Michelle hadnât seen it coming. There was no phone call, no message, not even a letter. She woke up one Saturday morning, and as she walked down the stairs to make herself a cup of tea, she saw a human form seated at the bottom of her glass door. Her heart skipped a beat. Who could it be? She stood there staring, waiting for some form of movement, some form of familiarity. Whoever it was had their head covered up in a dark green hood. Michelle slowly inched forward. Her heart beat a little faster. Maybe she should go back upstairs and wake her husband. But what if she came back to find this person gone? No. She was going to find out who it was. She moved closer to the door. Thatâs when she saw the suitcase, and her heart sank.
It had been three years since she had last seen her sister. One day she had woken up to an unmoving body on the bed opposite hers. When she had tried waking Sharon, the perfectly folded beddings crumbled beneath her fingers.
âMama! Sharonâs gone!â she had screamed. Her mother had bounded into the room, hands covered in flour. She had been making mandazi. They had stood there, surprised but not really surprised because it wasnât the first time. Sharon had been the wild, carefree one, the one who didnât follow the rules.
âSheâll come back.â That was all their mother had said as she turned back and went back to preparing breakfast. She hadnât come back. She had sent a message a week later saying not to worry, am fine, blah blah blah. Michelle hadnât cared. She had her own life to live.
Then she got married. She had sent Sharon the invitation but there had been no reply. She had tried to call but there had been no answer. So she went on and got married and moved away from home and started living her life.
Now Sharon was sitting at her front door with a suitcase tagging along.
She slowly lifted her hand and placed her fingers on a green button. The figure outside jolted from a deep sleep. Sharon turned around and then stood up. Her sister stood on the other side of the door. Michelle looked amazing, definitely well taken care of. Her hair was tied up in a blue silk head wrap with a beautiful print that matched her lingerie. Her face was smooth, free of the troubles of life that seemed to plague people on the other side of town. Her legs were still as long as and as perfectly sculpted as she could remember. Her nails were manicured, and her hands looked well-scrubbed. It was 6 oâclock in the morning, but Michelle looked better than Sharon did her entire life. Big house, long driveway, glass doors and all. Nice neighborhood where you could actually hear birds chirp in the morning. She had married the right man. She remembered the wedding card she had received from her, complete with little pearls and lace. She hadnât wanted to embarrass herself nor her sister on her special day, so she had decided to skip the festivities, not before silently wishing her well.
Her Tony couldnât have given her anything like what stood around her. Not if he robbed twenty banks in one day. She had loved him though, with all her heart, until she had unexpectedly called up on her best friend only to find TonyâŚ
The door slid open, and the sisters were face to face again.
âSharon.â Michelleâs voice was flat, devoid of emotion. She didnât know what to say or what to feel. Itâs not like Sharon had been kidnapped and had now been delivered after the payment of a hefty ransom. No. Her wild ways had led her away from her family. Unapologetically. She looked rough. Her eyes were big and hollow. Her skin was flaky. That was all she could see, as the rest of Sharon was covered up in a moldy outfit.
âMichelle.â It was obvious there would be no hugs. Sharon didnât know whether to smile or crunch up her face. Maybe a poker face would do. âIâm sorry to spring up on you like this. So much has happened. Can we go in and talk?â
Michelle cleverly switched her eyes to the suitcase.
âI just need a place to stay for a few days and we can also catch up. Iâm really sorry about this.â
Michelle nodded listlessly. Halfheartedly, she moved to the side to let Sharon in. She caught a whiff of cheap perfume. Probably one of those that were dubbed âdesignerâ and injected into tiny bottles using a syringe. Sharon had lost some weight, but it hadnât done her any good. She looked straight up malnourished. Michelle shook her head. Honestly, she didnât care. But they were sisters, for all that mattered.
