Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, but I had trouble finding an editor. Hope you guys enjoy it.
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A frail six year old boy held on tightly to his stuffed giraffe, Tommy. The rain was battering at the windows at an alarming rate and thunder was flashing frequently. It was one of the worst storms he had ever seen in his life. He clutched his giraffe harder, willing it to make the storm stop.
He watched, terrified as a flash of lightning streaked across the middle of the sky, splitting it in a momentary dazzling line. He got out of bed and cowered in the corner, anticipating the loud crack of thunder.
The tempest did not disappoint. Moments later, the sky roared at him with a fearsome sound. He shivered and cried softly as the sound reverberated in the room. It was so loud, he could almost feel himself shaking in the aftermath. On that cold dark night, that boy felt all alone.
The door to his room opened. His nine year old sister stood in the doorway, with tousled hair and a sleepy expression on her face. She studied the crouching form of her brother and smiled.
"Still afraid of the storm, Kyle?"
He just nodded. She always seemed to know what was going on in his mind.
"That last crack of thunder woke me up. I knew you would be afraid so I came. Now, go back to bed. I am sleeping beside you tonight."
With some reluctance, Kyle slid back under the covers. His sister climbed up beside him. They were facing each other. He got that familiar feeling of warmth and confidence radiating from her face.
"Thanks, Dana."
She affectionately stroked his face, which she found cute, and then cuddled up to him, wrapping her arms around his back. He buried his face in her comforting shoulder as she gently patted his hair and softly ran her fingers through them.
"Remember, little brother, your big sister will always be there for you. I promise."
There was an even brighter flash of lightning followed by a deafening roar of thunder, but this time Kyle wasn't scared. He knew that he was safe in the protective arms of his sister. He fell asleep.
Suddenly, he awoke to a different scene. He was no longer six and Dana was no longer nine. They were adults, but she still held on to him with that affectionate embrace as they lay in bed. The bed was in the middle of a field. Dana awoke soon after and looked straight into his eyes. Her expression was cold and emotionless, as if the life force had been drawn out of her. Her eyes had no vitality in them. She just looked at him, wallowing sorrow writ large on her face.
"Why did you leave me, Kyle? You know how much I loved you."
Taken aback, he tried to stammer a response. "I know, but you said it was okay for me..."
The sentence remained incomplete as her eyes moistened. The grief was emanating from every pore of her face.
"I said that to make you happy, but you know that I love you so much. Do you have any idea how hard it has been for me to let go?"
She got up off the bed and slowly began walking away.
"Wait, where are you going?"
Dana turned, her spectral, emotionless gaze resting on Kyle.
"I am going away. You are someone else's now. Goodbye Kyle."
He jumped out of bed and tried following her, his flowing tears mingling with the swirling rain.
"Please stay. I love you too."
"It's too late Kyle. I have to go."
He chased her over the drenched grass, desperately hoping to hold onto her. She kept moving further and further away and he kept running. Finally, they were out of the clearing and facing two tall buildings. She turned to face him one last time.
"Goodbye Kyle. Make Stella happy. And know that I always loved you."
There was a massive crack of thunder and both buildings spontaneously collapsed, burying Dana in a pile of rubble and smoke.
Kyle Walsh woke up with a start. His heart was beating wildly and his pulse was erratic. He stifled a scream of anguish in his throat. He took a deep breath to calm himself and gazed at his sister's tranquil sleeping form curled up against him. Her arm was draped over his body. He reached over to gently caress her cheek as she slept peacefully.
Just days after their resolution, he was already feeling guilt at leaving Dana. She had always been there when he needed her. Maybe he should be with her now that she needs him more than ever. He checked the digital clock on the bedside table. The glowing LEDs announced 4:45 am. He fell asleep again.
"Do I have to come?"
"It would really mean a lot to me. I worked pretty hard to put this event in place. I don't get why you are complaining though, so many people would kill to be invited to the Mayor's ball. This is the biggest party of the year."
"I don't know. I have never been much of a party person."
"This is not just any party. The entire glitterati of the city will be there. I had to go through so much trouble to get an extra pass for you."
"Fine," said Dana, "I have never been able to say no to you anyway."
"Thank you so much. Besides it would be the ideal place to meet someone, get back on the horse," Kyle added with a smile.
Scowling at him, she left the room.
He sat down on his bed. There were several thoughts running through his mind. It had been a month since their emotional resolution on his ledge. Even though Dana had told him to go after Stella, he could make out that she was visibly hurting. Ever since they had moved to New York, she had not been on a single date. He desperately wanted her to be happy.
The ball was the most talked about event on the New York social calendar. The guest list was only slightly more impressive than the decorations.
The Walsh siblings made their way to the ball. Kyle immediately started chatting with Stella and the other people he knew. Several guys tried flirting with Dana, with precious little success.
It was time for the dance, when he suddenly spotted Dana sitting all by herself in the corner with a drink in her hand. She looked so distant and lonely. He politely spurned Stella's offer for a dance and walked up to her.
