1. Author: Ben Dolce Date: 29 November 2016
Subject: Three sisters Style: Not specified
Hills Length: At least one page
Countryside
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Nora came out of her 4 bedroom colonial and watched the car leave her driveway. It felt
wrong as she climbed into her new Mercedes. It was as if someone else was now in control
of her actions and she was only along for the ride. Where the ride was taking her was
uncertain, but it would involve following her younger sister Carol. And she had never in her
forty-seven years had to follow someone without their knowledge.
Carol drove off in her beat up Volkswagen. She loved the car but it was not as reliable as she
bragged. It was running fine today and she was grateful for that. During her visit with Nora,
she ended up storming out after an argument and did not want to be stuck in her driveway.
Carol told herself that both of them were too old be arguing about petty things like money.
But recently Bella, their youngest sister, had died in a terrible plane crash and it seemed
everyone in the family quarreled too much, or did not talk at all.
Nora resided in a nice suburb of Denver. Traffic was light and she lived close to the highway,
so it was easy to follow Carol through the neighborhood to the on ramp. Nora was not a
natural at the spy game she was now playing. If Carol had been paying attention, she would
have easily noticed her sister was behind her. But Carol was too focused on the recent
argument with Nora.
They merged onto the highway and blended with the traffic. Nora was a city girl and did not
travel this way often, but she had an idea where her sister might be headed. Carol loved
nature and was driving into the countryside. The flat plain of Denver was behind them and
the surrounding tree covered hills kept getting bigger as they moved in the direction of the
great Rocky Mountains. Carol exited the highway before they reached the mountains though.
Nora knew this exit and was now sure where Carol was headed.

2. Carol pulled into the tiny parking lot of the small state park. It was nestled in the foothills on a
piece of semi-flat land that had a stream flowing along one side. The air smelled of the forest
due to the beautiful pine and spruce trees growing on the surrounding hills. There was a dog
park on one side and in another fenced off area, far off in one corner of the park, was a
children's playground.
As little girls, their father had taken them to this park whenever he could. It held a lot of happy
memories for the three sisters. Nora immediately felt remorse over the argument. Had it
been so bad that Carol needed to come to this place to console herself? Nora asked herself
how she could be so insensitive to her sister's feelings. For that matter, she really did not
know anything about what her sister was thinking or feeling. She had become so selfish about
her own feelings that she had not asked Carol the right questions. They just argued about the
money that she needed to borrow for repairs to her car.
Carol exited the red Beatle. She was carrying a small package. Nora tried to keep her
distance but Carol finally noticed her. It was hard to miss the shiny white Mercedes when
Nora turned into the parking lot. The charade was up and Nora could only pull up along side
Carol's car. Nora got out and walked over to her sister.
Nora wanted to ask about the package Carol held and why she had come to the park. But it
just came out. “I'm sorry.”
“I am too. It's just too much for all of us to take right now, I know. I shouldn't have asked you
for the money so soon after the funeral.”
Nora was hurt, how could she be such a bad sister. “I'll give you whatever you need.” After a
short pause, she asked, “Why in the world did you drive out here over such a silly argument?”
Carol did not answer right away and her face became tight with pain and sorrow. “Tess got
loose and was hit by a car. I didn't want to tell you. It is enough we are dealing with losing
Bella. It wouldn't be right to burden you, or the rest of the family, with my dog. I had her
cremated and thought this would be a good place to spread her ashes. With all the joy she

3. brought me, it just seemed right to add her this place. I know it is stupid”
Nora could not stop the tears, they just welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
She realized Carol had stopped by her place to ask for the money on her way to the park.
Since Nora lived on Carol's way to the park, Carol would only have to rely on her car to make
one trip and not two. She hugged her sister. She realized she had not hugged anyone in a
while and she did not want this hug to end. She made a new promise to herself that she
would never again be so insensitive or mean to her sister. “I am so sorry about Tess. She
was a good dog and I know you loved her.”
Carol simply nodded her head yes. “It was sweet of you to chase after me after I was so
awful to argue with you like that.”
“Well, it wasn't really chasing after you. It was more like spying. Your car is special to you, I
know, but you have been stuck on the side of the road more than once and I couldn't let you
leave knowing your car was not running right. You were so mad that I didn't think you would
call me for help if your car died. I know you don't have the money to get towed and I didn't
want you to get stranded. But after the argument, I was too stubborn to let you know I was
worried about you.”
Carol smiled back through her own tears. “Stubborn is an understatement. I guess we all got
that gene from Dad.”
Nora wiped a couple of tears off Carol's cheek and said, “Let's find the old seesaw. That's
where the three of us always went as soon as we got here with Dad. I don't know why
because one of us always got hurt on that stupid thing. But it is one of my favorite memories
of us as little girls. Maybe you can spread Tess's ashes there?” And with that, Nora put her
arm around Carol and they walked into the park. Their bond as sisters renewed and stronger
than ever.