The Sister I Never Had

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Creepy didn't begin to describe how Rebecca felt as she sat outside stalking Sophie Beasley. If someone had been watching her like this she would go apeshit, long lost sister or not. She was glad Jack stayed home. He'd pushed to try and come with her, but this was something she needed to do on her own. Jack was lucky she even told him about it. Rebecca had always been a private person. She wasn't used to telling everything to someone else, not even to Maxi who she kept some secrets from. In fact she had yet to tell Maxi about this little adventure she was currently on. She didn't want to worry her only friend, or excite her if things didn't pan out. For now Rebecca wasn't even sure she wanted to meet Sophie or not. Just knowing she was there was enough. Following her would give her a basic understanding of who the girl was, and maybe she would consider approaching her at some point as a stranger, just to see what it was like to actually interact with her, but whether she would start some sort of relationship with the girl was still very much in the air. One thing was for sure, though; the girls were definitely related. Sophie held a striking resemblance to Rebecca, one that made her stomach squirm a bit. There was a sort of cuteness to her that Rebecca lacked, but she knew that was probably due more to nurture than nature. Had Rebecca lived a different life perhaps she would be a happier person, but she was damaged goods.

So far Rebecca had learned that Sophie liked sugar and taking pictures, or at least she could guess as much by what the girl was doing while she was tracking her. She knew from her research that she wrote and Rebecca had even read some of her blog entries. She wasn't necessarily the kind of person she would hang out with, but then again neither was Maxi. She could also play piano, and well at that. She listened to her play last night at a jazz club down town, which for some reason made her itch to pick up her violin again, something she hadn't done in ages. It was hard to play when she was always with Jack, and practicing in front of him seemed to embarrassing so she just barely touched it these days.

The more she followed the girl, though, the more intrigued by her she became. Today was day three. She had four more days until she was due back in Scriptor Bay, having taken an entire week off for her weird little excursion. Jack had been a bit pushy on the phone last night when Rebecca admitted she hadn't approached the girl yet, but everything took careful planning with Rebecca. Just jumping in and saying "Hey! We're sisters!" Wasn't exactly an option. She wasn't sure if she could approach her, and if she did, she certainly had no clue how to go about it. She decided it would be best to keep watching for now, learn more, see if she could somehow get something like a piece of hair to send to a lab to make completely sure they were related. Just because the Latvian orphanage said they were sisters and looked similar didn't definitely mean they were related in Rebecca's books. She liked proof. She needed it.. She needed to be sure..

Rebecca eased her car into a parking spot. She watched Sophie walk into the grocery store before getting out of her car. She looked around as if to see if anyone was watching her, and then made her way into the super market. She tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, grabbing a basket and looking around for Sophie. It wasn't long until she caught up to the girl, trying to make herself be seen as little as possible. She hovered at the end of the aisle, peaking out of the corner of her eye to see what Sophie was looking at. It seemed silly, even to her, to be spying on what the girl buys, but she was curious how similar they were. Did they get the same things? Was Sophie as completely lost in the kitchen as she was? She turned her head when the girl looked in her direction, pretending to be checking out a tower of Cheerios as if she were considering grabbing one. When she turned back to see if Sophie looked away the girl was gone. She moved down the aisle hastily looking briefly over the selection of cereal that Sophie herself had been hovering in front of before moving on to try and find her, only she seemed to have disappeared. Rebecca walked relatively quickly down the row of aisles but didn't see Sophie. Her brows furrowed; that was odd. Where would she have gone? She made it to the end aisle, the bread aisle, and started down it. It was deserted save for an old woman who was slightly hunched over as she checked out the fiber breads. Her trained ears caught the sound of footsteps behind her, though, and she stopped to look over her shoulder, her face paling at what she saw. There she was, walking right at her. Rebecca felt her throat dry, her feet freezing as the other girl came closer. She wanted to run, but to where? How had she sneaked up on her like that?

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Sophie Beasley was a normal single woman in her early thirties. She was successful, pampered, and in love with life. Friends, work, hobbies, and dating were pretty much what filled her time. Her Norwegian forest cat Prissy[/url] was the only creature that relied on her for survival and she was perfectly happy with that. Being a cat lady never bothered her and she spoiled Prissy like the little girl she might never have. In short, she was happy. Her parents occasionally got through to her with their worries that she would never settle down and have a family of her own, but it was rare. She liked jumping from guy to guy, meeting new people and always enjoying the beginning of a relationship while avoiding the hard parts. Her job was on the up and she frequently indulged her whims, whether it was writing, playing the piano, or eating the 1,000 calorie brownie. It was mostly a carefree existence.

But while Sophie was flighty, she wasn’t blind to the world around her. While out and about in L.A. the past couple days, she’d noticed a woman in many of the places she went to. Snapping pictures along the streets and in the park, she caught sight of a vaguely familiar looking woman sitting in her car and digging in a bag. She wouldn’t normally have noticed, but this woman was there for quite some time, just sitting in her car. It was curious, but Sophie brushed it off. Maybe the woman was on her break from work. And then she noticed the same woman nearby when she was going into a coffee shop the next day for a latte and a cinnamon bun. This time it was more disconcerting, but Sophie still wrote it off as coincidence. With a shake of her head, she continued as if she hadn’t noticed the woman at all. For a few minutes she wondered why the woman looked so familiar otherwise and a glance in a shop window told her why: because they looked alike! It was bizarre, but Sophie laughed it off. How strange that she would meet a look alike stranger twice just out on the streets of L.A.! It wasn’t until that night that she started to worry. The woman was at her performance! Was this lady following her? She couldn’t let on that she was suspicious, lest the woman catch on that she was catching on. It was hard not to look over her shoulder when walking into her apartment that night.

Why would this woman be tailing her? It’s not like she was in trouble or anything. She didn’t do anything wrong. Was it a crazy ex having her every move followed? Joey might try something like this…or Travis. Maybe Doug? The names flipped in her head throughout the night and she found it nearly impossible to sleep. Around dawn she finally fell into a troubled sleep. At least it was Sunday and she wouldn’t have to do much but write her column for the Huff that day. Unfortunately, she did have to go out grocery shopping. Why couldn’t food just appear in her house? And why did she always wait until she ran out of virtually everything in the house to go shopping? After rolling out of her bed at 11, Sophie slipped into a pair of jeans and a loose, chunky sweater, throwing her dark chocolate hair into a ponytail. It was a short walk to the store and it was a lovely winter day. Just cool enough for a cute peacoat and brown leather riding boots and just warm enough to be comfortable. She enjoyed the breeze, bouncing along with her reusable bags slung on her arm and a smile on her face. Now that the sun was up and shining on her pale skin, she wasn’t so worried about that woman anymore. She roamed through the aisles, not paying attention to the people around her and picking up whatever caught her fancy. There were a lot of frozen meals in her basket, but they were lunches for the office. A few burritos for the nights when she didn’t feel like cooking also went into her cart, but they were also followed by fresh fruits and vegetables and some meat for her to cook with. As she picked up a box of Smacks, she happened to glance down the aisle. Her eyes landed on something she hadn’t hoped to see.

There was the woman, looking around with shifty eyes beside a tower of Cheerios. When their eyes met, the woman seemed startled and quickly grabbed a box like she was considering it for purchase. Yeah, right! She’d have to try harder than that! Sophie quickly darted down the aisle until she was at the end and able to hide behind some shelving. She watched in secrecy as the woman looked back to where Sophie had just been standing and Sophie noted the consternation on her face. Then the woman started to walk over to where she had just been! Now Sophie was feeling angry welling up in her chest. Why the hell was she being followed?! She’d never done anything wrong! Well…that she had been caught for! She quickly ducked down the next aisle, rushing to the end of it and passing all of the bread, careful not to knock over the little old lady inspecting the fiber breads. Again, she ducked behind the end of the row and saw that woman hurry into that aisle, obviously trying to find her! Who was she?!

