Elise wiped the tears from her eyes. Why was she even crying? This man was more a stranger than a father. Why did she care so much that he made her blood boil? It wasn’t like her. It should have bounced right off of her but it didn’t and it was tearing her apart.
“Elise. It’s Kirk. Open up.” A familiar voice came from behind her shut door.
“Kirk?” She whispered timidly. Was it really her brother? The same brother she hadn’t seen for 10 years. No. He couldn’t be the same person. All she remembered of him was his gentle smile and always being there with her. She couldn’t remember any happy moments or sad moments. It was as if all memory of Kirk was washed away. She stepped towards the door and slowly turned the handle. Anticipating every second. The door creaked open to reveal Kirk’s expressive green eyes. The same eyes that she and their father had. His shaggy light brown hair, combed neatly, and his clothes were pressed and perfect. He was their father’s son.
“Hey.” He said with a big smile, not sure whether he should hug his sister.
“Hi.” Elise tried to smile, managing a small curl at the end of her lips. “Come in.” She opened the door wider as Kirk slipped in, using the least amount of space possible.
“How have you been?” He asked plainly as he casually walked around the guest room. He found her art supplies and laid a gentle hand on them, running his fingers gentle over them.
“Good. Grandmother and grandfather are doing well. They send their love.” She tried to make small talk and realized how much she missed Kirk. “And you?” But she still felt awkward speaking to him in such formal terms.
“Good. I’ll be going to college soon.” He looked up at her and smiled, showing off his perfectly straight and pearly white teeth.
“My how time flies.” She sat on the edge of the pristine bed, slightly wrinkling the covers. She watched Kirk as he flipped through her sketchbook.
“These are quite good.” He muttered, looking at every detail of every picture. “I like this one.” He held up the drawing she had done on the train. “Are you going to color it?” He admired the drawing’s complexity and simplicity at the same time.
“No. I wasn’t planning on it.” Elise tried to relax but the tension was still there, she just didn’t know why. “I’ve taken plenty of art classes in London.”
“I’m sure. Grandmother sends letters occasionally. Let’s see the last one was when you were…7?” He chuckled, trying to relax Elise.
“Oh.” Elise didn’t respond much more after that.
“Dad is trying you know.” Kirk hit the nail on the head.
“Is he now? I really couldn’t tell.” Elise gave him a sarcastic look.
“He really does want to patch things up.” Kirk stepped toward Elise, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed. “He just wants to know you before you go off to college, before it’s too late.” Elise never remembered him being the peacemaker. It was always Elise the less than perfect child versus Paul, the perfectionist father, and poor Kirk who sat on the sidelines.
“It’s already too late. I tried too Kirk but the first thing he says to me is that I won’t have time for-“ She stopped herself, not wanting to talk about how silly the argument was. They had fought over a couple of drawings, but to Elise itwas more than that. They fought over her freedom, her artistic expression, and who she truly was.
“Please Elise.” Kirk pleaded. “Dad wants things to be better, and so do you. This is the chance for it. I don’t want to go another 10 years before I get to see you again.” The words Kirk said sounded like lies, but the hurt Elise saw in his eyes was true. He really did miss his sister and he wasn’t going to just give her up again. Her father wasn’t the only one who wanted to get to know her before she went off to college, before it was too late.
“I-“ Elise moved her gaze away from Kirk’s stare. “How?”
“Start with coming to dinner.” Kirk’s voice lifted in tone, sounding hopeful of Elise’s cooperation.
“Dinner?” Elise turned to him, trying not to say something wrong or cry.
“You know, the meal you eat at the end of the day.” Kirk joked, getting a small laugh out of his sister. Hearing her laugh again made him smile. It had been so long since he had seen her and he really did miss her.
“I am to go without supper this evening.” Elise mocked her father. “So says the overlord.”
“He’s changed his mind.” Kirk smiled. “So dinner?” His eyes lit up in a hopeful expression.
“Dinner.” Elise confirmed, very unsure of what she just agreed to. She knew that this ‘dinner’ would most likely end with her being sent to her room for fighting with her father again. Oh well, she would try, for Kirk.
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