Hi there,
After dabbling in a few other categories, I decided to return to my favourite genre. Nothing quite beats a brother-sister romance eh? I hope you like this effort. It's also my entry for the Winter Holidays Contest so do leave your votes and comments on the way out.
Happy Holidays folks!
"
The love that lasts the longest is the love that can never be.
"
- S Maugh
* *
"You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town."
How many times can you hear that song without being sick of it? Every mall, every shop, irrespective of size plays the same thing over and over again until you want to throw something at the damn loudspeaker.
Carol Delancey chose to simply ignore it. The blaring music and the obscenely garish decoration on all sides were not in the least bit important. She had a lot more on her mind. Right now, all that mattered was getting some food and some first aid. She purposefully cut her way through the throng of people on all sides of her.
Her clothes weren't nearly good enough to deal with the biting cold. The soft snow fell in tiny flakes all around her, swirling in the night air. Finally, she saw a small mobile sandwich van. There were several people around it, but she was on a mission.
"Hang in there, Matt," she whispered. "I'm coming."
Carol jostled through the cursing crowd and held up some notes. They fetched her a handful of sandwiches and two hot mochas. Just what she needed. Now for the other part.
There was a pharmacy on the same block. She rushed in, alarming the pharmacist who was getting ready to close up for the night.
"I need some antiseptic and gauze," she said breathlessly. ".. and also some sutures if you have them."
The surly man behind the counter handed over the necessary supplies, clearly unhappy to be disturbed. It was the festive season for cryin' out loud! Before he could begin grumbling to himself, she was out the door and racing towards her car.
People in scarves and mufflers stared at this under-dressed beauty running frantically with a large package in her hand. She did not care in the least bit, she was not even aware. Past the main road, the crowd thinned. No one wanted to be caught in the blizzard the Met office promised.
The adrenaline rush kept her warm enough. The crowds thinned as she raced off the main roads. The texture underneath her feet changed from smooth asphalt to uneven gravel. She approached her car, on the green, a little way off from the main road. She looked around herself once, making sure no cop was following her.
The Buick was already covered in a thin layer of white from the light snowfall. It was far enough from the milling shoppers to go unnoticed. The observant few might think it to be a smart ploy for free parking, but it was far from that.
Carol opened the door to the backseat and slid in beside her brother. He had taken the portable seat cover and made a makeshift blanket for himself. His shivering lips split into a smile when she took out the contents of her packet.
"Here," she said, handing him the coffee. The gash on the left side of his forehead was still visible. At least the bleeding had stopped. The warm brown brew imparted some much needed heat to Matt's system.
"Thanks," he said, white vapour coming out of his shivering lips. There was a large bruised patch on the side of his cheek, above the cheekbone, and a small rivulet of blood came down from the corner of his lip. Carol reached out and wiped the thin, red trail. Her fingers lingered to trace out his lips, lips that she yearned to feel on every part of her body.
"Does it hurt?" she asked quietly, her eyes fixed on the gash.
"No," Matt lied and sipped some of the coffee. The windows were frosted to the point they could not see anything.
"Have I ever told you how terrible a liar you are?"
He forced his numb lips into a smile and said. "Yes you have. When I said I saw as you as nothing more than my sister. You told me right then and you were right, as always."
Carol smiled and pressed her lips against his. Her tongue explored his lips and gently pushed inside, chilled by his mouth. Her soft lips pressed against his and her tongue duelled with his. They wrapped and slurped against each other for some time before she drew out.
He took another sip from the hot brew in his hand and she did likewise. The rush of their flight was wearing off and the realization of their situation was beginning to set in. The heater of the car was beginning to splutter, the gas running low.
"How much money do you have?" asked Matt.
"Not much," came the morose reply. "I took whatever I had at the moment. I'm sorry, I panicked."
"It's all right," he said reassuringly, kissing her forehead. "It's going to be all right."
"Your lying skills are not getting any better," she said, forcing some humour into their grim reality.
"Hey! We have each other and that's what really matters, right?"
She nodded, her eyes unable to tear themselves away from her brother's face. It was battered, bruised and looked hideous by any impartial standard. Yet, to her, it was the most beautiful sight imaginable.
"This 'running away together' thing was essentially the worst plan ever.. eh?" he said, opening a sandwich.
"Not exactly a plan, given that it was made in five minutes," she said. "We had no other choice."
The icy wind picked up outside. More snow fell all around them, covering the car entirely.
* *