EmpressOfDarkness's blog: "Torn Part 2"

Unable to put off turning around anymore, the dessert was finally ready. She pulled it from the oven and placed it on a cooling dish. Lisa heard the stools and wheeled around. 

“Don't even think about it,” she said, the laughter easily heard in her voice. She looked from her mother and brother. “You have to wait.”

“You fill the house with that scent then expect us to wait?” Brian grumbled. “Some sister.”

“Mom? Tell him to stop.” Lisa looked to her mom for help, and realized she was trying to sneak around the island to get at the dish. “Mom! You're worse than he is!”

They all laughed as everyone seated themselves around the counter and impatiently waited for it to cool. The dessert went over well. Brian and his mother ate the entire dish. It wasn't quite a brownie dish, but it wasn't cake either. She called it: Chocolate Haven, even though there wasn't as much chocolate in it as there was brown sugar. Smiling, Lisa teased him about how they didn't leave any for their father.

“Should have made more then,” he said, between mouthfuls. 

“Who said I didn't?” 

“There's more?” mom asked, her eyes sparkling. 

“Yes, but you're not having any more until dad comes home.” Lisa tried to look sternly at her brother and mother. She broke out laughing as they tried very unsuccessfully to look innocent. “I mean it. Not another bite!”

The rest of the day Lisa kept stealing glances at her brother. 'This is what it should always be like.' 

The day in the kitchen quickly faded into a fond memory and the ones that followed passed in a mind-numbing blur. Lisa watched her brother retreat even further and it bothered her. Brian was so outgoing, before he left, that she couldn't help but have a case of hero worship for him. She figured him being three years older than she was probably added to it. 

The hours he sat at the window bothered her. She knew he wasn't just staring at the field; it was more than that. He wasn't there; he was so much farther away. Unable to recreate that afternoon in the kitchen, Lisa racked her brain trying to come up with something that would pull him back to her and their family. 

While she was thinking, a motorcycle pulled up into the drive. It wasn't any of her friends, none of them owned a bike. She stared over her brother's shoulder.

The man on the bike pulled off his helmet and put it easily on the back seat. He seemed unsure as to if he should approach the house. Holding the handlebars, he looked like he was having an argument with himself. Lisa could see his lips moving. 

Before she could go and find out who it was, Brian leaped off the bay window's bench. He rushed to the door, practically pulling it off its hinges. He went outside, shook the man's hand and began leading him back to the house. 

Lisa hadn't seen him that animated in weeks. It was wonderful to see. She wasn't sure who the stranger was, but whoever he was put a smile on Brian's face.

“Hello,” Lisa said, walking into the front hall.

“Well if it isn't Pippy,” the man's eyes twinkled with laughter.

“I haven't been called Pippy in... Josh?” Recognition lit across her face.  “It's been a long time. Come in.”

“Yes, it has.” His eyes still sparkled. “So, how ya been Pippy?”

“No one calls me that anymore you know. I haven't worn my hair in pigtails since I was 12.”

“You'll always be Pippy,” he said, ruffling her hair as Brian led him into the kitchen. 

He still infuriated her. She hadn't seen Josh since she was a senior in high school. Part of her blamed him for Brian signing up for the army but she knew that wasn't entirely fair. 

“Is there any dessert?” Brian called from the kitchen. 

“It's not supper time yet,” Lisa replied.

“Can you make something? That stuff we had that day? What did you call it? Chocolate something, I forget.”

Sighing and knowing she'd not deny him if it kept him in this good a mood, she walked to the kitchen and made the dessert. An hour, two empty pans, and a destroyed kitchen later, the two men sat back satisfied. 

“You're quite the cook, Pippy,” Josh said. 

“Keep calling me Pippy, and it'll be the last dessert you get.” Lisa walked out of the kitchen. “And you two are cleaning the mess.”

Their laughter followed her down the hall. She wasn't angry; she couldn't stay angry. Her brother was smiling and laughing again. It was worth being called that hideous old nickname a couple times to hear that laugh. 

She let her brother and his old friend visit in peace, although curiosity kept creeping in. 'Why was he here? Was he going to try to convince Brian to go back again?' Those thoughts and many others crawled through her mind. It was hard for her to even think about him going back. 'Would he?'

She couldn't bring herself to answer because the one thing she was afraid of was he would say yes. Especially if he thought it would help someone. Lisa didn't think he was too far gone to have stopped caring about his country completely but at the same time, she didn't know. 

Her gaze kept going back to the kitchen as she absently flipped through one of the magazines from the coffee table. The argument she was having in her head was more along the lines of, 'Could she go in the kitchen without raising any suspicions or would it be truly obvious.' 

Lisa didn't want Brian thinking that she was checking up on him but she couldn't stop wondering either. She didn't have to wonder long; her mother came in the front door just as Josh burst into laughter. 

Mrs. Callington walked in, confusion written on her face. Lisa went up to her mother. 

“Josh is here,” she whispered, taking one of the grocery bags.

“Josh?” Mrs. Callington said, momentarily confused. “You mean Joshie?” Her face lit up. 

Lisa could tell that her mom thought this latest development was a great thing. Lisa, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.

to be continued...