Lifeline

She had effectively silenced him. He could never have matched that type of intensity even if he were healthy. She held his face a moment longer to ensure she had his attention, and then spoke into the silence. "I hated you for a long time, you know," she said more softly. "But not for the sex. Not even for mom dying, although that was certainly a low point for our family. I hated you because you abandoned me. Again. Yeah I know what dad said but he would have gotten over it, just like he did with me. The truth is I needed you and you just up and left. You didn't call, didn't send an email, not even a fucking postcard in all the years you've been gone. I could have come to see you; I've always known where you were. I didn't because you hurt me. I kept thinking you'd call or something, wishing for it more than anything. But I knew you had no intention of coming back for me. And I hated you for that."

She finally let go of his face. She sighed before continuing. "I bet you didn't know this, but that night when we had sex, before dad came in, us making love was a dream come true for me. You might have just realized I was a woman that summer but I'd been fantasizing about you since I was fourteen. I always wanted you to be my first." Kyle's good eye goggled at that but she didn't give him a chance to interrupt. "Myra felt the same way. We learned how to kiss by practicing up in the treehouse in the backyard, each of us taking turns pretending to be you. When you came home from school we plotted on ways to make you stay. I knew I couldn't have you but Myra having you was the next best thing. I never thought that you would want me the way I always wanted you. Then I get you and everything falls apart."

"I'm sorry," Kyle said, not really sure if that was the appropriate response, not really sure that there was an appropriate response. Words failed him. She doesn't think I'm a monster, he thought bewilderingly, trying to fit this new revelation into his world view.

"Kyle, we are a stubborn family." The apparent change of subject threw him off a little. "I probably would have never come to Phoenix if it wasn't for dad. He told me on his deathbed to bring you back, that what he said to you back then was terrible and nearly unforgivable. He said that he felt that he had wronged you for a long time but couldn't bring himself to call you. I think he sent me to heal the rift between you, to heal our family."

Astonished, he said, "But he didn't do anything wrong. I was the despicable one. I broke our family. He was right to banish me."

"No he was not. Dammit Kyle, have you been listening to a word I've said? You DID NOT KILL MOM! She was having a heart attack that night before they ever interrupted us. If she would have ignored the noise we were making and went back to sleep she would have never woken up anyway. I know you've gotten comfortable feeling guilt for mom's death but it's time to let it go." She was right. It was hard to admit it but she was right. The realization had finally gotten through to him and some of that crushing weight he'd lived with for years had begun to lighten. He knew he'd always feel some responsibility for their mom's passing but his sister gave him hope that he'd be able to live with the remaining pain. Maybe.

***

Three weeks later Kyle was discharged from the hospital. Cecelia met him at the door driving a pearl white BMW sedan. "Sweet car, sis," he said as he jumped in, impressed. "Who'd you have to kill to get it?"

She laughed, warming his heart. He never realized how much he missed her laugh. "Friends in high places, bro-bot. Friends in high places." She pulled off after making sure he was comfortable and they spoke of inconsequential things while cruising in the Arizona sunshine. They purposely did not talk about the future, comfortable in the knowledge that there would in fact be one. They'd hashed out their differences while he healed from the worst of the damage he suffered in the crash. She'd made him promise to never abandon her again and he planned to stick to that promise. It had been too painful to be separated from her. He knew there would be an adjustment period; people change in seven years. But it was far worse for his sister, his only living relative to have become a stranger. He would take the time to reconnect with her and be grateful for it.

So engrossed with being able to talk with his sister again he was slow to realize that they were not heading towards downtown Phoenix and his apartment. They were in fact going in the opposite direction, toward Mesa. "Um, sis, you know this isn't the way to my house right?"

"Just sit back and enjoy the ride, would you? I mean, you're in a smokin' car with a pretty woman."

"Yeah, a pretty woman who's also my sister."

"Didn't seem to bother you when you popped my cherry." She smiled to take the sting out of her words. He'd somehow forgotten how blunt she could be. He winced at the comment but was oddly happy to be there to hear it.

"Yeah yeah, keep driving sister." After that he shut up and let her drive. He suspected a scheme but he owed it to her to let her have her fun.

After another 20 minutes they pulled into the driveway of a beautiful two-story brick house with a perfectly manicured lawn. Cece killed the engine. "We're here," she said cheerily.

"Um, ok. Sure we're here. But who lives here?"

"We do! Welcome to the Casa de Bloomhurst!" Kyle's jaw dropped. First the car, then the home, it was dizzying. "Seriously sis, what's going on? And who did you have to kill?"

"Never mind that. Let's go in. It's hot as balls out here and there's a surprise inside. You know, other than central air." He let himself be dragged into the amazing home by his energetic sibling. He was met at the front door by the last person he ever expected to see.

"Myra?" he said with a goofy smile coming unbidden to his face.

"Got it in one. Welcome home." She gave him a kiss that turned his knees to water.

"Wa-wait," he said unsteadily, still trying to recover from the soul-scorching kiss. "You live here too?"

"Well, seeing as I bought it, it would make sense for me to live here. Don't let your sister fool you with that Casa de Bloomhurst crap. If it's a Casa de anything it would be the Casa de Seneschal."

"Nope," chimed in Cece. "It's Bloomhurst now. We outnumber you 2 to 1. Close your mouth bro-bot. Myra may like it when you drool but I don't." He closed his mouth. He wasn't aware he'd opened it.

***

The ladies did not keep him in suspense for too long. They made him sit at the massive dinner table and fed him before they explained to Kyle what was going on. It involved solar cells and government contracts, most of which flew over his overtaxed brain. The important thing was that his sister and her best friend were rich and, since they were willing to share their enormous wealth with him, meant that he never had to work again unless he felt like it.

He was unworthy and he told them so. "Nobody's worthy of us," Cece said smugly.

"Doesn't matter," Myra followed. "We like you anyway. You're family."

He could not believe his good fortune. He asked them a million questions, all which they answered patiently. Finally he asked the question that nagged him the most. "Why me? And why here in Arizona?"

Myra answered first. "As to why you, it really isn't hard to figure out. We've been dreaming of you since we started getting periods. You own our maidenheads. You are obviously crazy about us, still are in fact. And nobody either of us has been with since has compared to you, although I can think of one who comes close."

"As to the why here," Cece broke in seamlessly. "Well, you live here so that's a plus. The more important plus is that nobody knows us here. That means we can live how we want to with nobody judging our life choices. So if I want to kiss my girlfriend and sister, or if I want to kiss my boyfriend/brother, I won't have any uppity prigs that taught my kindergarten class turning their nose up at me." She emphasized this by reaching over to Myra to hold her hand. "I'm the lover that comes closest to you, by the way. I do a pretty good job of substituting for you but nothing beats the real thing."

He was left completely speechless by these new developments. He could scarcely believe what he'd been told. It was a lot to take in for someone who only a short time ago believed he deserved nothing but pain. He was quiet for so long the girls started getting nervous. Cece played with Myra's hand, confident façade cracking. Myra's closed mouth turned to a straight line, eyes tightening. They had bared their souls to him and were worried that they'd given away too much, that he'd run away.

Kyle saw the pain of possible rejection in their faces. He sought to capture it in his memory for all time. If he had his way he would never see that type of pain on either of their faces for as long as he lived. He smiled then, opened his arms wide to hug his sisters, his lovers, his lifeline. They came to him willingly, tears of joy streaming down their faces. "So you'll stay? With us I mean," asked Myra, desperate for confirmation.

"For as long as you'll have me," he replied.

They celebrated long into the night.