Five Questions the Twins Asked- and the Time it Mattered

[sroni]

This is a story that I wrote about two of my RP characters, Sandy and Jamie Howards. Selah is a little girl that Sandy adopted from the second planet she ever visited. Beyond that, I think you know all you need to know.

Anyway, Five Questions the Twins Asked- and the Time it Mattered (Four drabbles and a ficlet)



Hypocrisy vs Honest Attempts
"River? Why do you go to church when you see the hypocrisy of the people?" Jamie's eyes were intense.

"That's not all I see. People are human. You look, and all you see is hypocrisyl I look, and I see fallen people, united together in love and service. We all screw up, Christians and non-Christians alike. The only difference is, we know that we're forgiven when we ask." Sandy leaned against Jamie, resting her head against him. 'And you can be, too. Then we strive not to do it again. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail, but always we try."


Seduction- or Lack Thereof

Sandy whacked her brother in the back of the head, stretching up on tiptoe to do so. "Do you think you can tone down the lady killage just a tidge? You're freaking the poor girl. Actually, if you could refrain from seducing any of my friends, or potential friends, that would be great."

Jamie pretended to pout. "But River-"

She cut him off. "No."

Jamie sighed. "Fine. Have it your way. But yu're not allowed to seduce my friends, then. Fair is fair."

Sandy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because that's something we have to worry about. I'm such a seductress."


Makeover

A knock came at Sandy's door, and without thinking, she opened the door wide.

Her twin was on the other side, and his eyes widened as his jaw dropped. After he overcame his surprise, he laughed, long and hard. "What's with the hair?"

Sandy was pretty sure she heard a real guffaw.

Sandy was confused for a moment. She turned and caught sight of herself in the mirror. She then meeped. Meeped. With an actual "Meep" sound. It only served to make Jamie laugh harder.

She had horns. And lopsided braids.

She turned back to Jamie. "I let Selah do my hair."


Subtlety

"Jamie, do you even know the meaning of the word 'subtle'?" The note of exasperation rung in Sandy's voice.

Jamie grinned cheerfully. "Yup. I even know how to be subtle when the situation demands it. I just choose to not be the majority of the time.' Jamie's grin widened even as Sandy rolled her eyes, sighed, and thwunked him in the back of the head, none too gently.

"One of these days, you're going to bite off more than you can chew. And when that happens, I'll laugh."

"And then you'll help dig me out." Jamie knew his sister.


The Time it Mattered

Sandy woke up to the phone ringing.

Phone. Middle of the night.

Bad.

She stumbled out of bed, biting back a yelp when her toe connected with the desk. She managed to find the phone, cutting it off in mid-ring. "Howards." Her vice came out whispy and insubstantial.

"River?" Jamie's voice was cracked and dry.

"What's wrong?" Her adrenaline jumped into hyperdrive.

"Nothing." He sighed heavily. "Everything. Can I come over? I need your help."

"Always. Let me unlock the door." She glanced over at Selah, who was conked out in the way that only a child can be. The girl was sprawled out on the bed, one hand in her mouth, sucking contentedly, oblivious to the wet spot on the pillow, her long dark hair fanned out behind her. Sandy was already dreading the day that her baby would grow into a teenager- Selah had the delicate features monopolized by big eyes, and the dark tones that spoke of Middle Eastern heritage once you traced her family tree back to Earth. Yes, something told Sandy that when her baby grew up, Sandy would be chasing the guys away from Selah wtih a stick- and maybe a few guns, too.

Sandy tugged on a sweatshirt and opened the door, somehow knowing that Jamie was on the other side even before he knocked. He looked horrible- his hair was short enough he couldn't really do anything with it, but long enough to get tousled and rumpled, and it definitely was, his freckles were prominant against pale skin, his eyes bloodshot. Sandy tossed a few cushions at Jamie- she collected them and kept cushions and pillows stacked and stashed in corners and in her closet, so that when people were in her room, and in her closet, so that when people were in her room, and in her closet, so that when people were in her room, she could make them conmfortable- and then grabbed a few for herself and sat next to him. "What's up?" She asked softly, peering at him intently. This was something big.

Jamie pulled inward, looking at the flor instead of at her. "I read your Bible. Luke, like you told me to. And I've come to the realization that you're right." His head lifted and his eyes met hers with a burning focus. "I'm sorry for all the things I've said to you about your beliefs. I need your help, River. What do I do now?"

Sandy looked at Jamie, joy tugging at her heard and begging to bloom into full fledged overpowering rejoicement. She tamped it down. She had to make sure of things, first. "You believe that the Bible si real?"

Jamie nodded, reddened eyes communicating far more than the nod did.

She wished that he was actively trying to tell her something with his eyes, but she recoginzed the emotion if not the phrasing. "You believe that God really does love us?"

He nodded again, his tongue swiping at dry lips.

She kept asking questions that needed to be asked. "You believe that Jesus is God's son?" Another nod, another emotional communication through the eyes. "You believe that Jesus died because he loves you so much that he wanted to save you, to be with you in eternity?"

A nod, and this time the red eyes were shining with the wetness that comes from holding back tears.

