*** All characters are 18 or older at the time of this story ***
"So, you can tell your buddies about us now, ha?" She said quietly. Her voice was almost audible.
"No. I swear" I wasn't loud either. Jesus! How did all this happened? I questioned myself, but felt no remorse what so ever. I knew I wouldn't have changed a bit of what happened. But, it wasn't planned. It just happened as it was destine to...
"Liar ... You are not going to boast to your friends? I don't believe you."
God! She looked so beautiful and so feminine. How blind was I not to see her exquisiteness in the same context before? She had a sculpted figure... Her waist was tapered and she had a gleaming skin tone. It was a pleasure to see her flowing, moon shadow-black hair. Her enticing greenish-gray eyes gazed at me over her bulging heart shaped lips. Perhaps still trying to pick-up pieces and figure out what happened or why.
"Stop staring... I know you going to boast and brag about getting inside my pants to your friends, isn't that right?" Mila sighed, turning away from me to pull up her shorts. Instead of repeating my answer, I moved towards her. She felt as a china doll as I wrapped my arms around her - letting her body melt into mine. Mila's body shook and dissolved into me as I felt her body pressed against mine. The embrace became a soft, yet a passionate kiss.
"Thank you! I needed that" she sighed, sending her warm breath on and around my right shoulder. "I better go now." Mila whispered and then quietly walked out of the room.
***
It all started with Mila making a statement over dinner that she and James decided not to see each other for a while. I don't think anyone took her seriously, but I knew our parents had come to like James as they had hoped one day Mila, their only angel, would settle down with him. He had everything going for him. He was smart, handsome and came from a very affluent family. What else would a parent want from a son-in-law?
Couple of weeks went by, but Mila and James did not make up their differences, whatever they were. Instead, what we saw was a difference in my sister Mila's behavior, among other things, how she always drifted away to isolate herself. She often sighed involuntarily, joined the family for dinner but appeared as she was spaced out just dragging her folk all over the plate, but rarely taking the folk to feed herself. Her interaction with the family during the time was occasional and even then, most of the time she wasn't well aware when a question was posed to her or whatever the chat took place at the time.
Of course parents were bit concerned, but weren't alarmed to rush her to a doctor or do something blown out of proportion. They thought Mila and James would get back together soon and then they knew Mila would be her normal self. However, being the only girl in the family, they tried their best to comfort her, without poking into the situation to further aggravate it. I thought they were more curious about what was going on with her to weigh what to do with her at the time.
I have no intentions of tiring you with all the facts, figures, and measurements while writing this. Far from it, but feel obligated to mention few things just so that you can get the picture. While Mila began to isolate herself from us, I was excited about being selected to the air force. That had been my dream since my childhood. To join the air force and hopefully become a fighter pilot. I had only few days left after the 4th of July, which fell on a weekday that year to report for BMT for training. Mila, having completed her freshman year at the local community college was going through issues as I mentioned.
"Pete, do you know if Mila has any plans for tonight?" Mom asked. In the past we always went out as a family to see the fireworks on the 4th, but in last few years, parents refrain from leaving the house, but Mila and I have gone with our own friends.
"No she didn't say."
"Are you going somewhere Pete?'
"Ugh... no. Most of my friends are out of town or busy. No girlfriend, remember." I grinned
"Why don't you take Mila to the casino or river front? Maybe she'll go with you instead of staying withdrawn from the world." Mom asked and sighed.
"I don't know... I don't know if she'll go, but I can ask."
"Would you? That would be nice... You may not be around to see here to see fireworks next year. Ask her." mom sighed in relief.
I went straight to Mila's room to ask her if she would join me to watch fireworks at the river front or casino. Her door was wide opened and I spotted her laying on bed, eyes closed and earphones from her phone blocking her hearing. I called her name, but she didn't hear. I knew she wasn't asleep. She was just in the kitchen to have a glass of chocolate milk, her favorite little earlier. After debating whether or not it was the right time to ask, given that she was somewhat not herself, I committed myself to take few steps to her and tap on her shoulder.
"Ugh... Pete!"
