Seeing Red by uschibear

Congratulations for wining the Grinding Ground Writing Contest.

Jax stared at himself in the mirror. 

Why red?

And why had he promised his sister she could chose any color if she finished the 5 k run?

His normally black hair, which he grew out to the middle of his back every three years, was red.  And not a normal red dye job either.  It was brilliant crimson, almost to neon in brightness.  It stood out like a spotlight on a moonless night. 

Jaynee stood just outside the door giggling.  She'd shed her prosthetic leg somewhere in the house.  She didn't like wearing it unless she didn't have a choice and hopped around on one leg every where she went.  Even the stairs didn't give her any trouble anymore.

Brilliant crimson like a cardinal, only a little more orange to make it a beacon for every set of eyes in school.  He turned to scowl at Jaynee and her totally normal black braids.

"Jax, it looks great.  You'll have to get used to it.  At least for a couple months or so."

"I'm not cutting it until next summer Jaynee."

"It's okay, it'll fade out over the next while.  It isn't permanent."

"Will it be gone for prom?"  He kicked himself, he sounded like a ninny.

"Of course.  And thank you for helping me to see I can still run.  The accident wasn't the end of the world.  I don't even care if I get a better leg for everyday as long as we can afford the racing one."

"There's enough in the settlement to cover both, so don't worry about it.  You know you almost beat me, and I've got two good legs.  It least I thought I did."

Jax looked at his twin and smiled.  It had always been this way between them.  Until their parents had been killed and Jaynee had lost her leg after a drunk semi driver had run into them head on.  He should have been with them, but he'd stayed over at Russel's.  He still couldn't look at an Xbox.  What was so important about the newest version of Halo?

"One thing's for sure, I'm not going to bet against you on a race ever again.  If you keep this up, you're going to qualify for the Paralympics."  Jax went over and hugged her.  "I'm so proud of you."

"I miss mom and dad," her grey eyes darkened.

"I'd go crazy if I thought they were gone like they never existed.  I miss them too Jaynee.  Let's see if Grams will let us take the car.  Once we get to the cemetery, you can practice on the drive up to visit them," Jax told her.

"Are you really going to teach me how to drive?"  Jaynee still was sure she should even try.

"Come on, you lost your left leg.  The car is an automatic, you'll be fine."  Jax took one more look at his hair, shaking it down around his long narrow face. 

"You should braid it like you always do."

He reached for a brush.  "Nope.  Just an elastic, I'll pull it into a ponytail at the back of my neck.  Let see how many of our friends notice if I put my ball cap on."

They hurried down the back stairs to the kitchen.

"Where did you leave your leg?" Jax stopped to grab the car keys from the kitchen counter.

"In the mudroom."  Jaynee had already slipped the silicon sleeve over her stump.  "This new socket is genius.  Jenna did a great job this time around."  She eased herself into the leg and stood to roll up the outer sleeve over the top of the socket and up her thigh.
"The whole thing works better without a valve in the socket.  It stays on way better."

"Where are you two going?"  His grandmother with the pinched face, and deep lines around her mouth held out her hand for the keys.

"We want to go up to the graves," Jaynee said.

"You were up there last week, you've got to let them go," her voice trembled a bit. 

"Come with us, then.  Visit mom, tell her you miss her," Jax invited her.  He wasn't going to let her talk them out of their regular Sunday visit.  They hadn't missed one.  He beat Jaynee to the road test by a week, and then it happened.  He'd stood, numb, as the two caskets had been lowered into open scars in the velvet lawns.  Worried about Jaynee, who couldn't come say goodbye, he'd promised to visit every week and bring her with him as soon as possible.  His grandmother hadn't been back since.

"Never mind.  Be back in time for supper."  She turned to the stove, ignoring the twins as they slammed out of the back door.

"It's like mom never was." Jaynee said as the got into the old truck.

"I know.  She doesn't even have a picture of her anywhere.  I keep mine hidden in my desk in my room."

"Mine are in my locker at school," Jaynee admitted.

He backed down the driveway, looking for traffic.

"Will they come visit again?"

"I don't know, but if you're driving up from the bottom of the hill, I'll bet dad will anyway."

"Come on, let switch," Jax said as he pulled in beside the crematorium. 

"All right.  I'll try."

"You were going to take the test the week after me, you remember how to do this." Jax encouraged her.

Jaynee put her foot on the brake and put the truck in reverse.  Then she dropped her forehead against the steering wheel.  "I don't know if I can."

"There's no one around.  No one to see if you mess up, which I know you won't," Jax told her.  "And remember, dad said, they'd be there whenever we did something important."

"Driving the truck isn't important like he meant.  If I was bringing my boyfriend up here, because he gave me a ring, that's important."  Jaynee took a deep breath and backed out onto the narrow roadway.  Following it slowly, she took the first 180 degree turn up the hill a little wide but corrected before it was a problem.

"See, like riding a bicycle.  Which you are going to learn to do again.  If you can run, you can ride a bike."  Jax said.

"I'll try.  This isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Jaynee picked up a little speed.

"Don't go too fast," Jax cautioned.

"Do you want me to turn around before I park?"

"Go for it." He grinned as she spun the wheel and turned around in the cul-de-sac at the end of the road.

"Look!" Jaynee point toward the identical gravestones across the grass.

Jax pulled himself up so he stood looking over the roof of the truck. 

His mother and father were walking toward them.  Dressed in jeans and tee shirts, they looked like a couple of teenagers ready to get in trouble. 

His father's hair was bright red, exactly the same shade as his own, and his giggling mother's was too.

"What a great idea!  Congrats, Jaynee!"  Their mother drifted toward them, forgetting to ground herself as she shook her shoulder length curls.

"I'd hug you if I could, sweetie," her father added as he approached.

"Still couldn't get mom to come?" his mother asked.

"Not a chance," Jaynee said.

"Your mother never had an ounce of imagination, or belief in anything other than when it's over it's over."  His dad's voice boomed with amusement.

"No matter, at least you know.  We might not be alive, but we'll never stop watching over you." Mom said.

"Jaynee almost beat me mom," Jax tugged the elastic out of his hair.

"Love the color.  Seeing red is going to be a whole new thing."  His father ran his hands through his own neon red crew cut.

"This is the last time here.  We'll turn up wherever you go, I know you're okay now kids," his mother said. 

"I want you to stay."  Jaynee begged.

"We have to go, it's time.  We know you'll take care of each other.  Look at you Jaynee," her mother said as she floated closer.  "You're driving again.  You ran a race.  Jax you honored your word, there isn't a greater sign of becoming the best man you can be.  You kept a promise that put you in an awkward place, and you did it without hesitation."

His father nodded.  "Like mom said, you'll be okay.  We have our own adventures to get to."

"You'll come back to visit?"

"We promise," they said together. "Remember we'll always be there, whenever you see red."