"He wants to have a relationship with you. Do you want one wiht him?" Her voice was low and soft.

This time, Jamie answered vocally, his voice dry and cracked and choked with emotion. "Yes." It seemed as though the single word was all he was able to get out.

A wide smile split Sandy's face. "Then do it. Read the Bible as often as you can. Strive to understand and then apply it to your life. Talk to God often- pray. That's what prayer is, it's conversation, not a wishlist. Fellowship with other believers. It's important. It gives you a chance to worship with other people, to find out how God is working in other people's lives, and a chance to take your needs to other people so they can pray for specific things. And most importantly, love God, and obey him out of that love. Love other people. That doesn't mean giving people what they want. It means giving them what they need." Sandy gave her brother a big hug. "Actually, I think this is just as important as love. Know that God loves you. And know that, as hard as you try not to, you're going to mess up, and you're going to backslide."

Jamie rested his cheek on Sandy's head, and she felt the wetness on her scalp, signifying that her tears were echoed and mirrored by him.

"Jamie, I know that you know the Lord's Prayer. Do you mind if I put it in my own words?" He shook his head against her head, and she interpreted his head shake to mean "go ahead".

Sandy took a deep breath. "Daddy, you live in heaven, and your name is holy. Help us to do your will and not ours- to lay our agenda down and to pick yours up. Make earth as close to heaven as it's going to be until your son comes back. Give us our needs for the day. Forgive us of our sins against you, other people and ourselves, and help us to forgive other people who hurt us. When we're being tempted, help us to get through it without giving in, and keep us safe from Satan. The earth belongs to you, and you are powerful and strong and glorious, and you wil remain so, forever and always. Amen."

Jamie wrapped his arms around Sandy and she twned herself with and around him. "Thanks, River."

Sandy was smiling, even as tears dropped down her face. "No problem. It's what I'm here for. I'm very happy for you. I've been praying for you for years. I'm glad my prayers have been answered. I love you, Jamie."

He tightened his hold on her. "Thank you for your prayers. I love you, too, River."

The twins fell asleep on their pillows, wrapped around each other like they had when they were little.

They fell asleep with their hearts singing in joy and thanks.



END

Comments

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity, why does he call his sister River?

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Even Jamie doesn't know- and I've tried to ask him.

It's just something he's always called her.

Sandy's nicknames are :Sandy (her real name is Alexandra), River (only Jamie), Rose (only her best friend, Eddie, calls her that because anyone else would die and knows it), and Curly (her best friend from high school, a sister, and Jamie's first girlfriend and only serious girlfriend).

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

You do have it all worked out!

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Not really- the characters don't always talk to me. Sandy's middle name is Rose, which is why Eddie calls her that. As for Curly, she calls Lacey Spike- Sandy's hair is curly, and at the time of the nickname, Lacey had spikey hair.

And I only know the Lacey nicknames because Lacey/Daria is played by one of my good friends, and she and I sat down one day when we were RPing, and said, "We need nicknames for each other's characters!" We were originally going to go with our own nicknames for each other (which would make Lacey/Daria "Monkeybutter" and Sandy "Spookypants") but decided that's just a tidge too distinctive.

As for Monkeybutter and Spookypants- I got her hooked onto "Something Postive" and "Questionable Content", two webcomics. In 'Something Positive", there's a character that is very much like this friend, and her nickname is Monkeybutter. In "Questionable Content", there's a character that's rather similar to myself, and her nickname is Spookypants.

Although, really, I'm much more similar to a mixture of Faye and Hannelore than Dora. But oh well.

Anyway, digression.

I know more about Sandy and Jamie than I know about any other character because I RP them- constantly making them grow and dig into their pasts. I'm planning on turning them into original characters for an original story at some point, but until then, I'm having fun playing as my babies.

And they really are my babies more than any other character has been.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

All characters become real people to good authors, but some really do become more real than others -- especially if there's some level of self-insert in them. I have a character, a firefighter names Jim Wilson, who I'm familiar with from his childhood right up on to his retirement as fire department Chief. I know his friends, romances, co-workers, strengths and weaknesses, who he marries and how many kids he has, even though I've only completely finished one story featuring him. (Lots of first drafts, though!)

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I want to read about him!

:D

I like fleshing out my characters, and being able to tell you random things about them.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Me too. :-)

I have every intention of Jim becoming part of a series, but I want to get some other books published first so I can be established enough for the series to continue on. After all, first novels all too often vanish from sight and never get a sequel.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

This is very true.

Well, if you wind up never publishing his series (although I have faith that you will, because you're an awesome writer), feel free to send them to me! I'd be willing to pay you for them! :D

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Wow! Now if I could just multiply you by about 30,000 other people, I'll be set to start work on my sequel before the original's even out! :-)

[sroni.livejournal.com]

*starts working on cloning*

Seriously, I want to read anything you write. I'd read a grocery list, if you wrote it, and had extras with it.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Okay, stop it, I'm blushing badly. :-) Say, you haven't been sending those review on ff.net, have you?

And what are you going to do if I start writing, say, tentacle porn? I'm very eclectic.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I mean it.