When the woman turned her back, Sophie took the chance to come out of hiding and rushed towards the stranger. The woman must have heard her because she turned as Sophie got closer. Their blue eyes met and the woman looked completely panicked. It filled Sophie with great satisfaction to see her pursuer so caught off guard. Her black eyebrows were knit low over her blue eyes. “Okay, lady. You’ve been following me for three days now and I want to know why. Did one of my exes send you? Or are you here because you’re dating one of my exes? Because I can assure you, I’m not going back to any of them. I’m not a threat to you.” The woman appeared to be at a loss for words, her big eyes trained on Sophie’s face. She threw her hands up to either side of her, before resting them on her hips. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” She wasn’t aware that she’d managed to intrigue the little old lady who was looking between the two of them, shamelessly eavesdropping on the drama going down in the bread aisle.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca tried looking away, pretending like maybe the other girl wasn't heading directly toward her like an angry steam engine. “Okay, lady. You’ve been following me for three days now and I want to know why. Did one of my exes send you?" Her sea colored eyes widened as they stared back into the eyes that were so similar to her own. Rebecca gulped. One of her exes? "Or are you here because you’re dating one of my exes? Because I can assure you, I’m not going back to any of them. I’m not a threat to you.” Her mouth opened and then shut. She was a cop! She shouldn't feel so frozen in situations like this! Then again situations like this were different. She's never come face to face with a potential sibling before. Sophie threw her hands up and then rested them on her hips. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

There were a million things Rebecca could say to her. Hell, she could bust out her badge and make some bullshit up, but it just didn't fit. Her mind seemed foggy, and she was at a loss. That wasn't common for the doubled orphan. She usually had something to say in her defense, but something about this situation made her feel so deeply vulnerable and straight up terrified. She'd spent two thirds of her life alone for the most part. Even when she did have family, they weren't blood. Sophie's face was rounder than her own, sweeter, more kind even though she was obviously annoyed, but the way she huffed looked so unsettlingly familiar to her. She made those same faces at Jack when he annoyed her and she wanted answers. It was almost like looking in a mirror.

"I think you might be my sister." It drooled out before she had a chance to even stop herself and she immediately regretted it. When she realized what she'd said she sucked in a breath of air and looked around again. Maybe she hadn't heard her? That was stupid. "I'm sorry.. I should go." Though her legs felt as though they were made of lead, she turned and tried to walk away. How could she stay there? How could they have this conversation in the bread aisle of a grocery store? It was inappropriate. She shouldn't have said anything. How could she? Why would she say that? "I'm sorry.." She muttered again, desperate to escape the young girl who looked just a little too familiar for comfort.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

The woman stared at Sophie with bewilderment for a long moment. Something about the way she was looking at her led Sophie to believe that maybe she wasn’t here on some ex-boyfriend’s business. Maybe she was here on her own. But what business could the woman have with her? Sophie’s cheeks puffed up a bit as she pouted with disapproval at the other woman, however there was something unsettling about how similar they looked to each other. That look of fear and confusion on the woman’s face looked so much like the look she herself wore when she wasn’t sure what to say. The only difference was in the shape of the other woman’s face and the general increased hardness of her features. She also had lighter colored hair, but only by a few shades. It was eerie that she and this stranger would share so many of the same traits. “I think you might be my sister.” Immediately Sophie’s eyes grew wide, not expecting that response from the stranger. Her whole body froze as the words smacked her in the face. Is that why they looked so much alike? Is that why Sophie had felt that twinge of familiarity with the woman since the moment she realized she was being tailed? Her parents had told her several years ago that she had a sister out there somewhere. An older sister who had been in the same adoption agency as Sophie was, but separated from her sister because she was in the next age bracket up…Was this woman her? Had they somehow beat all the odds of probability and found each other 6,000 miles from where they had first met? Just the thought left Sophie too stunned for words.

“I’m sorry…I should go.” What? The words woke Sophie out of her bewildered stupor and she blinked her blue eyes several times. “I’m sorry…” She shook her head, dropping her basket without a care for what happened to it, her purse dropping to the ground too as she rushed forward and stood in the other woman’s way. Her hands reached out and grabbed the woman’s shoulders without thinking, her big eyes still wide with shock and desperation. “My sister…” she said softly. Yes, she could see it now. But how could that be possible? She shook her head with a furrowed brow. “But…but I was born in Latvia. I was adopted and brought here to the States by my adoptive parents. Were you…were you born in Latvia too?” The other woman confirmed that she was and Sophie swallowed hard, the full effect of this woman’s words hitting her in the gut. Her sister…she had a sister…It had never been so real before now. “My sister’s name was Lavina. My parents told me that when I graduated college.” The woman nodded, telling her that she had been named Lavina before she was adopted. She also knew that her little sister’s name had been Inga. Sophie’s eyes were beginning to sting with tears. “That was my name when I was born. Then my parents called me Sophie Inga.” The other woman said her parents had kept her birth name as her middle name too, but she was called Rebecca now. Rebecca…her sister Rebecca. Sophie had thought about this many times, looked over the paperwork a hundred times for any clues on her original identity. She knew her sister’s birthday from what little information the document her parents still had regarding her adoption. Sophie still remembered it because it was one of the very few pieces she had about her sister. “What’s your birthday?” she asked with a quavering voice. Rebecca answered correctly: November 17, 1979. Immediately tears choked Sophie and her sweet face scrunched up with them. “That was my sister’s birthday.” Her sister…what were the odds that they would ever be reunited again? They’d been separated by an ocean and several mountains, but somehow they’d both ended up in America. Sophie had to be a truly lucky person to win this lottery of reuniting with her sister.

Without thinking, Sophie threw her arms around Rebecca’s shoulders and held tight, sobbing gently. Rebecca tensed up, obviously not expecting this reaction. “Oh my God!” Sophie cried. “You’re my sister! I can’t believe I’m actually meeting my sister!” Her voice was raised with excitement, but not so loud that the whole grocery store would hear her. Hesitant hands patted her back, but Rebecca didn’t give her a real hug. Sophie didn’t even care. She was going to take this opportunity to finally lavish some affection on a real sibling—her only sibling! Still crying, she pulled back from Rebecca with a wide, ecstatic grin. “My sister! I have a sister! I’ve never had a sibling before!” She giggled, giddy with her excitement. There were so many questions just dying to spill out but they were all getting caught in her throat at once! She settled instead for laughing and giving Rebecca another hug, one that was again met with the other woman tensing up. When Sophie pulled away, she was still holding Rebecca’s upper arms affectionately, gazing wide-eyed into the pretty face. “Come on, don’t be so stiff! I know I’m a stranger, but we’re family! I have so, so many questions to ask! Let’s go have some coffee at my place! I live right around the corner from here! Come on!” She swooped down on her purse on the floor, slinging it over her shoulder again and grabbing her basket in the process. She had coffee and she had enough to make simple snacks of cheese and crackers and fruit. There was creamer and sugar in her basket too, so she was set to check out and accost her sister. They made for the front of the store, Sophie still staring at her sister in amazement. “How did you find me?” she asked, getting into the short line at the register and absentmindedly placing her goods on the belt. She was too fixated on her sister to pay much attention to anything else.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

The sound of the basket crashing to the floor never even registered for Rebecca as she tried to move away from the girl that could potentially be her sister, but the Sophie wouldn't have it. She moved quickly in Rebecca's path forcing her to stop suddenly, her body tensing and backing up as if confronted by a rabid dog. This was supposed to be exciting, why was she so terrified? Not even she really understood her mixed feelings. Was it because she had been alone for so long that the mere thought of someone being family scared her instead of relieved her? There was a lot of simplicity to being alone, which was one of the biggest hurdles she had to overcome with dating Jack, agreeing to become his girlfriend, moving in with him and spending holidays with his family. Independence from the world was a comfort and she had put herself in a position that would compromise that again.

