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My Special Sister part 2

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My Special Sister (part 2)
    
    *
    
    “Dina, for the last time, it is something women go through and survive look great.”
    
    Tess could only muster so much niceness to keep herself from yelling to her cell phone in public at the Oregon’s Stock Exchange Market’s cafeteria floor. A rather elegant and spotless area where the white tables were lined and the floor was made of freshly polished marble. On the side was a large window that overlooked one of the city’s main streets. A rather admirable scene, even if all it showed most of the time were the passing cars. Theressa often liked the view, even if she got dizzy whenever she caught a glimpse of how far she was from the ground. On the other side of the room was a restaurant that held a list of corporative menus and treats the company offered. None particularly appetizing nor worth the money, which is why most brought their own food from home.
    
    Today was Fred’s famous lasagna, made specially for her work day and perhaps the best way to kick off her Friday. However, it was the surprise phone call from her friend, Dina, that disrupted her moment of peace.
    
    Why did you have to watch that pregnancy documentary? Tess thought as she let her continue.
    
    Tess’ fork idly poked her husband’s delicious pasta and bolognese sauce, already tangling some of her food only to take a bite as Dina rambled on. “… Ah mean, I know how my own momma looked before having me and my brother. For some their figures never recover from that! Oh and don’t get me started on what my sister-in-law said about the labor…”
    
    Pretty much most of the conversation went on like that and by the time Tess had finished her meal she was almost close at the edge of her patience. And going through a dull day talking on the phone about Dina’s pregnancy was the cause. “Listen Dina, I know you will be a good mother and know what to do when the time comes.”
    
    “But the pain,” Dina began but Tess was quick to defuse her.
    
    “The pain is but a small moment in your life, but trust me when I say this. When you are holding that little child in your hands you will forget of the feeling right away,” she said in her sweetest tone.
    
    “Wow,” Dina said slowly “How come you always know what to say there?”
    
    “It’s one of my talents. Feeling more reassured?” Tess asked.
    
    “A little bit,” she admitted, although still sounding unsettled.
    
    “Good then. I have to head back to work. So be sure take a break and relax,” Tess said as kind as possible as she packed in her lunch box up.
    
    “Right,” Dina said, before brightening up her words, “Oh, by the way, Eric has just returned from Europe and has brought the souvenirs for mah girls. So whenever you can, drop by to mah place to get them.”
    
    “Sure thing.” Tess said. “See ya later.”
    
    “See ya later.” Dina hung up.
    
    Tess let out a sigh as she put her cell phone down and rubbed her ear, feeling it hot and sore. “Ugh, now on to making more phone calls.” Tess sighed. “I can’t imagine how it’ll be when she is past the first month.”
    
    She was sitting back down behind her desk, unlocking her computer to see her to-do list checking the emails she missed, among them was a “Thank you” message from Mr. Devlin for her medical stock recommendation.
    
    The work hours resumed and the floor was filled with the usual noise and chatter. Tess got back to her duties and the rest of the day passed in a vortex of phone dials, conversations with customers, and brief moments in which she concentrated analysis of statistics. The only abnormal break she had from her job was when receiving a sudden call from the floor supervisor, summoning her to his office.
    
    It was not much of a big conversation, but for his boss, Mr. Bell, to give her one of his rather elaborated and padded speeches. He went on with narrating how the company had been doing as of late and culminated on with a summary of the business’ structure. And then he got to the interesting part. “…As you may have known, there has been a recent vacancy left by Mr. Kurst’s retirement, and as such the whole structure is evaluating a shift. Job stations must be managed and spaces must be filled out.”
    
    Tess could barely contain her joy as she heard the news and was already seeing it coming.
    
    “I want you to know that I’ve been offered to occupy a position in the upper levels and as such a vacancy will open for a new floor supervisor,” he said as he reached into the bag of chips he often kept around the table.
    
    She straightened herself in anticipation. “And?”
    
    “Oh…Oh right,” Mr. Bell said cleaning his fingers on a tissue. “I just thought that, while the process is still up in the horizon, your name is up for consideration for the promotion. But you will just need to work hard and make sure your name stands out. In a positive way, of course.”
    
    “I will, sir,” Tess replied right away, almost entranced at the idea of getting a promotion, part of her wishing she had just printed Mr. Devlin’s email to show her good work, although she imagining that might come across as too insistent.
    
    “Good, good, that is what I wanted to hear. I expect you to work hard for the promotion. I am rooting for you and know that I will take any work you do into consideration. For instance, staying a couple of extra hours to help me with the filing to lighten my load,” Mr. Bell said, before dismissing her and accidentally dropping his bag of chips. “Drat…Well Tess, better get back to work. Diligence will take you anywhere you want!” He exclaimed, almost as if it was the motto of his calendar.
    
