Continuing this little fictional story about two sisters and their relationship
in the midst of their relationships.
Sisters.
The afternoon progressed as usual for Maria she always had plenty to keep her amused and busy.
Her thoughts had wandered though at times today, as she remembered Sally her mother who would have turned sixty five in two weeks time, had she not succumbed to cancer eight years earlier, at the age Fifty Eight.
Sally had been the stalwart and matriarch of the family especially after her husband Martin had been tragically taken fifteen years earlier while doing what he loved best, flying.
He was a very experienced pilot who flew cargo planes through out the north of Australia's remote outback and into New Guinea.
It was all a normal day at the office for him, although the job held some dangers especially with the inclement weather that often struck the Tropical north and the small islands to the north of Australian shores.
This was to be the case when on one extremely windy and misty landing on a remote and mountainous island airstrip the small plane over shot the runway and flipped into the sea. Martin and his crew of two had no escape and the shattered small plane has become their resting place until this very day.
The girls and Sally travelled to the small island courtesy of Martin's employers and laid small flower reefs into the water across from the airstrip where the plane sits on the bottom, under a restless sea.
A sadness prevailed throughout the whole island for those who had perished while doing their best and such an important job of keeping the island and it's peoples in supplies and mail from the mainland.
Sally relied heavily on the girls after this tragedy and especially on Maria.
Even after Maria's marriage to Ben Sinclair, a personable young man who had studied geology and worked in the field at many mining sites across the globe, Maria remained the steady one.
Sally knew that Maria was settled but she did worry more about her younger daughter Suzette.
Suzette a very attractive young woman who had no desire to settle down, was for all intensive purposes, devoted to her career.
This was always a challenge to Sally's thinking because she was of the ilk of women who devoted their life to husband and family and whose interests were usually subjugated to the betterment and advancement of others.
So it was Sally, when faced with the prospect of her own death made Maria the surrogate, mother, sister to Suzette. A big ask for any young family woman but one that Maria took candidly in her stride. because, of both the girls, Maria was more like her mother Sally.
Maria years before had come to grips with the tragic loss of her father, even with sadness still very evident in her mind, she was stilled with the solace that her father went doing what he loved so much.
Suzette and Sally also coped the best way they could after Martin passed. Privately though Sally cried inside daily as she thought of the plans she and Martin had made for their future in retirement together. Their love for each other was paramount and for her it was as if a part of her was missing.
Suzette who was more like her father, buried herself in study, dated a few young men and made resolve that she would never be still long enough to sink into despair about the lossof both parents.
Maria knew that when her mother was gone she had to take a greater interest in the well being of her younger sister Suzette. This she reasoned to herself was as her mother and father would have wanted it to be.
"Come on girls, you know I don't ask too much of you but it is a part of your pocket money that you do your chores each day" Maria calls out frantically to Sarah and Polly who were of the habit of finding other things to do after school rather than getting into their designated chores and home work.
Maria, a little bit agitated had been busying herself with dinner and preparing for her little talk with Suzette, who usually returned home around about seven pm.
"Come on girls I want dinner served quickly tonight and I want your homework attended to before Aunt Suzette returns." Maria retorted to the girls as they simultaneously poked their heads out from their bedroom doors.
"I feel like I have a thousand things on my mind at the moment and I need you both to pull your weight and give me some support."
It was Polly who came over to Maria placed her arms around Maria's waist and said " Mum everything will be ok. Aunt Suzette told me to tell you that if you ever seemed uptight and worried"
After a quick cuddle Maria looked up and Sarah was by her side too.
"Yes mum Aunt Suzette did tell us that a few nights back after dinner...while you were on the phone to dad."
She said "If your mother seems upset or worried be her strength and give her some love, she does bear the brunt of us all at times"
Maria was taken aback. Why did Suzette say this to the girls?
Was there something Suzette knew beforehand or had she sensed that Maria was becoming too concerned for her sister Suzette's well being and predicted that when things were not going as planned Maria would take everything too personally and become stressed.
Suzette had the answers and only time would tell.
Milli 11CP