Sophie's hands found Rebecca's shoulders and the girl shuddered under the firm touch. “My sister…” Sophie said softly and Rebecca had to swallow the large lump forming in her throat. The girl furrowed her brows and Rebecca's bottom lip slipped into her mouth as it often did when she felt unsure. “But…but I was born in Latvia. I was adopted and brought here to the States by my adoptive parents. Were you…were you born in Latvia too?” The pit in her stomach grew as did her hesitation but she finally nodded slowly. All signs were starting to point to yes. “My sister’s name was Lavina. My parents told me that when I graduated college.” Air.. she needed air.. why were they doing this right here? She nodded nervously. "That was my birth name." She explained in a hoarse voice, her throat dry. Why didn't they have water in this aisle? "M-my sister's name was Inga." Jack. She wanted Jack.. Needed him. Why had she made him stay home? “That was my name when I was born. Then my parents called me Sophie Inga.” It was all so surreal. Rebecca looked around, catching the old woman staring at them and trying to be discreet about it. There was a young guy at the end of the aisle but she didn't know if he really cared about their exchange or not. "My parents named me Rebecca Lavina." She all but whispered as her eyes fell back on Sophie's. How desperately she wished she were anywhere but there. “What’s your birthday?” Sophie's voice proved she was just as nervous, but probably in a different way. She was far more excited.. Maybe because Rebecca had a chance to digest all of this already where Sophie had not been given that luxury. "November 17, 1979." Sophie began to tear up and Rebecca felt her body tense again. She was going to be hugged.. Fuck, this girl was going to hug her, she knew it! “That was my sister’s birthday.” It suddenly struck Rebecca as odd that Sophie would know such intimate details about her. How would she know her name and birthday? Had she tried to find her, too? Being a police officer certainly had its perks when wanting to find someone.

Just as she feared, Sophie's arms shot out and wrapped around Rebecca, who immediately stiffened. “Oh my God!” Sophie cried and Rebecca felt her cheeks grow intensely hot. “You’re my sister! I can’t believe I’m actually meeting my sister!” Why did she need to be one of those huggy girls? When Sophie pulled back Rebecca had her dear in the headlights look on while Sophie grinned excitedly. “My sister! I have a sister! I’ve never had a sibling before!” She giggled, and Rebecca suddenly felt like she was betraying Sam. What a silly thing to think.. She wasn't replacing her brother. Sophie was her sister first! And he was dead anyway. “Come on, don’t be so stiff! I know I’m a stranger, but we’re family!" "Sorry.." She grunted nervously. "I have so, so many questions to ask! Let’s go have some coffee at my place! I live right around the corner from here! Come on!” Panic struck her. She felt suffocated. Questions? What kind of questions? Though she wasn't sure, she nodded anyway agreeing to coffee with Sophie. At her home. Which she had seen several times from the outside already. “How did you find me?” The younger girl asked as she swooped her belongings up off the ground and moved towards the registers, Rebecca following mindlessly. "I, uh.." Her brows knitted, feeling bashful, "I was in touch with the orphanage and got as much information about you as I could and then did some research in, umm.. the database at my work. I'm a police officer." She explained tucking her dark hair behind her ears. "Umm.. I'm just going to text my boyfriend while you finish up. Okay?" Her eyes were pleading as she stepped away towards the exit, but not moving too far from Sophie, half afraid she would lose her somehow, half afraid Sophie would tackle her if she got too far from her. Rebecca pulled out her phone, opening a new message to Jack. She busted me. Going to her place for coffee. She's excited. Call for backup if you don't hear from me again by tonight. You were right.. you should have come. She hesitated for a moment before adding I miss you. at the end, and then sent it. By the time she was finished Sophie was headed her way with her bags. "Here, let me help." She offered, reaching for one of the bags. She forced a smile, still unsure how to approach the situation she'd found herself in. "Sorry, I.. I've never done anything like this before. I wanted to be sure before I talked to you. No sense in getting our hopes up, right?" She licked her lips and looked sideways at the other girl. "How did you know that stuff about me?"

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

“I, uh…I was in touch with the orphanage and got as much information about you as I could and then did some research in, umm…the database at my work. I’m a police officer.” Sophie raised her eyebrows as Rebecca confessed how she found her. Really? Her sister was a cop? How much information had she seen about Sophie? Had she seen the two speeding tickets she’d received in the last ten years, the five parking tickets she had received in L.A. alone? For the most part Sophie had managed to keep her nose clean, but would those blemishes on her record reflect negatively on her in her own sister’s opinion? Did they have her fingerprints on file? She’d always wondered about that…Before she could ask, Rebecca was stepping away. “Umm…I’m just going to text my boyfriend while you finish up. Okay?” Sophie looked surprised. “Oh…” Then her smile broke out again and she nodded as Rebecca moved quicker. “Okay!” she breathed cheerfully and then waved as she watched the older woman walking towards the exit. For half a heartbeat she tensed, ready to go running after Rebecca if she tried to beat a hasty retreat. But her sister stopped before the doors, actually pulling out her phone and setting her thumbs to work. Her sister…Sophie was still stunned and she smiled and shook her head wistfully as she tried to make it really set in. After all of these years wondering what she was like, if she knew she existed, if she was still in Latvia…finally her questions were being answered. Her eyes drifted back to the woman typing furiously on her phone as Sophie set her items dazedly on the belt. What was her boyfriend like? If Rebecca was a cop, he must have been a pretty stand-up guy. Maybe he was a cop too… “Miss?”[/i] The young man at the cashier was watching her curiously and she noted not only was she now at the front of the line, but the items she’d originally placed on the belt were at the beginning of a huge gap between her still half full basket and the front of the conveyer belt. She jumped and stepped forward with a breathy, whimsical laugh. “I’m sorry, I…got distracted.” She smiled wide and then quickly unloaded the rest of her basket on the belt.

When she had paid and was hauling her bags towards Rebecca, she watched as Rebecca finished whatever she was writing and put her phone away. As their almost matching eyes met, Sophie gave a sweet smile. “Here, me help.” Sophie looked surprised as Rebecca reached for a bag, uttering a soft, “Oh!” Then she saw Rebecca’s pinched but still appreciated smile and she smiled wide too, handing the bag over. “Thank you!” she chirped before taking stride next to her sister. She grinned to herself at actually being able to even think the phrase, “my sister!” “Sorry, I…” Sophie’s big, clear eyes looked up at Rebecca as they walked back out into the chilled sunshine, bags in hand. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I wanted to be sure before I talked to you. No sense in getting our hopes up, right?” The phrase struck Sophie and her smile faded slightly as her eyebrows furrowed gently. Not get their hopes up? But this had been what she had hoped for for years…how could she not be excited? Instead of protesting she forced her smile to widen again and she nodded, even though her brow still remained a little knit. “Right, of course…” she replied softly. She looked down at the ground, not noticing the way Rebecca gave her a sidelong glance. Silence fell for a heartbeat.