    “I will, sir. Thank you,” Tess answered.
    
    Her chubby boss lifted his hand as she got up “I do, however, wish you to keep this meeting secret. It is best if your coworkers don’t think there is any favoritism in here.”
    
    Tess frowned a little as she exited the office room. He called me for that? She thought as she made the slow walk down the hallway. He barely said anything useful as she knew she had to be the most eligible candidate for the promotion. She was efficient, proactive and always got very good compliments from her clients.
    
    The news regarding Mr. Kurst’s retirement wasn’t news either as it had a whole special hour event dedicating to bidding farewell to the senior chairman. Well then… at least it’s good to know I am being considered, she mumbled, recalling about a week ago Mr. Bell called each and every person in the office but her for some special talk. Everyone just seemed hushhush on the conversation. From Adams to Cranston to Doppler and Ernest.
    
    “Oh that…It’s a carrot on a stick?” She gasped “He is giving every person in the office a carrot on the stick just to make them work harder. That would probably explain why Doppler, who just got into the company two months ago was called in before her. He was doing it alphabetically, wasn’t he?” The suspicion felt almost too true yet there was little she could do to confirm it. Yet all seemed to match up. Knowing how opportunistic Mr. Bell was, he would probably drag on the process as much as he could and probably until the end of the term when he was to hand in a performance report.
    
    She sighed as she pressed the elevator’s button when her cellphone rang. She answered without even bothering to check who it was.
    
    “Heya Tess, sorry to bother you. I know you don’t like to be called at work hours,” Marion said from the other end of the line.
    
    “Don’t worry, you actually caught me at a fortunate time. What’s up?” Tess said as she waited for the elevator.
    
    “Right, Dina called you already?”
    
    “Yes she did. The souvenirs are at her place, I was thinking of dropping by to pick mine.”
    
    “Can you give me a lift to her place to pick up mine as well?” Marion asked before adding, “My car is in the shop and I had to take a cab downtown for a quick business meeting. I am close to your building so I can wait. Please?” she asked with the usual sweet tone.
    
    Tess glanced down at her clock. Five thirty. Just about half an hour before the end of the work hour. “Sure, if you can wait for me I’ll take you to Dina’s.”
    
    “Thanks Tess, you’re the best.” Marion said before hanging up.
    
    “At least someone things so,” Theressa told herself as she boarded the elevator.
    
    By six in the afternoon, Tess was already driving out from the parking garage and passing by the ice cream parlor to pick up her friend. As usual Marion was just as cheerful as always as she practically skipped into the car’s passenger’s seat. Already half way biting through the waffle cone.
    
    “Thanks a lot,” was her greeting words as she leaned closer to hug her friend and not drip ice cream on Tess. “My car opted to suddenly break down on the same week I had a meeting downtown.”
    
    “No problem, Mari. I was also on my way to Dina’s,” Tess answered, keeping her eyes on the road while occasionally glancing at her, seemingly relieved when Marion finished her ice cream without spilling in her car.
    
    “So, what’s up? Anything new?” Marion asked cleaning her lips with a tissue.
    
    “Oh same old, same old,” Tess commented. She decided to leave the meeting with Mr. Bell out for now. No point in telling her about that because she knew Marion would be the first to jump in for a celebration, even if it was just small talk with Tess’ boss. “Dina called me over. She is worried about the baby and is afraid of all the pregnancy matters.”
    
    “Well, you know how it is. She is the first of the group to being close to going though it. She is terrified, but excited.” Marion giggled. “But I will admit that she might have gone a bit overboard.”
    
    “I don’t know, I think pregnancy can be a big game changer for her.”
    
    “Perhaps it is or maybe not, we’ll see,” Tess replied, pressing the gas pedal for a moment.
    
    “Do think it’s a big change. It does makes things different. Everything from your house to the goals and even your body,” Marion added.
    
    “Yeah, tell me about it. It’s the feeling that little thing starting to grow in her suddenly throw here whole life into perspective. Feeling a baby grow inside you is a way of feeling accomplished, when you suddenly realize you have someone to protect and give a special kind of love and it is then when she’ll realize ‘Oh shit, I am a mother!’” Tess added speeding up slightly before being caught by the amber light and making her hit the brake of her car to an abrupt halt right before the stop light.
    
    “Are you…alright?” Marion asked as the light’s countdown went on, giving them about a minute to talk, or in Tess case, a minute under the magnifying glass with Marion.
    
    “I know, it just got a bit annoying when she called me at work, that’s all,” Tess argued.
    