                           ***
Tonyâs mind was blank for a long time. There was a fog hanging over his head and it accompanied him at all times; when he woke up, when he went about his day, when he crept into bed. He half expected to wake up with a missing body part each day, but he knew thatâs not how the virus killed you. Still, he expected it. It made him paranoid, the fear of death nearly choked him every time he thought about it, which was all the time. He would stare at his body in the mirror, sometimes he swore he could see himself lose weight. If only Sharon was here to comfort me, he thought, but he knew she wasnât coming back. He couldnât blame her, it was all his fault. She was his world and he had caused it to collapse all around him. One night he woke up to the feel of podgy fingers curled around his throat, cutting all the air. He struggled and thrashed around, he opened his mouth so wide, but no air seeped into him. He kicked his legs, all the while thrashing his arms wildly about and thatâs when he woke up. He was sweating and he was scared. Thatâs when he knew he had to find her otherwise he would die. He was sure of it.
                          ***
Sharon, didnât talk much over the days, and Michelle didnât ask any questions. Michelle told herself that if her sister needed to talk, she would do it on her own accord. She wasnât a child, and surely she knew this? Michelle was still angry at her for deserting her family, and she wasnât about to play nice. She swore she would keep her mouth shut until Sharon either decided to talk or realize she was not wanted. She hoped it would be the latter. If they had met under different circumstances, maybe it would have been different. But like this? She had literally appeared from nowhere! Sharon on the other hand knew there was no way she was letting Michelle into her twisted life. What she needed was time to think and figure things out. She wasnât looking for psychiatric services. So they mostly ignored each other. It was Patrick who struggled with creating conversation and it was painful to witness. He really didnât know what to say.
âHey Sharon, how was your day?â
âSo what do you think of this place?â
âItâs huge, if thatâs what you mean.â
âNo no no, I mean are you settling in well?â
And at that point Michelle shot him a look that went right through his head.
âIâm ok. I like it here.â
Which made Michelle rise from her seat and disappear into the kitchen, with Patrick hot on her heels.
âLook, am just trying to make sure, sheâs comfortable, alright?â
âShe doesnât need to get comfortable! I want her out. I want her out, Patrick. She has come in here and she has disrupted our lives. I have too much to worry about already. I donât need to worry about her too.â
âWhere would she go? Câmon baby. Sheâs your sister. Let her stay here until sheâs figured things out. Itâs actually good having somebody else in the house, it was getting a bit lonely.â
âYou better take back those words before I destroy something in this house Patrick.â
âLook love, all am saying is you canât turn away family. You just canât.â
                            ***
And so the days went by. Sharonâs appearance changed. She looked much better than she had the past couple of days. If she wasnât wrong, she had gained some weight. She wanted to be happy about how things had turned out but she couldnât. Michelle was clearly not excited about having her around. Patrick on the other hand was more accommodating. This didnât make her feel any better. The more she stayed at her sisterâs the more she thought about what was going on with her. She had to go to hospital and really confirm her fears. Tony was a bastard who had ruined her life. She wasnât sure what lay ahead as far as her health was concerned, but she had to find out. She was scared though and figured that maybe if she didnât get to know her status then she wouldnât have to run mad about anything. So she kept telling herself that she would get checked, all the while ignoring Tonyâs incessant phone calls. He was really out of his mind if he thought she was going anywhere near him. She was grateful that he hadnât a clue where she could be. He wouldnât have guessed she was at Michelleâs. Her family was something she rarely discussed with him. A few mentions here and there and that was it. He hadnât seemed curious to know anyway, so she left it at that.
                             ***
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. The atmosphere around the house relaxed. They all laughed and joked with one another. Michelle found that her sister was harmless, she had somewhat matured. She helped with the house chores, washed her clothes, cleaned the house, and it was nice to come home after a crazy day and find that dinner was already set on the table. Sometimes, after an especially busy day, she would come home and find them already having dinner, and Patrick would offer a somber apology and say that the food would have gotten cold and honey why donât you join us? You look famished, and this chicken, oh, this chicken, your sister is a genius in the kitchen. Itâs so good honey, come and have a bite so you can see what I mean. Sharon would blush, right on cue, and protest that no, itâs not that good Michelle, itâs just okay, remember how I used to make it back home? I havenât added any special ingredient. And Michelle would remember how her mother would praise her sisterâs cooking. How she would bite into a piece of whatever it was, chicken, pancake, whatever, and wish that her sister took her life as seriously as she did her cooking. So Michelle watched her husband tell her sister that she was too modest, that she should accept a compliment where it was due. And Sharon blushed further, nearly knocking the dishes off the table with those burning cheeks.