No, I haven't... yet. :D

And the tentacle porn- tentacle, sure, but the fact that it's porn? Not so much. Sorry.

But that's pretty much the only thing that I wouldn't read by you.

Because you're awesome.

And when you get published, you have to let me know so I can A) go buy your book, and B) post a review of it online.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I'm not ignoring you! I'm preoccupied with some stuff relating to my fire class right now, but I got your review and I'll respond to it as soon as I'm able. Just wanted to let you know I'm not upset that you won't read the tentacle porn. (Kidding! Not something I'm interested in writing.)

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I understand.

And I promise, I really do, that I CAN spell and do math. HONEST, I can.

Okay, so I can do SIMPLE math. Anything more complex, and I start to freak.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I hate math. HATE it. When I get rich I'm going to hire someone to do all my math for me. Not you, no offense. ;-)

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Hey, my math skills aren't that atrocious!

But two in the morning, on a wonky screen? Not the best time for me to prove my math skills.

People laugh at me because I do multiplication in my head to the nearest hundred. As in, 3, 6, 9, 12... up to 300, then I go to 4, 8, 12, 16... 100, etc, until I'm multiplying 23. Then I do it backwards.

And I like the fibonacci sequence. I can do it in my head up into the thousands last I checked. Typed out? Well, I have a file that goes up to "24159257", and I'm still going with it when I get bored.

Yeah. I'm a geek. And math really isn't my strong point. But I like what I know.

I think I'll be hiring someone to do my math if I can ever afford it.

Then again, my boyfriend likes math and is scary good at it.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Two a.m. pretty much sucks as a time for math practice. Just the same, you don't *really* want a job doing math, do you? :-)

It sounds to me like you're better at math than I am!

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Oh, golly no. I'd go nuts if I had a job doing math.

My goal is to get a job as a counselor at some point in the future- first step, paying off debt. Second step- figure out how to move to Idaho, or get Squirreltail down here. Third step- starting college.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Idaho? Nope, still too cold. If I move out of Indiana, it's going to be to a place where snow is so rare that it's considered a rumor. :-)

I could probably use a counselor, too! But then, that's what writing is for.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I grew up with rarely seeing snow.

I hate cold weather, I really do.

Maybe I should live in Florida...

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Too many old people in Florida, and too many crazy people in California -- I'm still for Florida.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I"m rooting for either Florida or Arizona.

Meh. I don't really care where I am, as long as I'm where I'm supposed to be.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Oops -- I meant to say I'm still for Hawaii! Arizona's okay, but I've always wanted to live by a very large body of water, preferable one that's warm enough for a daily swim. But I like mountains, too -- I guess I just want the best of all worlds. Maybe an office that overlooks the mountains, and on the other side of the house a study that overlooks the water! :->

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I like that plan.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Oh, believe you me -- when I get published, I'll tell EVERYONE. I'll be stopping total strangers on the street: "Excuse me, miss -- I got published! Seriously. No, don't go for the pepper spray --"

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I'd be doing the same thing, tbh. IF I ever get published, though. Yours is a "when", mine is an "if".

And lol.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Mine was if when I was younger -- keep working at it, and it'll turn from if to when in no time!

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You have more confidence in me than I do right now. I know that I have a talent for stringing words together. And I'm good with short stories. But the longer a story gets, the more glaringly obvious my weaknesses as a writer are.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

It's just a matter of practice and training. My first half dozen novels never got past the rough draft point, even after I completed that rough draft. It's said every writer has a million bad words in them before their first good story comes out, and there's just no way to shortcut that process. Don't give up!

[sroni.livejournal.com]

I like writing too much to consider giving up.

I just get discouraged on ever being a published writer.

Particularly when, in the fanfic world, there are amazing wiiters like you, M. MacGregor, my dad, and you three haven't been published (yet!). If you guys haven't been published, what chance do I have?

But by reading you, and reading other great non-fanfic writers, I make my own writing better. I've tried explaining to people that I read because I enjoy it, but I also read for research- and they just don't get it unless they're a fellow writer.

I'll get there. I'll just keep trucking until I do.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Well, I get discouraged about being published sometimes, too. After all these years, after finally getting to the point of knowing my writing is good and even better than some that gets published, I still have those bad days when I think I'll never get published. All you can do is move past those days and keep plugging away at it. Or, as you say -- keep trucking!

There's a certain amount of luck involved, but 90% of getting published is still perseverance.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

The "little engine that could" point of view. Just keep going, saying, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."

:D

I keep writing. To not write would be to deny a part of myself. It would also cause me to go crazy.

I keep writing. But I definitely have my discouraged days.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

If I had a buck for every discouraging day, I'd buy myself a MacBook Pro!

But the true test of a writer is very simple: A writer is someone who just can't survive going for long without writing.

[sroni.livejournal.com]

...The longest I've gone without writing in the last year is less than two consecutive days in a row...

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[sroni.livejournal.com]

Okay, NOW I've responded, and I'm simply waiting for the review to show up.

It's a long one, just so you know.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I got it! It might be a bit before I reply to it on the site, but thanks!