    “No…you’re bothered. I know why,” Marion said.
    
    “It’s nothing Mari. Let’s just leave it there.”
    
    “Are you sure?” Marion asked, adjusting on her seat. “I know you since we were girls jumping rope in school. I think I would know just as easy what’s bothering you…It’s about her pregnancy, isn’t it?”
    
    “It’s just…” Tess sighed, giving her friend a look. Marion leaned closer. Tess knew her friend could keep a secret. “I know this might seem petty or even mean spirited,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I just feel so envious for her, you know? I mean, Fred and I, we were both always wanted to have kids of our own. It was perhaps one of the things that brought us together.
    
    “I know, Tess,” Marion said placing her hand on Tess’ shoulder for a moment.
    
    “And then…” Tess frowned for a moment as she was interrupted by the honking of cars. The light had turned green and she had just noticed before driving off, this time at a more tranquil pace “And then Dina, I mean Dina, our ‘I ain’t never having any children, yo,’ friend gets married, one drunken honeymoon later and poof she is pregnant, so I think you get my irritability.”
    
    Marion glanced at her with silence but nodding along. “I mean, don’t get me wrong,” Theressa was quick to add “I am so happy for her… It’s just that…you know.”
    
    “I understand,” Marion said. “Hm… it’s as if she were able to sew magnificent dresses without even trying while you struggle to knit?” She then quickly added “that’s just an example.”
    
    “I promise, I’ll get better at knitting, I just don’t have time for practice.” Tess wanted to slump in her seat, but driving kept her from it. “I’m such a bad friend.”
    
    “No, you aren’t,” Marion reassured. “After all, you are trying to help Dina prepare. She called you for a reason.”
    
    “I guess you are right,” Tess admitted as the traffic began to ease up the farther they got from the center of the city. “I don’t know, it’s just the whole situation brought me back that day at the doctor’s office. Finding out I was unable to have kids almost destroyed my marriage with Fred.”
    
    “But you and him pushed through,” Marion said, like the good friend she was known to be. “And you have Nick as well, right?”
    
    “I know,” Tess admitted. “I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel the same. You know Fred and I adopted him when he was barely four years old.”
    
    “But you picked him,” Marion said. “You’ve told us many times before. You saw something in that little boy that just woke that mother side in you in the orphanage.”
    
    “Was it?” Tess sighed. “I wonder if it’s the same as a mother’s instinct.”
    
    “You do know. He doesn’t have to be your own flesh and blood to be loved as if he were your own.” Mari smiled. “I remember when my father brought my sister and I a black little kitty. Oh little Charcoal, she was like our little sister, even if we weren’t of the same species.”
    
    “Thanks for comparing my son to a cat.” Theressa smirked.
    
    “Well, the idea remains. God knows that cat was a part of the family.” Marion began to quiet down as Tess parked by Dina’s house. “Now then, do you want to pick up the souvenirs?”
    
    Tess rubbed her nose as she turned off the engine. “Yeah, I could use some French wine, given that Dina won’t be drinking it for the next nine months,” she said, managing to crack a small smile as the two exited the car.
    
    Dina’s house was a big two story building that she and her new husband had managed to buy with their combined incomes. It was elegant and decorated with their friend’s flashy style but combined with Eric’s sense of order. In her old bachelorette pad, Marion and Tess could expect to be treasure hunting their presents in piles of unpacked luggage, but now Dina was greeting them with a neat stack of bagged (and even labeled) goods and souvenirs on the coffee table.
    
    “Welcome,” Dina smiled gesturing at the own table, amazed herself. “Eric helped me put these in order.” She giggled. “This pile is Marion’s because I know how much you like fashion and exotic sweets. The one over there is Olivia’s, books and little statuettes and mementos. There is even a mini Eiffel Tower over there. And over here is Tess’. Mostly a grab bag of many different goodies.”
    
    “Wow, you certainly put out for us,” Tess smiled as Marion was quick to go over to the corner of the table where her mementos were.
    
    “What can I say? Eric is all about the presentation,” she sad with a tinge of pride.
    
    Tess picked up the first item from her pile. A nice silk scarf with a pattern of scales etched on it’s surface, it felt so soft against her fingers. “This is great,” she said.
    
    “We didn’t hold back on the souvenirs.” Dina snickered “It also helps that Eric just got promoted about a week before the wedding.”
    
    “That’s great!” Tess found a couple of bottles of perfume and sprayed some on her wrist before sniffing it. It smelled sweet and soft, like roses in the summer. “This smells great, Dina. Is it expensive? I kinda feel bad accepting this.”
    