She didnât think anything of it. She decided that she wasnât going to. She knew that if she entertained the idea, somebody in that house would die. So she kept her cool as her sisterâs and husbandâs jokes grew staler and their laughs louder. She kept her cool when Sharon said, can I please have the salt, and her husband quickly reached out for it and gave it to her, fingers slightly brushing. She kept her cool when she saw Sharon look down immediately and take a peek at her fingers as if they had caught on fire. She kept her cool even as her husband went quiet, his heart threatening to burst form its cage. She could tell.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Michelle didnât notice it, she hadnât wanted to, but she became cold again, grew distant, watched the two as they laughed over something she hadnât heard because she was too preoccupied with observing their movements, how their eyes met, how their hands gestured, how their mouths moved. Her body turned into ice every time her husband praised Sharonâs cooking. And she started to hate Sharonâs cooking. On those days that she got home late, she would give a lame excuse for not wanting any food. âI had late lunch, really, I canât bring myself to eat. That would be gluttony.â She would smile at them, tell them to enjoy dinner, and walk up the stairs into her room, where she would collapse on her bed, her stomach churning with anger. Wasnât it obvious to them that she was upset? Why didnât Patrick follow her upstairs, darling, you okay? Whatâs wrong? Talk to me love. No he didnât notice the change in her. Nobody noticed.
                            ***
âI want her out. By Saturday.â
It was a chilly morning. Michelle hadnât slept much. She had turned over and over in bed, trying to come up with a polite way to let Patrick know that they couldnât have Sharon at the house anymore. He didnât say anything in response, and Michelle grew impatient.
âPatrick, I said I want her out by Saturday. I still donât know why sheâs here, where sheâs been, what sheâs been up to. Sheâs not offering any explanation. Frankly, I donât care for any explanation. I just want her out.â
He didnât say anything for a long time. Michelle stared at his back, wondering what was going through her husbandâs mind. She desperately wanted him to side with her, they were a team, werenât they? He was smart, supportive and loyal, these are the things that had attracted her to him. He wouldnât say anything to hurt her or think that she was being unfair would she?
âMichelle, you know I donât really understand you, and I donât know whatâs really going on. And with that said, am not talking about this at all. Why donât you go to her and tell her yourself? Yeah, go and tell her yourself. Tell her how youâre dying to have her out in the street with no food, no water, no hopes and no family. Go ahead, tell her, but leave me out of this. Iâm going to get some breakfast.â With that, he got out of bed, put on and robe and left the room.
When she finally got to the kitchen, she found Patrick and Sharon laughing at something. They looked so happy, so oblivious of her scowling face and angry demeanor. She walked towards the door, ignoring her sisterâs calls for breakfast.
Michelle went to work boiling with rage. She knew what he was doing. And at that moment, she knew that she had been right to be a little paranoid. Why was he so concerned for her? Why did he care what happened to her? All along, he had known that Sharon was out there somewhere. How come he had never suggested that they look for her and bring her in? Why now? Hmmm. Now that he had seen what she looked like⌠men will always be men! She banged a fist on her desk. No. She had to do it. She had to tell her sister to leave. She wasnât going to be responsible for an adult who didnât care for her future. Letting Sharon stay was going to be an expensive mistake, one that would cost her dearly. She was already paying for it wasnât she? She was turning into a paranoid mammal and she didnât like it one bit. She picked up her handbag and flew out of the office.
                            ***
Tony waited outside the law firm. He wasnât sure he was at the right place, but the words âHillary and Henry Advocatesâ stood out pretty clearly. That was where Sharon had said her sister worked. He didnât know what to do. Should he just walk in and ask for her? It was still early and he was sure that she was already at work. Standing outside trembling and looking so forlorn wasnât going to help his case. He knew he had to do something. A part of him wished she would magically appear, but he didnât even know what she looked like. The watchman at the gate had started giving him the suspicious look, so he had to make a move. Just as he started walking towards the building, past the parked cars, he saw a woman walk right out. She seemed to be in a hurry. Maybe he could ask her. Maybe she knew Michelle. He backed up and stood next to one of the parked cars. Strangely, she seemed to be heading right towards him. The more he looked at her, the more her features seemed familiar. What kind of good luck would this be? He wondered.
