Jon escorr Sister Love Miss Howard Cain a hrs Maris thirty-five years old, Howard was forty-one. Howard lived with his mother ina small house on the south side of che town. Maria lived with her sister and father in an apartment, three sects away ‘Maria did not work. Her father, Geonge Grant, wall and never let the apartment. He stayed in bed most of the time and always needed somebody with him. So ‘Maria stayed at home with het father, and only went oot when he sister Karin ws in the house. The two sisters were very diferent. Marsia was short with a small round face and short black ait. Karin was fen years younger She was all ad long brow hai, and ‘0d legs, and a sunean all through the summer. People ‘often sid to Marcia, “Your sisters very beautiful’ There were lays lacs of men ready to take Karin ut to dinner cinema. But Marcia sayed a home. Karin worked ina shop in the town, When she was at home, she liked to sit up on the roof garden of theie partment building It was one Sunday in May when Marcia came home ‘with Howard the fist time. She took him to see her father, George Grant was in bed. He had grey hai anda grey 2 face. Sometimes he read a book, but mostly he us atin bed and watched television “This is Howard, father’ Maria sid. He works atthe hospital, and we met at church, {told you about him lst ‘weak: Do you remember" Noy’ he father said. And he rurned his face away, back tw his television. He was not inerested in new people oF his daughters friends Tost then, Karin came int the room. She wore a white bakin’ and white shoes, She smiled at Howard ‘So you're Howard, she sid. “My bg sister has got a boyfriend a ase Howards ace went red and he looked down a is et Karin laughed. “Come on up tothe roof garden and have some wine, The sun is wonderful his morning.” “Oh 1... Howard began ‘Marcia looked angrily a her sister Bur then she sad, “Yes, muse get father a drink. See you in 3 minute, Howard. Go up to the rof and alk to Kain, The sun was hot on the roof and Howard took of his coat, He lookédl around. There were thc chaies, a sun ‘umbrella, 2 sinbod, and a able with tree glasses and bottle of wine on it. There were tiles on the foot, and next tothe litle wall around the edge of the roof there were some Rowers in boxes. This was the ‘garden’ ‘Very nice'said Howard. Karin smiled ar hia "we don’ see many good-looking men up here she sid Sie down and havea drink.”Bookworm Clu Bronze Suter Love Howard's face went red again. He gave a shy litle laugh. ‘Oh, er hank you, he sid, He red not to lok at Kann long suncanned legs, butt was not eis. ‘Tcome up here all the time when ie sunny’ Karin said, She began to pu suntan oil om her arms and eg Howard watched. Then Marca arrived, and the thre of them sat inthe sum and drank wine. Marcia looked at Howard with love inher eyes She didnot lok at Karin Karin watched them. Her eyes went from her sister, 0 Howard, and back again to he sister She smiled Te was noe nice smile, oe Every Sunday morning after that, Marcia brought Howard home for a glass of wine after church, Howard stopped his ear in the street outside the apartment building, ad Marea said, Sound che horn, Howard Tell Karin we're here then she ca get the wine eady” So Howard gave thre litle tots on his ear horn. On sunny days Karn always came cathe wall atthe edge of the roof, and looked oer to wave a them, Then she went tose the wine She always wore her bikini oF a very short skirt, Marcia never wore short skirts ora bikini, “My legs ar 00 fat for bikinis she told Hamar “Your legs are... very nic, he said shyly ‘One day in June Karin asked Howard, What you finish work, Howard?” ‘About six o'dock,’ he sid me do “Could you bring me home after work? Karin sd ‘My shop's very near the hospital -you deve right pas it And yu only lve three streets away fom us." “Theresa very good bus said Marca quickly ‘Te stops outside ove building” “But the busts slow!” Karin said “Please, Howat Howard looked from one sister to the other. ‘Ob, well ysl right chen, he sai “Thank you? Karin std, and gave htm a quick kis. So every evening Howard drove Karin home. On first Friday they were an hour late, When they arrived, Marcia was at che door of the aparement building ‘What happened? she asked. “Why are you so late?” “There was an accident’ Karin said, “Three easy all across the road ~ on tha hl by the cinema, you know We ‘couldn’ get past, we couldn’e go back, There were so many cats Nobody could move!" Howard said nothing. = le was a Jong, hor summer thar year. Marcia went 10 church every Sdiday morning, and Karin stayed at home with thee father. When ie was sunny ~ and i often was — Karin went up to her stnbed on the rook ‘When Marcia went up to the roof garden, she always sat under the umbrella. But Karin