The End and the Beginning

“Alex!” Klarisse shouted, her voice trembling with desperation. She gently closed her eyes and collapsed, her body giving in to exhaustion and despair.

“Boss, what are we going to do with her?” one of the men asked, looking down at Klarisse’s unconscious form.

The boss smirked, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “Alex, you have no idea. You chose to save your ex over your wife. What a wonderful scene,” he sneered, relishing the unfolding drama.

Alex was stunned, realizing the gravity of his mistake. No one had even mentioned Maxine until he rescued her. “No, something’s wrong,” he mumbled, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.

Maxine opened her eyes, her vision blurred with tears. Seeing Alex, she sobbed, “You came, thank you so much.” She reached out and hugged him tightly, her relief palpable.

But Alex was torn, his heart heavy with guilt and confusion. He stared into the distance, barely acknowledging Maxine’s embrace. “Klarisse,” he whispered, his voice filled with regret.

*************

Substitute, a painful word, but for Klarisse, it's the most fitting description of her life. How does it feel to be a substitute? For Klarisse, it means waiting for the right moment to feel special in that role.

“Klara, I know you can do it. Wait for your sister to come,” Kareen cried, their mother.

Klarisse was on her way, speeding her car as her tears blurred her vision.

“Klara, my sister, wait for me,” she cried while driving. Klarisse arrived five minutes later, nearly hitting the trash bin outside, shocking their gardener.

“Klara, come on, I know you still can do it,” she said.

Klara struggled for breath, and everyone was crying. “Klarisse,” Klara said, her voice breaking.

“Don’t talk too much, my dear twin,” Klarisse cried.

Klara smiled, caressed her face, and wiped her tears.

Their parents were heartbroken.

“I need to rest now. Always remember that I always love you all. All my life, you’ve been all I loved and cherished. Mom, dad, please take care of Klarisse for me,” Klara said. A tear fell from Klara’s eyes as she closed them for the last time.

“No!” Klarisse cried. Klara’s last breath shattered them all. Klarisse clung to her sister's hands until her mother gently urged her to let go.

“Klarisse, it’s time to let her go now,” their mother said. She sniffed, kissed her twin’s hands and forehead, and whispered, “I will never forget you.”

Alan and Kareen were pained to see their daughters.

The private wake for Klara was held in the Fowls' grand, yet somber mansion. The once vibrant and lively home was now draped in mourning. Heavy black curtains covered the tall windows, dimming the light that used to illuminate the elegant, ornate furnishings and delicate, antique decorations. Soft, somber music played in the background, adding to the melancholic atmosphere.

In the center of the grand hall, a beautifully carved mahogany casket rested on an elevated platform, adorned with an array of white lilies and roses, Klara’s favorite flowers. The delicate fragrance filled the air, offering a bittersweet reminder of her presence. A large portrait of Klara stood beside the casket, capturing her serene and graceful demeanor, a stark contrast to the current sorrowful setting.

Family members and close friends, all dressed in black, gathered to pay their respects. Their faces were etched with grief, eyes red and swollen from hours of crying. They moved quietly, speaking in hushed tones, sharing memories of Klara, and offering condolences to one another. The air was thick with the weight of unspoken words and shared pain.

Klarisse stood close to the casket, her face pale and drawn. She held onto her twin sister’s hand for the last time, her tears falling silently onto the polished wood. Her parents, Alan and Kareen, stood beside her, their expressions a mix of heartbreak and resignation. They held each other for support, their grief too immense to bear alone.

The room was filled with flower arrangements and wreaths sent by those who couldn’t attend but wanted to express their sympathy. Each arrangement came with a note of condolence, adding to the somber ambiance. Candles flickered gently, casting a warm but solemn glow across the room, their light dancing on the tear-streaked faces of the mourners.

As the evening wore on, the guests began to leave, offering final words of comfort to the Fowl family. Klarisse remained by her sister’s side until the very end, whispering her goodbyes and promising to keep Klara’s memory alive. The wake, though private and intimate, was a poignant farewell to a beloved daughter, sister, and friend, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new, uncertain one for those left behind.

After the wake, Alan and Kareen decided to talk to Klarisse about the arranged marriage agreement made for Klara.

“Klarisse, we need to tell you something,” Kareen said, holding her husband’s hands, nervous about her reaction.

“Mom, what is it?” Klarisse asked, massaging her forehead and wearing sunglasses to cover her puffy eyes.

“Alan, tell her,” Kareen said.

Klarisse took off her sunglasses and stared at them curiously. “What is it? Why aren’t you telling me?” she asked.

Alan took a deep breath. “Klarisse, don’t freak out, okay?” Alan said.

Klarisse nodded, waiting. “There was an arrangement for Klara to marry someone,” Alan said.

Klarisse stood up in disbelief. “What?! I couldn’t believe you would do that to her! You know she was sick!” she shouted.

Her parents were silent.

 “We made that decision before she got sick. You’re the only person we can rely on now. This is for our business,” her father said.

“Business again?! You know her burial just ended, and now you’re telling me this?” she asked.

Kareen tried to calm her down.

“Mom! This is ridiculous! I’m not going to do that, and even Klara never wanted that. I’m not going to marry someone!” Klarisse shouted. She stormed to her room, locking herself in.

“I hate them! How dare they disrespect my sister,” she sobbed. She was trying to process everything but couldn’t. “Klara, what have you left me with?” she cried, covering her face with a pillow and shouting.

“Klara why did you agree with them?” she cried, hugging a picture of them together. “I miss you so much.”

“Honey, she’s upset,” Kareen said.

Alan frowned, patting her shoulder. “She just needs time to think,” he said. They sighed and went to their room.

Klarisse was in pain; she had just lost her twin sister, and now her parents were telling her to marry someone.

“Klara, why did you agree with them?” she asked, holding their pictures. A tear escaped her eye. “I miss you so much,” she said.

Klarisse decided to return to her condo, seeking solace in her independence. She didn’t want to live like her parents.

“Klarisse, are you okay?” her best friend asked, managing her business while she was away.

“Allie, what do you think? I just lost my twin sister, and now our parents are telling me to marry someone Klara should marry,” she sighed.

Allie sighed. “Oh my, I’m so sorry to hear that,” she said.

“I know, what a life,”Klarisse lamented, shoulders slumped, thinking about what to do.

 “Allie, what should I do? Turn down my family or go through with the marriage?” she asked.

Allie took a deep breath, caressing her back. “Klarisse, it's not my place to say, but they’re your family. It’s normal to feel burdened, but you need to accept and claim it. It’s your family we’re talking about,” Allie advised.

Klarisse sighed, drinking her wine, contemplating her decision. She needed time to think and decide her next steps.

For Klarisse, it felt like the end of her twin was the beginning of her misery.