003:

Matthew refolded the letter without looking at it, his eyes moist with unshed emotion. He could see beyond the slight rise, he could see into the future, and he had to wonder if he'd come into Jared's life because he was supposed to take care of Melia. He looked over at her. She was standing still as a statue. He could feel Jared now, telling him to go to her. A role he wanted to fulfill, but was reluctant to begin right this minute. Those last lines, had Jared himself given her care to him? Did he mean for him to take her and keep her? Or just comfort her?

It didn't matter; it was too soon to tell what his answer should be. He hadn't given her to him. He'd simply wanted to train him to diffuse her. She had such a strong handicap. He started toward her over the rocky terrain, over the lush green tufts of wild grasses. Till he came to stand close behind her. Not too close.

"Mia." He said her name. She didn't turn, but held out her hand behind her warding him off. He waited. She remained standing there, staring. He waited behind her for whatever life had in store for them without the one man holding them together.

*****

Megan

Megan had been in the house getting things ready. She had loaded all the food into Jared's truck and was taking it over to his mom's. Some other things had been specified in his will that were to go. Much of it he gave to his brothers. But the house, his house, belonged to Melia and Hannah. He wanted her to come there every year and stay there for a month. If a month wasn't possible then two weeks--- at least two weeks.

His mother bustled around. Megan liked Lily, and Merlin very much, she liked their accents, their hospitality, their straight forward approach to losing their beloved son. It was a part of life, and they dealt with it. In his letter to her Jared had said that they would. He'd asked her to spend a little time with his sister, Elizabeth, who was less understanding and more fragile though. Elizabeth had already left for her mother's house.

Megan took a box of canned goods over to the truck and pushed it up on the tailgate. Then she took the letter she'd received in genuine surprise, and went around the side of the porch by the lilac bushes. She leaned against the wooden screen area and pulled the letter out.

It read:

"Hey there, Sis:

"Yes, it's me, your almost brother Jared. I know we didn't get to spend a lot of time together, but I feel close to you having married your twin, you know? I want you to know, I like you. I know the family thinks you are hyper and insensitive and too full of yourself. Ha! I see right through you. That somewhat boisterous personality masks a beautiful artist who shines when her one minute older big sister isn't taking the limelight. Melia is amazing isn't she? Yep, she's utterly amazing. And you know it and I know it. But I've seen you, Megs.... You are just as amazing. I don't care what they all say, I know you listen to them way too much, and it makes you insecure. You have no reason to be so insecure, be yourself, you are so amazing! I absolutely think you are exactly as amazing in different ways than your sister. You have a challenging and adventurous spirit. I like that. You're like me. Maybe you get that from me. You need to try new things. The band isn't going to last forever, I don't think any of you are cut out for a career in music like your mother is. You girls all have such amazing talents that need to be tapped into, and there won't be time for it if you're constantly performing. So, eventually, think about stopping the band. Be a wife and a mother, and an artist. I can see you don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm serious. You have an artist's eye, and an artist's personality. It may be in your music, it may not be. I personally think it's in your hand. I think you can depict and capture images that will bring hope and peace to the world. Whether it's through photography or some other medium, I don't know, but you have the eye. Don't be afraid to go in another direction, and dedicate your first show to me, I thought of it first, okay? Besides that, your folks are amazing too. Listen to them. Your dad is strong, but he's not going to be able to help Melia get over me. She won't let him. So that leaves your mom and she'll take care of Melia, I have no doubt about that, she'll take care of her all right, but Melia will need you. Don't let me down now, okay? Your sister needs you. You may think she doesn't. She never has seemed to before, always on her own, always putting you down a little, always making you feel frivolous compared to her, well forget all that. You're not frivolous, we both know that. You're not shallow, or insensitive, we both know that. Melia may not know what she really knows, but don't let her bully you. Be there for her for awhile, okay? Take her on tour, take her traveling. Encourage her to act, she likes it, and it'll be good for her for awhile. No one else will encourage her, so let it be you, and win it for me this time, okay, sis? And I have one more request, since I'm at it. Will you teach Hannah something? Make sure she learns something... a sport, a song, a Girl Scout adventure. Do it with her, just once in her life, okay? She'll need you. She'll need to see your kind of fire. She'll be like you in that way. Okay, that's all I have. I love you, I really do. Don't cut your hair. Be kind to your mother. Take art lessons. Ride my horse for me. I gave her to you, did you read the will? Smarty is yours. Take care of her for me. Oh, and someday if Ryan ever gets where he's accessible, will you tell him what happened? Will you explain it, and get him to talk about his feelings? I know that's a big ticket to fill. It may not happen, I did say if... okay? Maybe be his friend.

Love ya lots, kiddo, Jared

It was the most amazing letter she'd ever received and she hadn't thought of herself as one he'd take the time to write to in this situation. They hadn't talked much; they hadn't had any type of closeness that she recognized. He'd saved her life, he'd seen her a couple of times. How could he be so observant in their very short time together? How could he peg her so right on? Her mother said that close to the end Jared had become Christian, started drawing closer to God. Had the spirit manifested in his life at that time, and given him insights that maybe others wouldn't have seen? That had to be it. He was just so close to the spirit.

And his requests were so.... Take immediate care of Melia, yes, he was right, her parents were not the ones to do it. Emotionally she was the most capable of helping Melia. She was her twin. They shared something that others didn't. He was right to remind her of that. It had been almost a year since she'd been really close to Melia, and only recently had they started recording together and writing again. Then he'd asked her to plan something over time with Hannah. That had seemed like a reasonable request, and one a father would want for his daughter, kind of like, in the Catholic religion and other religions, they had God parents. She kind of felt like he was asking her to be Hannah's God-mother. She would do it, because Jared asked. It meant a lot to her that he had asked.

And then the horse.... It had been so random, when they'd read the will, and she'd been told to be present. Why in the world did she need to be present? Well, he'd given her some property and a horse. The property was in Utah, a place she'd never been, but one close by her folks place in Park City. Apparently he'd spent much of his life acquiring property. And now he had to dispose of it. And the horse? Well, he loved his horses, and wanted them to be cared for. How funny that he should know that she loved horses. Melia loved horses too, but she didn't have any of her own, she didn't love them enough to want any, but Megan did. Smarty would fit right in with her two paints. Interesting that he knew that.

And then the biggie... Ryan. He did qualify it with an if. That was good, because she knew Ryan didn't like her. He hadn't hit it off with her right from the start, and she with him. So, to ask her to talk to him had been a huge breach. At first she'd thought to herself, no way, and no one will ever know I said no way, I'm not equipped to do it, I'm the last person who should talk to Ryan, ever. But then she looked into the future and saw times ahead for Ryan when he needed a friend to help him understand. It may not be anytime soon, probably wouldn't be. She could wait and watch and if it ever seemed appropriate, she'd get out this letter again and ask the spirit to help her. That was that. She was touched and surprised at the enormity of her assignments.

She refolded the letter and stuck it in her lightweight jacket pocket and sighed. Now was as good a time as any to talk to Melia. She rounded the house from the back, saw Melia standing out on the hillside overlooking the land, Matthew not far away, standing there staring at her, close to Jared's grave. Did they need time? Had Jared asked Matthew to look after Melia as well? What could Matthew offer her? Oh, yeah, he could diffuse her.

Megan started walking out to Melia. She would be there for her sister. She knew how right now. 

*******