Caty yelled at me while crying hysterically:
- What the hell are you doing?
- Are you asking? - I shouted back at her - Does something hurt? Has labor started? What's wrong??
- You insensitive b... we just... sold... our home... I'm sad!
- I'm not insensitive you idiot... - I shouted.
And this continued for another 10 minutes or so. The luck was that it was quiet that afternoon and not many people were there, so they didn't see the scene of a pregnant woman in a car crying and yelling at the other woman, who yelled back while holding her head. After yelling at each other and saying a lot of things to each other, we finally started to calm down. I could have handled the situation better, since Caty was only pregnant, but she can touch such sensitive points that it is difficult to keep my cool when we argue, she knows me too well.
- Okay, okay, I understand your point. Please calm down, everything is fine. - I finally said as I forced a little calmness on myself. Finally, she took a deep breath - although she was tearing up from crying - and nodded. - Then I'll take you home now okay?
- All right. - said quietly.
We didn't talk much during the thirty-minute drive. I understand that selling the house has hurt her, having lived there for most of her life. Unlike me, she had a lot of good memories there. The loss of our parents hit us at such a critical age because I was a a confused and angry teenager, and Caty would have really started her free adult life back then.
I remember it was a cool Tuesday night, it was pouring rain. I was alone at home (Caty moved to a dormitory, since she went to college a few towns away), I was watching TV in the living room, I was waiting for my parents to come home, who had gone shopping in the big supermarket in the neighboring town. I didn't want to go with them that day, because it was a new episode of my favorite series and I definitely wanted to see it. It scared me when someone rang the doorbell, I was so into this series, I remember I was angry, who dares to ring the bell at this time. I turned completely white when I saw the two policemen standing in the doorway.
„Good evening, is this the Thorne house?" I nodded "Are you Penelope?"
"Yes"
"Your sister…" he looked at his notepad "…Catherine, is she home?"
"Is she in trouble?" - I asked because I thought they came because of her, although it's strange why they're not looking for my parents.
"No, no, she's okay! But since you are still a minor, we should talk to her."
"She's at college, in the dormitory"
"Perhaps we could call her together on the phone?"
"Can we wait for my parents, they will surely be home soon and then..." I was in more and more despair because it started to dawn on me why they were looking for my sister.
"Please calm down, it would be important to talk to her as soon as possible, unfortunately we can't wait." Said the younger policeman, although both of them were nice, somehow he seemed more understanding, which filled me with a little peace.
Three of us went to the telephone and I dialed her cell number. I really envied my sister at the time that she got a mobile phone from our parents, it was so new and rare then, in this situation it was a really lucky thing.
"Hello," she answered, I was glad that she was able to pick it up right away.
"I'm Pixi… there are two police officers here and they want to talk to you…"
"Why? What happened?" I could immediately hear how upset she was in her voice, she was immediately close to crying.
"I don't know Caty …" then the older policeman stood facing me.
"Will you allow me?" he held out his hand for the phone, I handed him the phone
"Good evening I'm Officer Kirk, Am I speaking to Catherine Thorne?" then the younger policeman took my shoulder and led me out of the living room, so I didn't hear the rest of the conversation.
"Officer Kirk is now going to ask your sister to come home. Since we can't leave you at home, I would like to ask you to get dressed, take your documents with you and come with us to the captain's office." it scared me completely, I was confused and didn't understand why we weren't waiting for my parents.
"Can't we wait for my parents? They must be home soon and then together..." I started to panic and my dark thoughts brought me to the verge of tears.
"Penelope, please calm down, I promise I'll tell you everything in the office, the most important thing now is to do what I asked you to do."
Knowing that I would soon find out what happened helped me to do what he asked. After ten minutes, I was trying to hold back my crying and vomiting in the patrol car and as we headed to the police station. Finally, when we arrived, they escorted me to a relatively friendly office and offered me a Coke because policeman Bern (the younger one) noticed that I was sick. Even then, I thought that he would become a very good detective because he was very observant and quickly noticed the small details too. The cola really helped my nausea.
"Please tell me what happened."
"We have to wait a few more minutes until an official guardian arrives and then we can tell you everything."
"I'm not a child anymore, I'll handle it, please," I begged them.
"This is the official procedure." close briefly Officer Kirk.
We really didn't have to wait long until a lady in her 50s with a friendly smile entered.
"Good evening everyone. Hello Penelope, I'm Helen"
"Good evening." I tried to be polite, but my voice was cracking.
Finally, they all sat down at the table I was sitting at, Helen sat next to me, the two police officers sat opposite us after a short silent discussion. I was waiting for police officer Kirk to speak, but in the end it was Bern who spoke.
"Penelope, first of all, thank you for cooperate with us so cleverly and patiently. You must be confused and scared. I'm sorry but I need to tell you that your parents have lost their lives in a tragic car accident in…."
Then I jumped up "What?..." then I started walking around holding my head and shouting "...that can't be...". I was completely desperate "…they just went shopping, they will be here in an hour…". Then my body and soul completely gave up and I collapsed in the corner crying hysterically. I couldn't hold myself together. Helen sat next to me and tried to comfort an inconsolable person. Finally, after two hours, Caty arrived, her eyes were pure red, I'm sure she cried all the way to the police station, but she wanted to show herself strong because of me. By that time, I had completely lost touch with reality and looked at myself blankly. I closed myself off completely, I built walls around me that no one could break through or climb over. That day, Caty, who was completely broken mentally and was forced into a caretaker role, brought a zombie home from the police.
Caty's voice pulled me back from the memories.
- Pixi, you left the street.
- Oh sorry... - then I noticed that I drove two streets further, so I turned back on the next street - ... my mind was elsewhere.
- Yes, I noticed. Sorry for the previous ones.
- Yes, me too. - I smiled. - That's why therapy is worth every penny.- I winked at her.
- Indeed. - she smiled.
For a very long time, we couldn't manage our feelings and how to express them to each other and others. For quite a few years, our home was a real war zone, not many people could stay around us.
We finally arrived at the house and Caty got out of the car.
- Come home for dinner.
- Pingu... I thought we had outgrown this, guess what, I'm old enough to go out.
- You will remain my sister forever and there is nothing you can do about it.
- Unfortunately - I smiled at her. - I'll come back later.
- All right. - she sighed - take care!
I blew her a kiss and headed to Sarah's house.