Annie stepped towards the stairs. "Second Sis is not back yet is she?" she asked quickly.
"No," Big Sis replied.
"Good. Please come with me to my room." Annie started up the stairs. "I need your help." She led the way to her room.
Once in her room, Annie kicked off her shoes. She tossed her handbag on her bed, her hair clip and gloves on the desk and her shawl on the chair. Then she turned to Marie. "Help me out of this dress. It's so difficult to put on and take off on my own. If Second Sis were here, she'd insist I do it myself."
Big Sis examined the dress once she had it in her hands. "I'll send this to the dry cleaners," she offered softly.
Annie took the bag for the dress from her closet. "Would you? That'll be nice, thanks."
The older sister put the dress into the bag and turned to leave.
"Big Sis," Annie called, "are you... are you embarrassed about nudity too?"
"Hmm? Oh, no," Big Sis denied without turning around.
"Big Sis, you are!" Annie accused, "You've refused to make eye contact the whole time." She took a long T-shirt from her cupboard and put it on. "You should have told me."
"I'm sorry," Big Sis whispered.
"It's okay." Annie stepped beside her sister. She reached out and held her sister's hand. "You're trembling."
Marie snatched her hand away.
"Big Sis... you're acting strange." Annie looked up at the older girl's face. "You sometimes act strange when we're alone."
Marie remained quiet.
"Don't you love me?" Annie asked.
"Of course I love you," Big Sis whispered quickly, "You're my sister."
"But you're quiet... and you're trembling... you're afraid of me!?"
Marie said nothing. She looked away.
"Why?"
Marie shook her head. "Don't make me tell you."
"What?" Annie blurted incredulously, "How do I make you?"
"Don't make me," Marie repeated under her breath.
"Sis." Annie touched her sister's hand.
Marie flinched back, as if shocked.
Annie wanted to hold her sister, to comfort her. But Big Sis was watching her with wide eyes, with her back to the wall and holding the flat bag in front like a shield.
Like a cornered prey.
It was obvious that her presence was causing Big Sis pain. Annie retrieved her pajamas. "I'm going to take a shower." That was all Annie could do. She had to remove herself, the cause of her sister's pain.
"I love you, Big Sister," Annie said softly before she shut the door.
As warm water washed over her, Annie's mind was racing. Why was her older sister, the sister whom she depended on, the sister who loved her, afraid of her? Terrified it seemed. Did something happen in their past?
It only happened when they were alone together. So it had to be something that only the two of them knew. Second Sis, Mother and Father would not know. Interrogating Big Sis would only hurt her more. There must be something in her memory that explained their relationship.
However, though Annie thought through the night, she could not remember anything related.
***
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