Sisters
Originally posted March 21st, 2011
FIRST Killer Characters post as a regular.
By: Rebecca Leighton Burke
From: Victoria Hamilton's Vintage Kitchen Mysteries
A Deadly Grind - May 2012
Do any of you have younger siblings? Do you worry about them, even when they're
full grown? Well, I still worry about my little sister, Jaymie Leighton. She
keeps telling me she's thirty-two and can look after herself, and I know that's
true, but still...
I should introduce myself. My name is Rebecca Leighton Burke, (aka Becca)
and I run RLB China Matching out of my home in London, Ontario,
Canada. Though I was born and raised in Queensville, Michigan, a tiny town
along the St. Clair River, I married a Canadian and moved north. Even
after we divorced, I stayed. It worked out, because Grandma Leighton
lives in London, and since our mom and dad moved down to Boca, I look
after things for her. She's a feisty octogenarian who lives in a retirement
home, but I manage her finances and make sure she has everything she
needs. Jaymie comes up and helps by taking Grandma shopping and running
errands.
As a side note, if you're wondering what my china matching service
does... well, the easy way to explain is, say you've broken a teacup from
the family set of Royal Crown Derby Red Aves (a pattern that was discontinued
in 1997) I can find you a replacement... for a price. I love it; it is two
parts scavenger hunt and one part antique dealer. I travel to china shows
all over Canada and the United States, buy a lot from pickers and dealers,
and sell even more.
Bone china is the most beautiful invention humankind ever came up with.
It's versatile and lovely, but utilitarian, too. I suppose my love of bone
china explains why I don't understand Jaymie's obsession
with old junk; her collection of vintage tins, Pyrex dishes, twentieth
century cookbooks, old kitchen utensils and the like, puzzles me.
But back to sisters. When Jaymie was born I was almost
fifteen; Mom handed me this tiny, squirming doll wrapped in a
pink blanket, and I just fell in love. She was so sweet, and I
loved feeding her, bathing her and babysitting her when mom and dad went
out. Looking back, I realize I almost felt like her mother at
times. I still worry about her like a mother hen. Jaymie is kind of
reserved, and doesn't give her heart easily. When she fell head over heels for
Joel Anderson I was happy she had found someone. I didn't even mind
when he moved into the Leighton family house in Queensville with her. I knew
that step was a big deal for her. I think she would have married him if he'd
asked her, but he never did.
When he walked out on her I
wanted to kill him. Oh, I didn't, don't worry; nobody did. He is
still living happily with his new love, bubble-headed Heidi Lockland,
while Jaymie eats her heart out and mopes around that big, lonely Queen Anne
house alone. She seems to keep herself busy and has thrown
herself into her collecting until the kitchen looks so cluttered
I've threatened to turn her in to that TV show 'Hoarders'. I have a
feeling she's working on some kind of project, but I don't know what it is.
She tells me she's doing all right.
I'm just so afraid Joel's desertion has soured Jaymie on love, you
know? I don't want her to miss out on anything, and that is from a two-time
loser at marriage. She deserves a husband and kids and everything else good
that life can offer. I feel so helpless, and I want to rip pretty little
Heidi Lockland's bleached hair out by the roots for stealing Joel away.
So what I need to know is... is it normal to be so angry at someone who hurt a
sibling? Have any of you had to watch someone you love suffer through a
broken heart? And what did you do, sit on the sidelines, give advice, or try to
help? I'm just not sure how to handle it.
All images from Pixabay:
Figurine image: https://pixabay.com/users/sofiezborilova-3534679/
China setting image courtesy of: https://pixabay.com/users/terric-4014469/
B&W image: https://pixabay.com/users/jessebridgewater-4820770/
Posted August 12, 2020
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