"Mila! Would you go with me to see fireworks tonight?" I asked like a child asking to go to a carnival or something. Almost begging. Not that I was so keen on seeing fireworks with my sister, because I thought it was the right way to ask.
"Fireworks?"
"Dah yes. The 4th, fireworks, remember. Remember fireworks on the 4th." I smiled at her
"No Pete, I don't think so" she shrug and made a pouty face.
"Why not? You don't have any other plans, do you?"
"I don't feel like going out Pete...with anyone tonight." She tried to smile looking at me directly
"You know, I may not be here to go with you next year or even year after that. Who knows when I'll be able to join the family to do something together? Go with me?" I gently pleaded.
"I don't like loud noises anymore."
"Ok then, we can drive up the Skyline Boulevard, park and see fireworks from distance."
"Why? We live on Skyline..." She smiled this time "We can see from the back of our property."
"Not clearly. We can only see some over the canopies of trees." I tried again to convince her to leave the house with me, knowing that getting her out of the house even for a short period would make parents very happy.
"Mmm ... No" After a brief silence she said "If you want..., we can go to the back. Is that okay?" Our house was built on a lot that they leveled front most potion. About twenty feet from the house, it rises up about four or five feet and then slopes down. Once you past the treed area, there is a clear view of the river straight ahead and the casino to the right. I knew I wasn't going to get Mila to drive out to any place. So settled for her wish. Few minutes later, I told mom that Mila only agreed to go with me to the back of our property.
"Try to talk to her? But just don't jump in too fast and dig, you know what I mean, right?'
"Yap, I'll try."
"Make your sister feel special and comfortable first." Mom winked.
I always made my sister feel very special, so did mom and dad. She was always comfortable around me and I just couldn't think of what more that I could do to make her special or more comfortable. Intention being trying to get her to spill what might be bothering her, but we already knew something wasn't right between Mila and James.
Then the lighting stuck. Camping! Yes, Mila had always liked camping, campfires, sitting outside in the dark and counting endless starts, waiting for a shooting stars, staring up for hours laid on the ground, roasted marshmallows and even sipping some wine whenever I was able to steal some from dad.
I immediately went to work. First I moved the potable clay fire pit to the back of the property where I thought we had a good view. Followed by a camping mat since I didn't want to carry wooden lawn chairs. Then wood to burn, small blanket just in case if it got bit chilly as winds from up north was in the weather forecast. Finally, I took a bottle of 1.5 liter wine from dad. He has been buying big bottles since they were cheaper than regular bottles. Two glasses and bottle of wine in a plastic bucket that I found in the garage and filled it with ice.
By dinner, everything was set. When I told what I had in store for Mila, mom smiled.
"Nice! But don't give her lot to drink" she said "Dad and I won't come near you guys. Besides tomorrow is a work day. Tell me whatever you find, okay?"
After dinner, I watched as she cleaned up from dinner. She looked over her right shoulder as she knew I was looking at her from behind and smiled. There was no shorts tonight which she typically wore to family dinner. She wore a knee length sundress, one of her favorites that she wore around the house. As it was still light at 7 pm, we sat in front of the TV for a while, but Mila excused herself and went to her room after about thirty minutes. Close to eight thirty, it was still light outside. We all knew that fireworks won't start till close to ten, but random firecrackers and fireworks still heard from the neighborhood. Finally, I went looking for Mila in her room.
"Hey, we have a fireworks date." I grinned
"Ugh... Yes. You have a date with fireworks" she smiled. "I'll keep your company for a little while, okay?'
"Let's go then."
"Enjoy!" mom said shouting over the sound of TV as I took my sister in hand and closed the backdoor behind us. Since it wasn't dark enough, I left my small flashlight where it was in my pocket and helped Mila climb up the little mound behind the house, not because she needed help, but I thought it was the right thing to do. My sister happily clung to my hand.
As we approach the spot, I told Mila "I want you to remember this 4th" She smiled spotting the camping mat, but when she saw the clay fire pit, she looked to be surprised.
"Peter!" I knew right away that she was surprised since she only called me Peter when she wants to yell at me or butter me up. I lit the fire first as she unroll the mat and sat.
"For my sweet sister..." I announced bringing the plastic bucket with bottle of wine inside.