    Her friend was about to answer when Marion suddenly jumped from her seat, holding an open bag of sweets with her hand “Oh my god, this German chocolate is delicious. Try it!” And before Tess could actually agree, her friend quickly plopped a tiny piece into her mouth.
    
    “Mmm…” She moaned as the little treat melted against her tongue. “This is delicious. Where did you get it?”
    
    “Oh there was this bakery on the way to Italy,” Dina said observing the bag. “Crafted and home prepared traditional German chocolate.”
    
    “Want some?” Marion offered as she invited another to Tess.
    
    “Oh, no thank you. Those are yours,” Dina smiled as she began to sort out more of the presents. Theressa smiled as she saw her and tried to remind herself that she had no reason to be envious, after all they’ve been friends since college. Perhaps I should stop feeling envious. Dina is my friend, she thought as she ate another of Marion’s chocolate.
    
    **********
    
    The ring of the last bell of the day of class echoed down the hallways and loud and high into the classroom as Mr. Boyle, the English teacher,packing began to pack up his files. “And remember class, for the upcoming project, I need you to make a presentation on one of the topics listed in the school’s Intranet. So, get together in the groups I just assigned and get to it.” And having said that, he picked up his briefcase and made his way over to the door. Giving the class some time before the next teacher showed up.
    
    Nickolas sighed relieved as the class was over. One more before the end of school. His father would pick him up then. Since it was Friday, and his dad usually returned home early from work and so he often dropped by and picked him up from school. It always felt like a good way to start the weekend.
    
    Turning his head, he noted the fellow classmates Mr. Boyle had chosen. On one chair by the front of the class, was Janice Delaware, a cute girl of light brown lacy hair that seemed to always be decorated by a ribbon or a brooch, pulling it back into a small tail. That was as much as Nick could see from his point of view as she was glancing down at her smartphone, but it was just what he needed as he’d seen her many times before and would be seeing her much more often now that they were group partners.
    
    The other member of the group was Dylan Joustin. And at that time, Nick couldn’t help but not the irony of the situation as just yesterday he was complaining about the new kid hogging the attention and becoming popular. Yet there was nothing he could do about it. The decision was the teacher’s and changing it was almost impossible, almost not worth asking just because he mildly disliked a guy, also he was in the same group as Janice and he wouldn’t want to ruin that.
    
    “Now then, just one more hour before the classes are over for the week,” Nick wished, reaching over to put away his English copybook.
    
    It was about that time when Ashton and Jimmy came by. “Nick! Did you see the latest Warrior King’s episode last night?” Ash greeted.
    
    “Yeah I did, that fight at the end was awesome!” Nickolas smirked as he recalled the show.
    
    “And what did you think of that one at the beginning?” Ashton asked, adjusting his glasses.
    
    “Sadly, I couldn’t, Mom had me do some chores.” Nick lied. In reality, she had sent him over to change his place because it had a pair of mud pawprints on it. But as usual, he preferred not to bring his sister into the conversation, even if his friends knew about her and had even met her on separate occasions.
    
    “That sucks, man,” Jimmy said “So are there any plans for Saturday? Are you coming to soccer practice?”
    
    “Of course, I am, you guys certainly wouldn’t be able to do much without me,” Nick said.
    
    “Heh, you better, with the nearby tournament incoming,” Ashton added.
    
    “Ahem,” said a voice behind them and prompted them to step aside to reveal Janice standing between the two. “Sorry for interrupting, but mind if I talk with Nick about the group project?” She asked.
    
    “Sure,” Ashton said.
    
    “Of course,” Jimmy agreed as the two backed away for a moment and giving Nick the thumbs up as they returned to their seats.
    
    Nick couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his friend’s gesture, specially since it was true, but tried to play it cool with her. “Sure, so what do you want to talk about?” He asked as Janice took a seat in the empty seat before him (the girl who sat there, Zoe, was elsewhere chatting with her friends) and laid the tablet she was using before them. She raised her hand to gesture at Dylan to join them. He looked up at her and asked her for a moment with one hand as he continued chatting with his friends. Perfect, Nick thought, wanting some alone time.
    
    “Well, I was trying to see what we could do for the project. I was just checking the list of topics and seems pretty extensive. I do however like the idea of evolution or natural fauna. But the idea for the space program was rather interesting. I mean after the taur meteorite hit the earth ten years ago the space program is in a boon…” Janice went on explaining, but Nick couldn’t help but let his focus wonder as he watched her talking, hearing her voice but no words already imagining what the first kiss would test like and how to get it.
    
    “…what do you think?” Was the last words Nick heard her say. It took him a moment to realize what she was talking about.
    
