“Sister, you know when I grew older, I want to have a necklace shaped like the one mother planted in the garden.” Megumi spoke happily.
“The one mommy planted yesterday?” Nadine asked..
“Yup, it was so pretty.”
“Then I’ll promise when we grew older, I’ll give you the necklace you wanted.”
“Really?!”
“Of course.”
“How about you, sister? Do you have something you wanted as well?”
“Yes, I do”
“What is it?” Megumi asked curiously.
“The thing I wanted, is the thing I wanted to treasure the most. The thing I don’t want to loose even if I grew wrinkles or my hair turns white…” She smiled at Megumi
Megumi the younger don’t really understand what Nadine said but she smiled back.
Years passed. Nadine graduated in her college and was Cumlaude. She grew very beautiful and smart. She quickly found a fine job. She earned well and had her family moved to a better house. They had cars and luxury. Megumi, on the other hand, also grew prettily and do her school well.
But it was a matter of time and the people began to compare the two of them. At first, Megumi, doesn’t seem to care about this but as days passed by it worsen and worsen.
“Nadine is very clever. She is smart and very beautiful.” A neighbor spoke.
“Yup. I like her.”
“Thank you very much. I was really proud about my daughter.” As their mother spoke. She has a little sister too, right?”
“Nah. I like Nadine better. Megumi can’t surpass Nadine’s standards she’s way too far.”
Upon hearing this, Megumi was deeply hurt. She felt that being with someone better was not good. Nadine seeing her sister down for days, came talking to her.
“Megumi, are you okay?” she asked.
“Do I look like I’m okay to you?”
“Do you have any problem? You can come talking to me.”
“How could I talk about my problem to my problem? Am I making myself stupid?”
Nadine who was surprised about this, can’t seem to react immediately.
“Why do I feel like my efforts are in vain? Mother, Father and the whole neighborhood, they are always talking about you. You know what? I am putting all my efforts in all my tasks and I’m working on it very hard. And you, you make things look so easy. But why? Why do I feel like my efforts are wasted. Am I only for display?
“No, that’s not true, Megumi. Don’t listen to what you hear. Don’t care about it. You are-”
“But I care, sister! I do care! You’ll never understand me. You know why? Because you’re too perfect. It’s too annoying to watch.”
Then after saying this she walked away.
It’s May 7. Megumi woke up late in the morning. As she walked through the kitchen to get breakfast, she saw the note saying:
Dear Megumi,
Daddy and had an appointment with your sister. Nadine. We’ll be home in the afternoon. We have prepared breakfast. Please it up. Love, Mommy xxx
Megumi crumpled the letter and she became very mad. She thought nobody remember this “day”.
She waited for them until the sun sets. In about 6pm, she heard, their car parking outside. She saw her parents bringing out bags from the car. They looked very happy. Then Nadine noticed her and smiled, “Megu-”
“Looks like you had fun.” She said
“You know what, Megumi, your sister got her paycheck from her work and-”
“And what? Oh, stop it, mother, ‘cause I had it.” She smiled gloomily.
Then Megumi left home.
Years passed. Megumi became very successful. She became a known violinist around the world and became very wealthy. She had no news coming from her family and no contact. Until, a cousin came to her saying that both of her parents died and her sister was in the hospital. Megumi immediately went to her sister to check her and to show what she had become.
At the hospital, she went to the room her sister was in. And was very surprised when she saw her.
“Megumi…” said by her sister with her usual smile but with a pale face much thinner than before, “How have you been? I wanted to see you so badly…”
“I’m… d-doing good… r-really…” Megumi said with a trembling voice, almost tearing but was still controlling.
“I see then that’s good…” she smiled again, “ Oh yeah before I forgot, I wanted to give you this.” She gave Megumi a small gift. “It’s your birthday, right? I wanted to give this to you badly, last few years ago but you got angry and left. Until now, I haven’t got the chance to give you this so I’m so happy that I could give this to you now.”
Megumi accepted the box. She opened it and found a necklace. She then remembered the thing the two of them promised when they were little. That she wanted to have a necklace shaped-like the flower their mother planted on their garden: ROSES. Then she took the letter at the bottom of the box. The letter was brownish and looked old. Then she read:
To my dearest sister, Megumi,
Happy, happy Birthday! I hope that after you had receive this you are no longer mad at me. I love you sister so much so I don’t want you to stay mad at me.
Because we are old enough now I wanted to tell you about the secret of mine. Do you remember the thing I told you about what I wanted? The thing I always I wanted to have and treasure even if I grew old is you my sister. I wanted that even we grew old, we are still best friends and very good sisters as well forever…
I love you very much, sister and have a happy, happy birthday.”
Love,
Your sister, Nadine
