Sometimes they're fun."

The corners of her mouth turned up for a moment, then fell.

"I'm the plain jane. Look at this drab, straight hair and freckles." She lifted a few strands, then let them fall. "Seriously, have you ever seen a girl with jet black hair and a face full of freckles?"

She waited as he looked at her face. After a moment, he said, "No, I can't say I have. Usually it's the more fair haired girls that have freckles."

"So I'm some kind of freak."

He frowned and gripped her upper arm. "You are no freak!" His head moved closer. "I love you and think you're beautiful. You're unique, smart and fun to be around, and that's amazing."

"So unique, guys don't even see me." She sighed and looked down, her head burrowing into the pillow.

He pulled her closer. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Okay, so neither of us are going to be homecoming king or queen. But that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with us. There's someone out there for both of us."

Her hand pressed harder into his back. "I love you. You always know what to say to make me feel better."

"I love you, sis. Always have. Always will."

She looked up at him and smiled when he leaned over and kissed her cheek. His lips pressed to her warm skin for a moment, then he pulled back.

She sighed. "I love you, too."

He smiled, then reached over her and pulled the chain, turning off the lamp on the table next to her side of the bed.

They moved, getting comfortable. As sleep's tendrils wrapped themselves over her mind, she heard her brother whisper, "I'll always love you." Smiling, she drifted away into her dreams.

####

She'd never had so much fun! Sliding down the smooth rocks, the water roared all around her as she was launched over the edge of the low waterfall. The moment of falling until she splashed into the roiling pool below. She grinned underwater as she swam up to the surface, breaching as she shook her head, clearing the water from her eyes.

Her brother appeared suddenly, his arms and legs wide as he sailed over the same waterfall, screaming as he hit the water. She laughed with him as he broke the surface, grinning like a little boy. He swam over to her, his eyes bright.

"Goofball!" She giggled and splashed, covering his face and getting some of the sweet mountain river water into his open mouth.

He sputtered and returned a wave of his own, covering her. They moved around, splashing and laughing. A few other people flew over the edge, howling as they fell.

They made their way to the shore, then followed the tree-lined path along the rushing river, up the hillside and around large boulders to the place where the natural water slide began.

A few others were still nearby, but most had left as the afternoon sun kissed the mountain tops to the west.

"One last run, then we should probably go find mom."

Denise nodded, water dripping from her wet, black ponytail. Her eyes sparkled as she watched her brother. He was thin and his skin was pale, but she'd always thought he had a nice physique. A sheen of pink covered his shoulders, and she made a mental note to put some aloe on him when they got to the car.

A couple of guys stood several feet in front of them at the top of where the river flowed over rocks worn smooth over the eons. One looked her over, then looked away, showing no emotion.

She'd gotten used to that. Guys would look at her, categorizing her attributes, such as they were, then lose interest. Her boobs were not bad, but she'd never been able to get rid of the small pouch she tried to hide with her modest one piece suit. She thought her ass was flat, but her brother had told her she was nuts the one time she'd expressed that opinion openly.

Danny had told her she had a cute butt. She smiled at the memory of his fierce blush after saying that.

But Denise felt drab, and didn't know what to do about it. The reaction, or lack thereof, from guys ‌only reinforced that opinion of herself.

Her mother and brother both told her she was beautiful, but why didn't other guys see that? They weren't mean to her. They just ignored her.

Danny never did.

They'd been close all their lives. Having to move frequently as children because of their father's work kept them from forming deep friendships. Instead, they'd relied on each other. His sudden passing at the end of the previous school year just after moving them here was still a deep pain they all felt.

Only a year apart and in the same grade as Danny had exhibited a learning disability in kindergarten and been held back, they mostly kept to themselves. They were often in the same classes, and would eat lunch together in the large, noisy cafeterias at the various schools they'd attended growing up.

Now, they were both seniors in a new high school. The same patterns repeated, and they found most of the surrounding kids in the small town they now lived in had grown up together and formed tight social groups long ago.

So they continued on together. The siblings trying to make friends, but were never fully accepted.

The fading whoops of the guys in front of them going down the slide brought her out of her reverie. They waited a minute, wanting them to be clear of the waterfall before following them down.

"You go first," Danny said, smiling and waving his hand for her to go by him onto the smooth rocks.

She grinned and walked over, carefully sitting at the top of the roiling water. With a shriek, she pushed off and slid down the long, smooth rock, which curved to the right, taking her out of sight.

Danny smiled as her laughs echoed up, then got on the rock and pushed. He rolled and howled, trying not to inhale water as he fell into the pool below.

Popping up, he looked around, wanting to splash Denise again. He turned, scanning the water, unable to see her. She wasn't on the bank where a thin strip of sand led to a dense line of trees along the side of the river.

"Denise?" He heard his voice echo off the rocks, but there was no answer.

He swam around, searching. His sister was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, shit," he said, his eyes flying open. Taking a deep breath, he arched and dove into the water. Bubbles from the waterfall made it hard to see anything as he kicked his legs, pulling himself deeper with each stroke of his arms.

Movement caught his eye, and he angled over to a pile of submerged boulders where the water churned from the waterfall above them.