    “Um… I,” Nick muttered, realizing he was ending up like a doofus in front of his first crush. Quick, think of something, he thought “I think I agree.”
    
    “Then you do think the three of us should meet on Monday after school?” Janice recapitulated.
    
    “Yeah, definitely,” Nick muttered searching down his copybook to take note.
    
    “Your house?” Janice suggested.
    
    That was an immediate red light for Nick. Not that he didn’t want Janice there, it was his sister that was the problem. Let alone someone like Dylan to see her. “How about your place?” Nick asked opening his book.
    
    “Hm…I don’t know, my place is really small,” she muttered looking over in Dylan’s direction, once again gesturing at him to get closer only for him to give her the same answer as before. “Well, we can figure it out later. Can you write down the list of topics I mentioned we could do? Just for reference?” She asked once noticing he was about to write.
    
    “Sure,” Nick agreed right away before realizing something “Um, could you list them again?”
    
    Janice smirked, suspecting he hadn’t been paying attention but not saying a single word about, instead she just listed down the subjects, looking at what he was writing, or so he thought.
    
    When Nick least expected it, Janice’s hand reached out for his and his heart jumped for a moment but it quieted down as she reached down the sleeve of his jacket and produced a single long silvery thread. “Oh? What’s this?” She asked giving it a closer look and quickly figuring it out “A hair?”
    
    “Um…yes, it’s my cat’s, you know they shed fur all over the place, it must’ve fallen into my book while I was studying.” His defense started to fall apart as Janice measured the length of it, seeing how it was just at least twenty to thirty centimeters long.
    
    “It’s a bit too long for a cat,” she noted.
    
    Nick froze for a moment and sighed “It’s my sister’s. She has the taur virus.”
    
    Those words seemed to have sparkled Janice’s interest as she studied the thread. “A taur virus? Sounds cool. What is she? A cat taur?”
    
    “A snow leopard, to be precise,” Nick answered.
    
    “That’s cool. I would’ve liked to be a cool animal,” she commented “I was stuck as a doe two years ago during the winter break. I am not complaining, though. Prancing around in the woods was oddly fun.”
    
    “Really?” Nick replied, recalling that Janice moved to town at least a year ago, so that probably happened in her previous school.
    
    “Yeah. I mean I would’ve preferred to be a big predator or something exotic like my cousin who turns into a lemur taur. She can peel three bananas at the same time and climbs trees and makes it look so fun. But well, I don't think one can trade their conditions. Have you had the taur virus yet?”
    
    “Um, no not really.” Nick answered just as Dylan arrived to the seat.
    
    “Alright then, what am I doing here?” He asked Janice, sitting at an adjacent desk, close enough to her just for Nick’s head to give him a warning “What are you talking about?” Dylan asked, almost grumpier than Fi when she is woken up from her cat nap.
    
    “I called you over to talk about the group presentation for class,” Janice said “And we got sidetracked talking about the taur virus. Nick’s sister has it.”
    
    A look of disgust seemed to draw itself on Dylan’s face. “Really? I suppose it is even in these parts of the city,” he said.
    
    “Have you been a taur already?” Janice asked.
    
    “No, not yet thank God. I prefer to remain clean of it,” Dylan answered.
    
    “Everyone gets it sooner or later, it is best if you just go with it,” Janice explained but shrugged “Anyway, as I said, we were talking about the group project. I have a list of subjects and I think we have to choose one at least this weekend and then see where we gather up.” She reached for the page in Nick’s book and asked if she could tear a piece before doing so. “Please write your emails addresses, we’ll be coordinating through it.”
    
    “Hm…Alright, I’ll be waiting for your e-mail,” Dylan answered, being the first to snatch Nick’s pen and write on the paper just as the Math teacher entered the classroom. The student groups began to scatter and go back to their seats.
    
    “We’ll talk about this later,” Janice said after Nick managed to write down his own email before going over to her spot in the front line.
    
    “She cute, and she doesn't have a boyfriend. She’ll fall for me in no time, so better not get in the way,” Dylan smirked high enough so that Nick could hear before heading off.
    
deerdinagirlleopardsistersnowspecialtaurtesstheressatransformationvirus
The second part comes and the story moves along. I am more than relieve the stories are flowing right now and I'm looking forth for when i have the next part ready :).

Thanks everyone for the interest and let me know what you think of it.

Previously --- malagua.deviantart.com/art/My-…
Next ---- malagua.deviantart.com/art/My-…

A special thanks to :iconcooper3: for providing the editing and support
© 2015 - 2024 MaLAgua
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Tenkokukutiw's avatar
Tenkokukutiw
Buen trabajo para lo que es. Me llama atención Nike ocultar que hermana es taur.