“How did you know that stuff about me?” Sophie was called back by the question and she looked up at Rebecca with wide eyes. “You never saw the adoption paperwork your parents got?” she asked innocently. For some reason Rebecca seemed struck by the question before she shook her head. Sophie waved her hand and smiled. “Oh! Well, it’s on there. It’s kind of hidden down at the bottom in this box. It says, ‘Kin,’ and inside the box it had our parents’ names with the word, ‘Deceased,’ in big letters and then it had your name and birthday. That was all the information they gave my parents at first. It wasn’t until a couple years later that my mom happened to look over the document and found your name. She immediately got in contact with the adoption agency and inquired about you, wondering if you had been adopted or not. She was actually really upset with the orphanage, wondering why they would split us apart and not tell her at the time of my adoption that I had a sister. They couldn’t give her a straight answer about it, though, and you’d already been adopted, so…they decided to tell me when I was old enough to decided for myself whether I wanted to contact you.” Her face flushed and she suddenly felt her stomach drop. Now Rebecca knew she’d never tried to contact her even though she’d known about her existence. She shook her head, giving Rebecca a pleading look. “I…I’m sorry I never tried to get in contact. It’s just…I figured you would still be in Latvia. I mean, what were the chances that we both got adopted by American families, right? And then I didn’t think the adoption agency would even give me anymore information than I already had and I don’t have the resources you have, though I guess I could have just typed your name into Google, but then it wouldn’t recognize your name because I only had your Latvian name, and—” Sophie cut herself off, realizing she was rambling at an alarming rate and probably bewildering Rebecca even more. She shook her head and swallowed hard, putting a sad smile on her face as she looked up at her sister. “Anyway…I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to find you.” The woman insisted she was alright with it. She’d probably had the same battle with herself. Her smile grew warm and genuine as she looked up at her look-alike. “Thank you for doing what I couldn’t. I’m really happy you found me.” It was a genuine, heartfelt statement and she hoped Rebecca saw that. Then her brow furrowed as her head cocked to the side. “So…why did you have to reach out to the agency? Don’t your parents have your adoption paperwork somewhere?” She’d never heard of adoptive parents losing their child’s paperwork, even when they were grown adults.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca suddenly felt on the defensive at the way Sophie turned and looked at her. “You never saw the adoption paperwork your parents got?” The question was innocent and Rebecca felt her cheeks start to heat up. She shook her head and looked away. That had not been among the things she had been left, which was very, very little. “Oh! Well, it’s on there. It’s kind of hidden down at the bottom in this box. It says, ‘Kin,’ and inside the box it had our parents’ names with the word, ‘Deceased,’ in big letters and then it had your name and birthday." She'd known her parents were dead since she was a kid, but her parents had never mentioned the fact she'd been a sister. Maybe they intended to tell her when she was older. Had they known Sophie existed? Did they want to adopt her, too? Maybe Sophie had already been adopted. Since they got Sam too, she imagined they would have taken them both had it been an option. "That was all the information they gave my parents at first. It wasn’t until a couple years later that my mom happened to look over the document and found your name. She immediately got in contact with the adoption agency and inquired about you, wondering if you had been adopted or not. She was actually really upset with the orphanage, wondering why they would split us apart and not tell her at the time of my adoption that I had a sister. They couldn’t give her a straight answer about it, though, and you’d already been adopted, so…they decided to tell me when I was old enough to decided for myself whether I wanted to contact you.” Had Sophie tried finding her, Rebecca wondered? “I…I’m sorry I never tried to get in contact. It’s just…I figured you would still be in Latvia. I mean, what were the chances that we both got adopted by American families, right? And then I didn’t think the adoption agency would even give me anymore information than I already had and I don’t have the resources you have, though I guess I could have just typed your name into Google, but then it wouldn’t recognize your name because I only had your Latvian name, and—” All the words spewing from Sophie's mouth made her dizzy. Did she even breath? This was why Rebecca didn't want to do this. She already felt in over her head and the meet and greet hadn't even really begun yet!

“Anyway…I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to find you.” Rebecca shook her head in dismissal. "No, it's okay. I probably wouldn't have been open to it anyway. I sort of need time to digest any kind of change." She explained, surprising herself with how open she was being with Sophie. She was much more comfortable with the girl than she expected to be, though she was still uncertain and a little hesitant. “Thank you for doing what I couldn’t. I’m really happy you found me.” Rebecca knew Sophie meant it and she smiled a little and nodded, showing it was no big deal to her. She kept her eyes averted, trying to think of something she could say when Sophie butted in before she could. “So…why did you have to reach out to the agency? Don’t your parents have your adoption paperwork somewhere?” And like that Rebecca felt her walls building up. She internally fought with herself. Should she tell Sophie? Lying wasn't an option with her. The girl would probably figure it out eventually anyway and then Rebecca would need to backtrack and she knew in the end it would be more trouble than it was worth to lie. But did she really want to tell Sophie the sob story? There was no way of gently telling it. Sophie would be sad for her and that was the last thing Rebecca wanted.

After a pregnant pause, Becky sighed. "My adoptive family died when I was a kid and I then became a ward of the state until I was eighteen." She spared Sophie the gory details for now, deciding she didn't need to know yet unless she really pressed for the information. "My adoption papers were among the many things that no one cared to save for me. I got to pick a handful of things but legal documents like that? Who knows where they ended up." She shrugged like it was no big deal and hoped Sophie would treat it like that. "My boyfriend went into a coma." She explained, surprising herself. "Jack.. uhm.. I sort of realized he's really all I have and if something were to happen to him, or to us.. as a couple.." She chewed her bottom lip a little and shrugged. "I just wanted to see if there was anyone else out there. I don't know.. It was a long shot. Then I found that you existed and the adoption agency was surprisingly cooperative if not a little slow, and here we are.. It's been about four months since I first got in touch and I found you about two weeks ago." She explained as they approached Sophie's building.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

It took Rebecca a long time to answer Sophie’s question and the younger girl was afraid she’d asked something too personal. Had her adoptive parents abused her? Did she just not talk to them anymore? Or were they…? "My adoptive family died when I was a kid and I then became a ward of the state until I was eighteen." Sophie’s hand came to her mouth, her stomach now dragging on the sidewalk beneath her feet. How horrible! First their real parents had died and then Rebecca’s adoptive parents died…She couldn’t even picture what that must have been like for Rebecca. Sophie willed back her tears because she had a good feeling that Rebecca wouldn’t appreciate them, but she felt a deep pain for her sister. "My adoption papers were among the many things that no one cared to save for me. I got to pick a handful of things but legal documents like that? Who knows where they ended up?” Rebecca shrugged and Sophie knew it had to be an act. No way could Rebecca really feel so nonchalant about her parents’ deaths. But Sophie dropped her hand from her mouth and pushed a brief smile on her face, her eyes still expressing her silent condolences. "My boyfriend went into a coma." Just when she thought the nasty surprises were over, there was another one! How unfortunate could one person be? How had Rebecca handled all this? She almost asked if he was okay now, but then remembered she’d mentioned texting her boyfriend earlier. Maybe he had woken up…or maybe this boyfriend she texted was a new one… "Jack…uhm…I sort of realized he's really all I have and if something were to happen to him, or to us…as a couple…" The way Rebecca talked, it sounded like Jack was the one she had texted earlier, so he was probably okay. Sophie was relieved that she at least had someone in her life and that her sister wasn’t completely alone. "I just wanted to see if there was anyone else out there. I don't know…It was a long shot. Then I found that you existed and the adoption agency was surprisingly cooperative if not a little slow, and here we are…It's been about four months since I first got in touch and I found you about two weeks ago." Two weeks…Sophie had known about Rebecca for years and never tried to find her. Rebecca had found out about her four months ago, tracked her down, and actually made the effort to meet her. Sophie felt like a terrible sister…

They came to her building and Sophie pushed a smile on her face. “Here’s home! Er…I guess you know that already. But come in!” She escorted Rebecca into her apartment building, a charming but somewhat rundown white staccato building, modeled after the terra cotta, red-roofed buildings found south of the American border. It fit well with the neighborhood and even though the outside could use some work, Sophie’s apartment was actually very cute and cozy. She had a small balcony off her living room that overlooked the community pool in the courtyard of the building. Her living room was big enough for a deep navy couch and two overstuffed white chairs, a piano and a moderately sized entertainment system. The coffee table in her living room was also her kitchen table since her kitchen was just big enough for her to cook in, clean dishes in the sink and keep all of her food and dishes stored. The whole room was flooded with light from the window over the couch and the sliding glass doors that led out to her balcony. Her bedroom was also cozy, big enough for a queen sized bed and a wide desk where Sophie did most of her work. There were computer pieces scattered everywhere on one half and papers on the other. She also had two bookshelves jam-packed with books and a closet stuffed with clothes, shoes, purses, and other fashion accessories. Everything was just tidy enough for visitors, but blankets were unfolded, the bed was unmade, papers were strewn all over her desk and coffee table, and pillows with birds and branches accented the living room in odd positions. As they walked up the two flights of stairs to get to her apartment, Sophie asked if Jack was okay now, unable to help herself. Rebecca conceded that he was fine and back to normal. Sophie didn’t have time to ask what happened to him before they arrived at her door. She ushered Rebecca into her trendy, pop art decorated space with a distinct theme for birds and trees. Overall, her home was just like her—whimsical, scattered, and fresh. “Welcome to my humble abode.” Sophie grinned at Rebecca and took the bag she was carrying. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get some coffee started!” The most expensive appliance in her kitchen was her fancy coffee machine. It ground the beans and then made the best, fresh coffee she ever had from a home brewer—a Christmas gift her parents had bestowed on her a year ago and she still thanked them for it.