put on lots of sun and sat inthe sun inher bik The hot sun's not good for your body” Marcia sid. Karin laughed, “Howard likes my bod! ‘No, he docs'e” Marcia said angrilyBookworms Cub Bronce "Oh, he does! Karn said. “He's very shy with women, brat he always looks at my body very earful He does it all che time, Perhaps he wanes me to ake off ‘top it, Karin” Marcia sid. ‘Don't say those thingy Karin laughed. "Whar’s the mater, big sister? Are you afraid I'm going to take him fom you?” Marcia didnot answer oe “The next Sunday, Howard phoned Marcia early in the 1 don’ fel very well he said. "Pm not going 10 church today? “My love, Pm sorry Marcia said. "Can I phone you when I get home? "Yes ofcourse,’ he sid “Iean'e phone before one o'lock’ Maisia sai ‘I'm aoing co be late hack because theres a mecting ater church. Something about Arica think.” “Oh yes, remember,’ Howad sid. Bat Marcia was wrong. There wis no meeting after church that morning. Ir was the next Sunday So she left church ac the usual ime and arived home ata quarter to twehe. First she went into se her father, but he was asleep. ‘Then she phoned Howat, but cere ws no answer Perhaps he’ sleeping” she thought. And his mother oct want to ans the phone.” ‘She went to her room and put on long summer sir. “Then she went up co the roof garden, She put her hand on the door to the roof. and stopped. The door was half open and she could hear sige. There was someone with Karin, ‘Arman, Howard, Howard? Marcia listened, feel bad about this Howaed said. “We must tell ‘Marcia soo, Ka ‘No! Katn said quickly She gave a litle lag. “e's cour sccret, Howand, Only fora litle long. Al right?” ~ Ido’ ke..." e beg ‘But you dolove me, Howard, Karin sid. Not Maria? Say you love me. Please! ‘Marcia suddenly felt cod “You... you know Ido,’ Howard answered. "Bu Karin kissed him. sour lite secret. Oh, is your ear ‘outside, my love? We don't wane Marca to sce it.” ida’ bring my ear? Howard sai. walked here od’ Karin said. “But i's getting lat. You must g, before she comes home! They kissed again. “See you tomorrow, usual time, sual place,’ said Karin. Nw go!" “Marcia moned quickly and quiely away from the roof do toher bedroom, She didnot want Howard (or Karin to sce het She heard their voices. Then the front door of the apartment opened and closed. Howard was gone. ‘Marcia sat on herbed for an out. Wh, why, wy?” she thought. "Why does she doit? stay at home with an ‘old mam all ee time. leant go outro work, Lean’ makeBookworm Club Bronse Sister Love new friends Lean't meet new people | go shopping once a week and T goto church once a wock, That’ then I met Howard. When he said “I love you", happy. And ow... Karin had everything. Good looks, a job friends. She ‘was young, she was beatiful she could have any man, So ‘why Howard? Why, why by? “Wes nor because she wants hin,’ Marcia thought.’ because love him. I's beeause she docet wane me to be happy ‘But you do love me, Howard. Not Marcia Yow krone Ido, ‘Was it crue? Did Howard love Karin and not her? No! He saw only the beautiful, sutanned body. He didare Fenow hr. ‘She's no ging co have hi.’ Marcia though oo Every evening that week, Howard drove Karin home after work, And every evening they got later and later, ‘The next Sunday, Marci dh’ goto church “ve gota bad head,” she told Karin.“ jose phoned Howard and tld him, and he's coming here afer church asusual 'm going hack to sleep fr an hour or two." And she went into her bedroom and shut the door, Later in the morning, when Karin was with their father, Marcia went upto the oof garden. Kari’s bole of suntan ol was onthe table, and Marca smile. ‘When Karin came up tothe roof, Marcia was in her chair under che umbrella with a book inher hand “Oh, is your head better? Karin asked “Yes: hanks’ Marcia said, Karin wore er bikini, 4 new yellow one, She opened her bore of suntan oil “Oh, her's not mach hers’ she said. “I mast get some ‘more. She began to pu some oil on her legs. “Twenty minutes later, Howard stopped his car in the street below. Up onthe toof, Karin and Marcia heard the ‘sual three litle tots on his car horn "He's here,’ Karin sid excitedly. "Your man's here, bi sister” And she laughed Yes, Marcia thought. My mam, not yous, Karin, Karin jumped up from her sunbed. She ean to the wall at the edge of the roof to Took down and wave 10 Howard. She had no shoes on, and atthe wall her fee suddenly slipped away fom under her. "Aaagh? she cried, ‘She fell forward, and put out her hands to grab the wall Bu the top of the wall was slippery too. Her hands could not hold it, and slipped away, off the wall, over che edge. And het body went on t00, over the edge of the wall, and down Down ...dowa down, Before she hit the ground she knew. Slippery. sunt oil... Maria