                           ***
As Michelle walked to the parking lot, her mind raved with what she was going to say to her sister. She didnât notice the man who was standing next to her car, watching her closely. She almost bumped into him and thatâs when he spoke.
Her eyes shot up. She didnât know this man. He was short and skinny, wearing a Mohawk. She intensified her gaze but it gave her nothing. Was he a previous client? She couldnât figure out where they could have met.
âYes, Iâm Michelle. How can I help you? Have we met before?â
âIâm Tony. Iâm your sisterâs boyfriend. Sharonâs boyfriend. I know we havenât met, but I can tell youâre her sister. You look so much alike. Can we talk?â
Of course they could talk! What kind of good luck was this? Michelle sighed deeply. She was relieved she wouldnât have to be the bearer of nasty news. This man was God-sent! All he had to do was whisk her away. Sharon would have to leave with him. There was no way he was going back where he came from without her. Her relief was palpable.
She asked him to enter the car. âI was actually heading home for a brief minute. Iâm sure you want to see her?â They entered the car. Tony sat with his palms pressed together. Now that they were so close, Michelle could smell alcohol on him. She grew apprehensive. âTony, what is it you wanted? Is Sharon in trouble? Are you in trouble?â Tony pondered the question for a few seconds, struggling to find an answer. So Sharon hadnât said anything to her. How could he tell her what was happening? How exactly was he supposed to let Michelle into what had gone down? âSharon and I have been living together for the last two years. Weâve had our ups and downs. I did a stupid thing, I messed up and she threw me out. After four months of begging her to forgive me, she finally did but on one condition. She asked that we go to the hospital so I could get checked. I had wanted to argue that she get checked too, but I wasnât about to. I was the one who had messed up, not her. I understood her concerns and quickly obliged, as I was sure nothing was wrong. The only thing I didnât tell her was that during the four months that we were apart, I still did some stupid things. See, I was hurting, I didnât mean any of it. Honestly I didnât expect that doctorâs visit to turn out the way it did. I sat there and watched the doctor tell me that unfortunately, I was positive. Sharon didnât want to hear the rest of it. She stood up and left without taking a second look at me. I was in too much shock to move. By the time I got home, she was gone. I just need to find her. I have no one else.â That was what he was meant to tell Michelle, but he couldnât bring himself to it. It was embarrassing and demeaning. What if after he told her she kicked him out of her car? He shook his head, his brow furrowed and stared right ahead as his eyes watered. Michelle didnât speak. So something had happened. They had had a misunderstanding. How bad could it have been that it sent Sharon packing? She wondered. She would soon find out, or not, given her sisterâs prowess at silence. She started the car and sped home.
                            ***
âLook, Sharon, I donât mean to come in between the two of you but Michelle is, umm, a little worried about you. And itâs creating tension between us.â
Sharon stared deep into Patrickâs eyes. Oh, her sister had been lucky to find such a caring spirit. She thought of Tony and her heart sank. There was no way she was going back. What would she do? Her mind raced so fast it dizzied her. She thought of the last months that had passed. Every day she had listened to her body but it gave away no signs. She knew she was being ridiculous and needed to go to the hospital, but a big part of her didnât want to know. Also, a big part of her told her that she was ok. What if Tony had gotten sick during the time they were apart? It was a possibility. But what if he had gotten sick before that? Then that would mean that she was definitely infected. Her head was spinning out of control. She felt Patrick move closer. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
âLook, Iâll try and talk to her. Let you stay here a little longer, okay?â His hands brushed her cheeks. She turned away.
âPatrick, thank you, it really means a lot to me.â
âOf course, anything for you,â he said as he moved even closer. Their faces were almost touching. His hand moved to the small of her back. Sharon panicked. âPatrick am sorry, but I canâtâŚ.â
âSshhh. Itâs fine. Sheâs gone for the day. Just breathe.â
                           ***
It was Michelle who couldnât breathe when she got out of her car, walked into her house and found her husband butt naked on the carpet, straddling her sister.