“So, why did Jack go into a coma? Does he have diabetes or something?” Rebecca explained vaguely that it was a strange set of circumstances, but he was perfectly healthy now. Sophie could tell she didn’t want to go into the details and she didn’t push it. She didn’t want to make an enemy of the sister she’d just met! Sophie gave a smile. “Well at least he’s better now! And I hope it stays that way! It sounds like you really care about him.” Rebecca didn’t look comfortable with the subject, so Sophie moved on to talking about herself. She wanted her sister to know her as much as she wanted to know Rebecca! “I’ve tried to do those serious relationships, but it never works out for me. I’m too much of a transient to stay happy with one guy for an extended amount of time. I think my longest relationship was a year…yeah. He was a nice guy but he had to travel so much for work. After a year, it was just too hard to try and keep up with it.” She shrugged her shoulders and gave another smile. “I’m pretty busy too. It’s hard to have a relationship and be a journalist, computer geek, and musician.” The coffee machine began spilling out coffee and Sophie turned to get a couple mugs out of her cabinets, pulling down sugar and going to her refrigerator for creamer as well. “Do you have any hobbies? And I still haven’t asked where you live. Is it far from here?” There were so many questions to ask!

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“Here’s home! Er…I guess you know that already. But come in!” Rebecca was relieved that Sophie said nothing about her family. Then again she gave off an aura that said not to ask personal questions and Sophie was probably reading that pretty well. Rebecca forced a smile and went into the girls apartment building. The inside reminded her a little of the one she used to live in before she moved in with Jack, which was a much nicer building. With the combined incomes they could afford something nicer while still paying less than what they had been before, plus the space was larger, something Rebecca appreciated.

The apartment Sophie lived in seemed nicer than the complex, though. It was also very opposite of her own living space, or what was her living space before Jack. The apartment was nicely decorated, trendy, and full of stuff. Rebecca had no decorating skills and very few possessions she put on display. It felt strange to be in someone's home that she was actually related to, especially since she was finding out how terribly different they were. “Welcome to my humble abode.” Sophie took the bag Rebecca had insisted on carrying for her and her eyes found their way to her host, pushing another soft, fake smile to her lips. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get some coffee started!” Rebecca nodded and moved slowly through the living space, checking it out like a crime scene. “So, why did Jack go into a coma? Does he have diabetes or something?” Her brows rose. Was she really asking such a question? Even Rebecca had more tact that that. "Sort of a long story, but someone had sort of poisoned him, then kept him poisoned at the hospital." She explained vaguely, not wanting to get too into it. "It was a nurse. she's been taken into custody, though. He's fine now." She explained remembering how terrible the whole ordeal had been, then the days after he woke as he recalled the strange, vivid dream he'd had. The dream that led Becky to Sophie.

“Well at least he’s better now! And I hope it stays that way! It sounds like you really care about him.” She blushed and looked at her feet giving a strange combination of a nod and shrug. She did care about Jack.. more than she cared to believe. “I’ve tried to do those serious relationships, but it never works out for me. I’m too much of a transient to stay happy with one guy for an extended amount of time. I think my longest relationship was a year…yeah. He was a nice guy but he had to travel so much for work. After a year, it was just too hard to try and keep up with it. I’m pretty busy too. It’s hard to have a relationship and be a journalist, computer geek, and musician.” She smiled and nodded. They both liked staying busy, a trait they must have inherited from one or both of their parents. "I'm not much of a dater. I prefer to be on my own but Jack's bullheaded. He didn't take no for an answer and I finally relented." It was true, too. Even now Jack pushed until he got his way, which was one of the reasons Rebecca learned to become more agreeable with him. He would eventually get what he wanted anyway, so why fight it? Unless she felt uncomfortable and needed time to warm up to the idea. Then she simply told him she would think it over. It seemed a decent compromise for now.

“Do you have any hobbies? And I still haven’t asked where you live. Is it far from here?” "Scriptor Bay. It's up in Oregon.. a bit of a drive, but doable." She explained moving towards the kitchen as the coffee began to perk. "My hobbies include work and jogging. Everything else Jack forces me to do." She teased a little, surprised by how much she was talking about Jack. Since when had she become that girl? The girl who gushes about her boyfriend? "I don't normally talk about Jack so much.. We just moved in together a week ago. Sadly he's the only thing interesting in my life at the moment. I'm boring.. I keep to myself. I work and go home." She pursed her lips and then looked back at Sophie. "I play violin." She offered softly. "I haven't practiced in a while, but.. I'm good. And I used to do ballet. There was a time when I thought I'd be either a ballerina or violinist, but.. life's funny." She shrugged, accepting the mug Sophie offered. "I'm not used to talking so much." She confessed with a nervous laugh. "I know your hobbies.. you play beautifully, by the way. I was impressed." She poured some sugar into her coffee and gave it a stir. "What's, uh.. your family like?" She inquired, sipping the hot liquid.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

"Scriptor Bay. It's up in Oregon…a bit of a drive, but doable." Sophie smiled wide, resting her elbows on the laminate counter and leaning her chin on her hands. Oregon, huh? They’d been so close all this time! How did that even happen? It was occurrences like this that made her believe in fate. Rebecca moved into the kitchen and Sophie stood straight again, leaning her hip against the counter as she watched the way her sister moved. She was silent as a cat, as if trying to hide herself as much as possible. They were so different. "My hobbies include work and jogging. Everything else Jack forces me to do." Sophie giggled a little, picturing that Jack was a driving force in her sister’s life. It was good to know she had that. "I don't normally talk about Jack so much…We just moved in together a week ago. Sadly he's the only thing interesting in my life at the moment. I'm boring…I keep to myself. I work and go home." Was Jack the only person she did things with? Did she have any friends? Sophie tilted her head to the side gently, curious as to whether her sister was exaggerating how isolated she was or not. “So no hobbies besides running? Because work doesn’t count as a hobby,” she teased with a sweet smile. Rebecca gave her an almost nervous glance. "I play violin." Sophie’s eyebrows rose as did her smile, excited by this news. She was musical too! The coffee finished dripping into the pot and Sophie took the chance to pour it into their mugs. "I haven't practiced in a while, but…I'm good. And I used to do ballet. There was a time when I thought I'd be either a ballerina or violinist, but…life's funny." A sad smile came to Sophie’s lips as she nudged Rebecca’s coffee to her. “That’s for sure…” she added softly. Rebecca shrugged and reached for sugar. "I'm not used to talking so much." She gave a nervous laugh and Sophie gave a breathy giggle of her own. Who knew her sister could be so different from her?

"I know your hobbies…you play beautifully, by the way. I was impressed." Sophie grinned from ear to ear and perked right up, putting some Irish creamer into her coffee followed by two spoonfuls of sugar. “Thank you! That’s so sweet of you!” she chirped happily. "What's, uh…your family like?" She was sipping her coffee when Rebecca finished the question and she quickly swallowed, burning her throat in the process. Her hand came to her chest, shaking her head momentarily and then smiled at Rebecca again. “Sorry! It’s hot.” She gave a small, nervous laugh before putting her coffee down on the counter and smiling at her sister. “They’re wonderful. It’s me and my parents and my aunt and uncle live about an hour away from where I grew up in Sacramento, so I’m pretty close with my four cousins. My grandma and grandpa have a vineyard in Napa and I went to their house all the time when I was a kid. We’re a small family, but happy that way. I never knew my dad’s parents and he was an only child, so it’s just my mom’s family that I’m close with. My dad’s name is Mack and my mom is Cindy and I couldn’t have asked for better parents. They’re so loving and supportive. They always encourage me to be myself, even when it scares them shitless.” She gave a laugh, knowing she was a handful and comfortable in the knowledge that her parents would never want her to be anything else. “They were convinced for years that I’d just be some starving artist who barely scraped by on a writer’s salary. But it’s just by good fortune that I avoided that fate, so I guess they had a reason to worry.” With another laugh, she turned to look at Rebecca. She seemed sad, probably because her own family died, and it brought Sophie back to earth. Sipping her coffee, she tried to think of what she could do to cheer her sister. Her blue eyes went hesitantly back to Rebecca’s face and she leaned a little towards her so the woman would look at her. “Maybe it’s not my place to say this, but I think…I know my family would accept you. They’re good people. And I know nothing could ever replace your family but…I know they’d love to meet you.” Sophie couldn’t tell from Rebecca’s expression whether she was upset with the comment or not. She felt nervous and waved her hand, shaking her head little. “But you don’t have to, of course! Just…maybe in the future…you could have dinner with me and my parents. It’s up to you.” She gave a nervous shrug, smiling wistfully. It wasn’t often that she felt so awkward, but she certainly did now.

