Chapter 6:

A smile played Jean’s lips as she faced the brown eyed brunette. “Hay Tanya.” She ran forward to hug her friend.

“Hi Jean. You didn’t tell me that you were coming to Rosewood.” Tanya said returning the hug.

“But I told your mom. Maybe she forgot to…” Jean stopped when another snowball hit her at the back of her head. She turned around to be the grinning faces of her brothers. “Now you have done it. Come on Tanya. Let’s show these two how to play snowball.”

“Can’t agree more.” Tanya said grabbing a handful of snow.

The whole place rang with squeals of laughter as the four of them ran around like little four year olds, throwing snowballs at each other till they all were exhausted.

“That was fun.” Jean said half an hour later sipping a cup of coffee in a small cozy café. Tanya was beside her and her brother’s in front of her. Now and again Jack would get Tanya's attention and the two of them would talk and Jean would watch them with a grin. it was obvious that Jack likes Tanya. They had been in the same class the previous semester and already knows each other already. It's been a while since she had seen Jack shooting dreamy glances at Tanya across the table and she wondered how to patch them both together. Tanya would be the best girl for her brother. 

“So how do you know each other?” Jack's question startled Jean as she daydreamed Jack marrying to Tanya. Wasn't that supposed to be Jack's daydream? she smiled at herself and answered.

“Well…Tanya and I were in the same class from second grade till seventh grade in California. We had been pretty good friends.”

“Yeah. We have been friends since first day of school. People stare but you never meet a friend with a heart of gold more than once.” Tanya explained.

“I agree. And looks aren’t everything. That’s what I believe.” Jack said.

“I believe that too.”  Tanya said smiling generously.

There right then Jean saw a flicker of interest in Jack’s eyes for Tanya. She smiled at herself as she planned to taunt Jack later about it. maybe a little push from her would make them a happy couple.

“Enough chit chat. Mom would be looking for us.” Harry said, bored.

Jack and Jean exchanged glances. “Yeah let’s go. We can always talk later.” Jean said.

“When are you coming to meet mom?” Tanya asked.

“If she’s free, I’m free.” Jean answered.

Tanya grinned. “Okay. I’ll talk to her.”

Jean and her brothers walked Tanya halfway to her home and said goodbyes as they parted. The rest of the way Jean and Jack talked nonstop while Harry tagged along, silently listening.

“Where are you three coming from?” Clara’s sharp voice met them as they entered the living room. They faced their mother who set on the couch with a magazine on her lap. She was wearing her robe and her hair was wet from a shower. But it certainly didn’t look like that the shower had calmed her nerves from the earlier happenings of the day, since her face glowered red from the blood that raced into her cheeks and forehead.

Jack Jean and Harry looked at each other, worried and concerned. Things didn’t start well that day and this definitely didn’t look good. How are they going to console their mother? If this goes on every day, she would most likely start having problems with her blood pressure.

“I’m asking you three a question.” Clara said through gritted teeth.

“We were just having a little fun outside.” Jack said when no one answered, unknowingly adding coal into the burning fire.

“Right. Having a good time with your sister.” Clara’s every word rang pure sarcasm.

“That’s not it mom.” Jack hurried to make amends. “We were all a little bummed in the morning and thought that showing Jean around would lift our moods.” He said.

Harry rolled his eyes at his brother’s words. Would he just stop talking if he doesn’t know the right thing to say? Seriously, all these years I thought that he was the brain in the family. Well this proves wrong. He was saying the wrong thing over and over again. It was obvious that bringing Jean into this conversation would just make things worse. Though Jack likes their long lost sister, it doesn’t mean everyone else dose too. He looked at his mother, waiting for another one of her sharp replies. But to his amazement she just glared at Jean for a long time and hurry out of the room.

“That was unexpected. I thought she was going to say something harsh. Jack voiced Harry’s thoughts.

“Well, she’s gonna strike later. I guess she’s a little off due to grandma dying and everything else that’s happening.” Harry said walking up the stairs. He stopped on the second step and turned around with a scornful look on his face. “This is all your fault you know.”

“Harry that’s…” Jack started to say but Jean stopped him by saying a muted sorry.

Jean made her way to her bedroom and set down on the floor resting her head on the bed. She had been expecting mom’s harsh words from the start but she had never anticipated this behavior from Harry. He had tried little to hide his dislike towards her but now it was obvious. Her brother does not accept her as his sister.

Getting born has never been a sin. Being a girl has never been a crime. Then why was she getting punished for it? In her life she has had to face a test after test. As a kid she missed her parents when she saw other kids with their moms and dads. Growing up, she had to face her schoolmates scorn as they turned the first curve after a single glance at her. She was called a ghost, a freak. Now her beloved grandmother had said goodbye to her forever and her own mother and grandmother don’t accept her. Why did only she have to lead a hard life? For what reason is god testing her again and again? Why can’t she be like any other normal girl?

Tears escaped her tightly shut eyes as he lied down on the floor the coldness soothing her nerves a little. She was at the point of breaking into little pieces when her grandmother’s words began to ring in her ears. ‘Everything happens for a reason honey. And every bad situation has a solution following. Don’t lose hope. Everything will be alright very soon. You’ll see.’

Gran was right. Things do happen for a reason. Every situation does have a solution just like a math problem.

The ring of her cell phone woke her from her peaceful sleep. She answered it and leaned against her bed. “Jean talking.”

“Hay Jean dear.” Jean would know that voice anywhere.

“Mrs. Kimble. Hi.” Jean said in the most enthusiastic voice.