Straightening once more, she grabbed her mug off the counter and nodded her head in the direction of the living room. “No need to stand in the kitchen while we chat. Let’s go sit down!” She gave a sweet smile and led the way into her living room. She sat on the navy blue couch, shuffling some papers and magazines around on her table to make room for their coffee mugs. “Sorry it’s such a mess. I buy tons of magazines to study up on what my competitors are writing about. Gives me an edge and helps me work on my own writing style. I hope you never fall into the pattern of bringing your work home.” Her smile was sweet and playful before she leaned back into the cushions with her coffee in hand. She looked at her sister curiously, burning to ask questions that she knew Rebecca might not be comfortable with. The woman had been forthcoming with some personal information, but how far would she allow Sophie to push? She didn’t seem like the sharing type and Sophie didn’t want to upset her. Sophie just had to be sure it didn’t seem like she was snooping…”If…if I’m making you uncomfortable with my personal questions, you can just tell me so, I won’t be offended. I just…well, what was your family like? Were they good people? Do have any friends in Scriptor Bay to support you? I just hate the thought of my only sister being lonely.” Maybe she had just met her, but that didn’t change the fact that Rebecca was her only blood family. She wanted the woman to be happy, if only because they were blood.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca's eyes widened as Sophie nearly choked on her coffee, swallowing it too fast after she'd taken a sip, but her smile showed Rebecca that she could relax. “Sorry! It’s hot.” Sophie laughed and Rebecca cleared her throat, wondering if the question was maybe too personal. Then again Sophie was a writer, and was confrontational, and Rebecca was sure nothing was too personal for this girl. “They’re wonderful." Rebecca listened as her sister explained the picture perfect family she had been brought into. Then again, she had been brought into a great family, too.. Despite her own life, she was genuinely happy for Sophie and not an ounce of jealousy wiggled its way into her heart. They'd lost their parents and at least Sophie had been fortunate enough to have an amazing life. Even Rebecca couldn't complain completely about the life she lead. Sure, it had been difficult and it left her hard and guarded, but there were worse fates. She had Maxi and Jack and a job she truly loved. Her life up until her teenage years had been perfect, but she'd made the best of the hand she'd been dealt. It was good that her little sister had found happiness.

“Maybe it’s not my place to say this, but I think…I know my family would accept you." Accept her? Rebecca gulped as she realized what Sophie was telling her. "They’re good people. And I know nothing could ever replace your family but…I know they’d love to meet you.” Meet Sophie's family? The thought hadn't entered her mind before Sophie suggested it and she had no idea how to feel about it. Sophie had mentioned her parents had looked to see if she'd been adopted. In a way they had almost been her parents, but then she wouldn't have had her own family, or Maxi, or Jack.. she wouldn't be a cop. She wouldn't be Rebecca. Hell, her name probably wouldn't even be Rebecca! It was a strange thought. “But you don’t have to, of course! Just…maybe in the future…you could have dinner with me and my parents. It’s up to you.” Having no idea what to think, considering she needed time to process such an idea, Rebecca simply nodded. In a way she was agreeing, but she could always put it off. How much worse could it be than Jack's family?

“No need to stand in the kitchen while we chat. Let’s go sit down!” Rebecca was pulled back down to earth and she nodded, grabbing her mug and following Sophie to the living room, taking a sip of the hot, warm liquid and appreciating the way it warmed her down to her toes. “Sorry it’s such a mess. I buy tons of magazines to study up on what my competitors are writing about. Gives me an edge and helps me work on my own writing style. I hope you never fall into the pattern of bringing your work home.” She blushed and shrugged her shoulders, a small smile at the edge of her lips. She brought Jack home.. He was sort of work. "I try to leave work at the office." She explained, though she sometimes did have to bring some stuff home during an investigation to get a better feel for things. If…if I’m making you uncomfortable with my personal questions, you can just tell me so, I won’t be offended. I just…well, what was your family like? Were they good people? Do have any friends in Scriptor Bay to support you? I just hate the thought of my only sister being lonely.” Rebecca looked up, her back stiffening a bit as she gazed at Sophie and then at her coffee, her brows furrowing softly. "Oh.." The sound was uttered so softly it was barely audible. It was like Rebecca forgot that she would be drilled by the girl. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, forcing a smile on her face before letting it disappear, her eyes flashing to Sophie a couple of times as she considered her answers.

"My mom and dad were awesome." She assured Sophie softly after a moment. "I miss them.. they, uhh.. They let me do basically anything I wanted, and I was a pretty low key kid so that meant violin and ballet. Uhm.. they adopted a little boy a couple years after they got me. Sam.." Since Jack woke up Rebecca had been thinking about Sam a great deal more these days. He was part of the reason she'd wanted to actually find Sophie and have a relationship with her. "I was at a sleepover when my house was broken into. The robbery went bad, and, well the rest is sort of history. A girl who had also lost her family tragically found me and sort of became my mentor. Maxi.. she's my best friend. And, honestly, only friend.." She gave a nervous sort of laugh and rolled her shoulders. "But she's always been there for me. She was actually reunited with her sister a year ago who she thought was dead. Sort of a long story.." She smiled and blushed not sure she should tell Maxi's business. "But anyway, I read some of your articles!" She was talking way more than she expected to and wanted to push the pressure back onto Sophie, who seemed to actually enjoy talking. "Tell me more about that."

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Sophie could see she had upset Rebecca and she was preparing herself to retract her question as she watched her sister look into her coffee for answers. “Oh…” Though she was curious about what Rebecca’s life had been like before today, she didn’t want to upset the poor woman. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it, really. I’ll completely understand.” When the other woman sighed, Sophie was afraid it was a sigh of frustration. Oh no! She’d made her mad! Her brow furrowed deeply, ready to say whatever she needed to in order to make up for her nosiness. But to her surprise, Rebecca smiled almost painfully at Sophie before it faded away. So she wasn’t mad? The words were waiting just beneath the surface of Rebecca’s face and Sophie decided it would be best to let the words come as she wanted to talk about it. “My mom and dad were awesome.” Sophie gave a gentle smile, relieved to hear Rebecca’s parents had been good to her. At least it hadn’t always been bad for her sister. “I miss them…they, uhh…They let me do basically anything I wanted, and I was a pretty low-key kid so that meant violin and ballet. Uhm…they adopted a little boy a couple years after they got me. Sam…” Oh, so she had a brother once…Sophie had never known what it was like to have a sibling when she was growing up. For half a heartbeat she was jealous of Sam for having known her sister when they were kids, for having the big sister she should have had. Was it silly to feel that way? “I was at a sleepover when my house was broken into. The robbery went bad, and, well the rest is sort of history. A girl who lost her family tragically found me and sort of became my mentor. Maxi…she’s my best friend. And, honestly, only friend…” Sophie felt tears stinging in her eyes again. Her family was murdered…she must have felt so guilty being the only one to survive. And she must have been completely abandoned for the second time. The one consolation Sophie had was the fact that she had a friend to help her through it. Maxi…if she ever met that woman, she would thank her from the very bottom of her heart. “But she’s always been there for me. She was actually reunited with her sister a year ago, who she thought was dead. Sort of a long story…” So Maxi and Rebecca had a lot in common! What was Maxi like, she wondered? Was she as nervous and shy as Rebecca? Was she a hardened cop? There were so many questions!

"But anyway, I read some of your articles!" Sophie blinked with a slightly surprised face. That was a veer off topic! "Tell me more about that." Sophie bit her lip and snorted a laugh before covering her mouth, a little embarrassed. Then she laughed a little more and let her hand fall back to cradling her coffee cup, smiling wide at Rebecca. “I’m sorry, it’s just…that was a terrible transition! I don’t think you could have made it more obvious you just don’t want to talk about yourself anymore.” She giggled again before sipping her coffee and smiling. Sophie went on to explain how she started out in journalism—on her high school newspaper. She eventually became editor-in-chief for both the J.F. Kennedy High newspaper and literary magazine. Her success there followed her to her college paper and literary magazine, ending up the editor of features and op/eds on the paper and editor-in-chief of the literary magazine. It gave her a foothold into the real world of journalism. “After a few years of writing on small newspapers, I got my job at In Style. It took a while to really break through as a regular, but now I have an article in every issue. While waiting for that to all come together, I started writing op/eds for the Huffington Post. I got a lot of followers and they gave me a regular bi-weekly column. Mostly I write about women’s issues and try to bring my perspective to things that affect women today, like new legislation or events occurring around the world. But I like to put a humorous spin on it because everyone deserves a laugh.” She gave a small shrug and smiled wide. “It’s a good life. I like how hectic it is and the stress to be the first to discuss a certain issue or at least offer an original perspective…it’s such a rush.” Giving a small giggle, she sipped her coffee, before lowering her mug once more. “How about you? Why did you choose to be a cop?”

Rebecca explained why she led the life she did and Sophie listened with rapt attention. Her sister helped people every day—Sophie could only imagine that kind of rush. When Rebecca asked about some of the situations she’d found herself in, Sophie could feel her heart beating a little faster just thinking about it. One of the stories was from D.C. where she used to live and work. How cool! She told of a rug addict she’d apprehended who screamed, “I’m Obama, bitch!” The story made Sophie laugh loudly and she saw Rebecca give a genuinely amused smile. Sophie traded that story for one of her own on one of the adventures she’d had on LA’s public transportation system. A man sat beside her with a branch sticking straight up out of the collar of his shirt and adorning his graying hair with green leaves. He caught Sophie staring at it and introduced himself as Mr. Forester. “I have a branch because I’m Mr. Forester.” Sophie had laughed and received an intimidating stare in return. All she could say in return was, “Oh…well, it’s nice to meet you!” It made Rebecca laugh and Sophie was glad to find she could inspire that sound. And so they talked for half an hour just trading funny stories about the crazy people they’d met over the years, displaying more about themselves in the process. Rebecca was a hard worker and devoted most of her life to the job; she kept to herself and didn’t go out a whole lot, but when she did, she had stories. Sophie was a hard worker, but very scattered in her interests and was frequently out with friends, having a good time when crazy things happened to her. They were opposites, but they were mixing well in their first sisterly bonding experience. In a couple stories, Rebecca mentioned Jack and Sophie began to gather that they worked together. “So you and Jack work together I take it?” Rebecca confirmed and Sophie cocked her head to the side. “What’s that like? I mean dating a cop would be hard anyway with the danger you face. So is it difficult for you and Jack to be so close to danger at any given minute? And do your coworkers know?” Her sister was so interesting!

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Sophie bit her lip and a snort of a laugh came out making Rebecca blush. Had she said something wrong? “I’m sorry, it’s just…that was a terrible transition! I don’t think you could have made it more obvious you just don’t want to talk about yourself anymore.” Sophie giggled and Rebecca turned redder, smiling bashfully into her coffee. She wasn't very good at trying to change topics, but she was a lot nicer to Sophie about it than she was with Jack. Then again she was used to Jack, and even when she wasn't she was always on the defense. She didn't feel as on the defense with Sophie. Though she made Rebecca uncomfortable, there was something about her that she liked. Something that seemed familiar. Maybe it was her likeness to Maxi, since the girl did remind her a bit of her pseudo sister, or it could that there was something about Sophie that was just so...Rebecca.

Sophie indulged her, going into her long winded answer about how she got her start in journalism starting from high school. Rebecca paid attention, having always been interested in peoples back stories, but Sophie was even more interesting considering their relationship. She wrote for small papers once out of college and then finally hit it big with In Style, a magazine that Rebecca had never looked at, but had noticed on magazine racks in the past. Fashion, clearly, wasn't her interest. But the Huffington Post was something she did read on occasion, and she had to admit it was impressing that she'd gotten the regular article there. “It’s a good life. I like how hectic it is and the stress to be the first to discuss a certain issue or at least offer an original perspective…it’s such a rush.” Sophie giggled for probably the thousandth time since the girls met, and Rebecca smiled gently in return. Sophie was certainly cute. “How about you? Why did you choose to be a cop?” And now the attention was back to her and she braced herself for having to speak up again.

"Well, they never caught the guy who killed my family which over the years I began to obsess over. Also, I did some pretty stupid things before I met Maxi and I guess I thought becoming a cop might somehow help me catch the kind of people who put me in bad situation and took advantage of me when I was too naive to know any better." She rolled her shoulders. "It seemed like a safer bet than becoming a professional violinist." It wasn't like her to joke, but lighthearted comments were known to sneak in from time to time when she hung out with Maxi, and this seemed like a similar atmosphere. She answered more of Sophie's questions concerning her job and even told a few of the silly stories, including the one that Jack's family had enjoyed so much from her time on the east coast. Sophie returned with a story about a crazy man who called himself Mr. Forester on the metro, which actually got a laugh from Rebecca, who was becoming more comfortable around her sister by the moment.

“So you and Jack work together I take it?” It wasn't something she was proud of, but Rebecca nodded. For a brief moment she wondered how Sophie could know that, but some of the stories she'd told involved Jack and work, so it was probably pretty obvious. “What’s that like? I mean dating a cop would be hard anyway with the danger you face. So is it difficult for you and Jack to be so close to danger at any given minute? And do your coworkers know?” Rebecca had never really considered the danger part as being an issue before. She knew Jack didn't like her being in certain situations since he'd voiced it, but they both knew there was nothing to be done and Rebecca would never take herself out of harms way just because Jack wanted her to. "We separate work and our relationship as much as possible. We don't often work on cases together and are rarely at the same crime scenes. We met while on a case, but we don't really end up doing the same stuff usually, it was just a fluke that we ended up together that time. I know Jack's not crazy about my being involved with certain cases, but he would never try and stand in the way of me and my work. He knows better." It was a serious comment, but almost teasing. Jack did know better than to try and stop her or to ever stand in the way. "I don't really worry about Jack getting hurt on a day to day basis. He's smart, and he's tough. If I were in trouble and had to choose someone to climb out of that cop car to save me, I'd want it to be Jack and I'm not saying that because I agreed to be his girlfriend. I'm saying that because Jack's really good at what he does, and there's not a corrupt bone in the mans body." She didn't add the fact that he was enormous, but that certainly helped in her mind. She sipped her coffee, thinking about the man she left at home for a moment. "It took a long time for him to convince me to get serious with him because I didn't want anyone at the station to know. I worked really hard to get where I am, and I never wanted people to question if I'd climbed into bed with anyone to get there. I thought that if people knew that Jack and I were together that they'd assume I made a habit of dating within the precinct, which isn't my style. Besides, I don't really like the whole companion thing.." Rebecca blushed and smiled a little nervously at Sophie. "Our boss knows along with one or two people who have happened to catch us out together, but no one else. I make it a point to avoid him at work." She grinned a little and then nodded to Sophie. "So why don't you want to hold someone down? How can every guy you meet get boring after a month?" Asking about someone's love life was certainly new for her.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

“We separate work and our relationship as much as possible. We don’t often work on cases together and are rarely at the same crime scenes. We met while on a case, but we don’t really end up doing the same stuff usually, it was just a fluke that we ended up together that time. I know Jack’s not crazy about my being involved with certain cases, but he would never try and stand in the way of me and my work. He knows better.” Sophie giggled, though she assumed that Rebecca really meant it. Her sister seemed like a tough cookie, one that could keep her man in line. She wondered how difficult it was to keep Jack in line, though. Was he a laidback guy or did he cause trouble for Rebecca? Maybe she would go to Scriptor Bay to see what sort of life Rebecca led there. It was only fair after she came all the way to L.A.! “I don’t really worry about Jack getting hurt on a day to day basis. He’s smart and he’s tough. If I were in trouble and had to choose someone to climb out of that cop car to save me, I’d want it to be Jack and I’m not saying that because I agreed to be his girlfriend. I’m saying that because Jack’s really good at what he does, and there’s not a corrupt bone in that man’s body.” Sophie smiled wide, happy with Rebecca’s description of Jack. It was so good to hear that her sister had such a great man. He sounded like a genuinely nice guy. But then it occurred to her that most of the nice guys she knew were…homely, to be nice about it. Was Jack one of those really sweet but not so attractive guys? She was tempted to ask for a picture, but Rebecca didn’t seem the type to keep a lot of pictures of her loved ones. In the end, it didn’t matter how ugly Jack might be—he made Rebecca happy, and that was enough for Sophie. “Jack sounds like a great guy,” she chirped sweetly as Rebecca sipped her coffee.

“It took a long time for him to convince me to get serious with him because I didn’t want anyone at the station to know. I worked really hard to get where I am, and I never wanted people to question if I’d climbed into bed with anyone to get there.” Sophie nodded, understanding completely. She’d made the mistake of sleeping with someone she worked with before. When others found out, they judged her for it forever after. It was part of the reason she ended up slinking away from that position for something pretty much on the same level at a different newspaper. Rebecca went on to explain that she didn’t want others to assume she made it a habit and Sophie was excited that they had at least that in common. “Besides, I don’t really like the whole companion thing…” Something else they could agree on! Sophie smiled from ear to ear even though Rebecca seemed a little embarrassed by her statement. Only their boss and a couple coworkers knew about their relationship and Rebecca made Sophie laugh when she said she avoided Jack at work. They sounded like a bit of an odd couple, but in a sweet way. “So why don’t you want to hold someone down? How can every guy you meet get boring after a month?” Sophie sipped her coffee and offered a shrug while she swallowed. “It becomes so…predictable! The spark dies out after so long of spending all of our spare time together and I start to imagine finding it again with other people. Don’t get me wrong! I’ve tried to keep that spark going by doing new and exciting things with whatever guy I’m with, but then it just becomes exhausting. I’m starting to think I’m just too ADD for a long term relationship.” She scrunched her nose up playfully, smiling as she did so. It was a little sad to think she’d never find someone to settle down with, but she was in her early thirties—she had to come to terms with it. “Unless I found someone else who was just as ADD. Then maybe it could be interesting. Then again, maybe that would just lead to a shorter relationship.” She looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, tapping her chin with her forefinger playfully and amusing Rebecca. Smiling again, she gave another shrug. “I guess I’m just kind of like you. I’m not really a fan of the whole companion thing. Or maybe I’m just too much of a fan.” She giggled before sipping her coffee.

“It’s alright, though. I like my life the way it is. When I need company, I go out and get it. Almost every day is an adventure and I like being open to all of the opportunities that come my way. It could be a man, it could be tasty food! I never know and I like the mystery.” She leaned in a little closer, shifting her eyes around her apartment playfully. “But I have a secret…” she stage whispered playfully. Her hand came up to hide the side of her mouth from imaginary prying eyes. “I do really want to find the right guy.” She nodded sagely like she had just revealed a terrible secret. “I know, it’s shocking. But a girl can dream.” Her familiar grin came back to her lips as she sat back and cradled her coffee mug in her hands. “Maybe there are some other treasures besides this Jack that you found hidden in Scriptor Bay. Think I could come for a visit some time? Maybe there’s something I can write about while I’m there. Tie in some business with pleasure. What’s it like?” She wanted to know more about this city her sister lived in. She thought she’d heard the name in the news recently…Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She jumped and gasped, almost spilling her coffee in the process of reaching out to touch her sister’s arm. “Oh! That’s where that kidnapping happened! What was the woman’s name…? O’Brien? Yeah, yeah! The one with the psycho who held her captive for a week! Did you work that case?” Maybe she could get an exposé out of a visit to her sister’s city! As well as an inside look into her sister’s life. This visit was sounding better and better!

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“It becomes so…predictable!" Rebecca had always thought that too. That is until Jack showed up into her life, and he was anything but predictable. "The spark dies out after so long of spending all of our spare time together and I start to imagine finding it again with other people. Don’t get me wrong! I’ve tried to keep that spark going by doing new and exciting things with whatever guy I’m with, but then it just becomes exhausting. I’m starting to think I’m just too ADD for a long term relationship.” The way Sophie scrunched her nose was the same way she did, and it was strange to see. Not because it was uncommon for people to do that, it just looked so much like her that it became almost unnerving to watch. “Unless I found someone else who was just as ADD. Then maybe it could be interesting. Then again, maybe that would just lead to a shorter relationship.” Rebecca smiled a little at the thoughtful look that spread over her sisters face as she considered what she'd just said, as though the thought had just occurred to her. Rebecca thought it sounded like a recipe for disaster, but she was no love expert. What did she know of relationships? “I guess I’m just kind of like you. I’m not really a fan of the whole companion thing. Or maybe I’m just too much of a fan.” The younger girl giggled and Rebecca found her own smile growing as she, too, sipped at her coffee, both hands wrapped around the mug seeking its warm comfort.

“It’s alright, though. I like my life the way it is. When I need company, I go out and get it. Almost every day is an adventure and I like being open to all of the opportunities that come my way. It could be a man, it could be tasty food! I never know and I like the mystery.” It sounded like a nice enough existence, but not the kind for Rebecca who sought out stability and routine. She didn't like not knowing what was around the corner, which was part of why it took so long to move forward with Jack, though she'd been more willing recently. Sophie leaned in and her eyes shifted from side to side. Rebecca looked too, unsure what the other girl was doing as she leaned closer as well, taking the cue from the younger woman. “But I have a secret… I do really want to find the right guy.” Sophie nodded sagely as though she'd offered up some very juicy information and Rebecca's brows raised. “I know, it’s shocking. But a girl can dream.” Rebecca nodded as if she knew how Sophie felt, but she didn't exactly. She didn't really have that urge much before Jack was in the picture. Sure, every now and then it crossed her mind, but not seriously enough for her to go looking for it. She'd lucked out with Jack.

“Maybe there are some other treasures besides this Jack that you found hidden in Scriptor Bay. Think I could come for a visit some time? Maybe there’s something I can write about while I’m there. Tie in some business with pleasure. What’s it like?” Rebecca nearly choked on her coffee, swallowing the mouthful in her mouth too quickly and causing tears to come to her eyes as it burned its way down her esophagus. Sophie visit? They'd just met! She wondered if the girl would expect her to introduce her to people. Maxi would be good for that! Maxi and Sophie could talk for hours while Becca just sat quietly and listened. That could work.. "Well, it's, uh.." “Oh! That’s where that kidnapping happened! What was the woman’s name…? O’Brien? Yeah, yeah! The one with the psycho who held her captive for a week! Did you work that case?” Her eyes widened and again she gulped, this time without molten coffee in her mouth. Rebecca hesitated a moment before nodding. "I did work on that case." She explained, holding her hand up to stop the millions of questions she knew were about to pour out of Sophie's mouth. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the case, though. Confidentiality breach, and my boss would seriously harm me if he knew. I think he has a thing for the woman in question." Her cheeks turned a little pink, feeling like Jack who was actually interested in Hagan's love affairs. "It's an interesting case, though.. and I might be able to help get you in with the suspect in question, but I make no promises. If.. that's what you wanted." Sophie insisted it was and she nodded. "I'll see what I can do, then. The city doesn't have lots of cases like that, though." She recalled Maxi's kidnapping a year ago, but that was under different circumstances and she was found almost immediately. Davenport was still uncharged officially for his crime. "It's mostly pretty nice, but strange things do happen there. I don't know if you recall the strange darkness that settled over the city about a year ago.. odd things are known to happen. It makes it exciting to live there. We get weird animal sightings all the time." Of course she knew why, especially considering who she dated. "There is a lot of story potential out that way."