The Long Summer

The Long Summer

Annie - Remember when we were eating cherries right in these two chairs?

Theo - Yeah, how could I forget? I mean... I isn't as if you didn't scare me saying my belly is full of worms…

Annie - Ha! I liked doing that! I mean you were so little and stupid. You used to believe every little thing I used to say. I mean… I even remember you throwing up.

Theo - Gross! But yeah! Did happen!

Annie - God, how we laughed that day! I still remember, it was the beginning of our summer holidays.

Theo - Yeah… That's what I remember as being the long summer. We would spend hours talking about God knows what in the garden. We were trying to get a tan and fool Derek we had gone to the seaside. You would lie on the long chair in all weird positions while I was reading crime novels to you.

Annie - I sometimes wish I could still have that kind of power over you.

Theo - I bet!

Annie- Come on! It wasn't all that bad. We used to have lots of fun.

Theo - You used to have a lot of fun!

Annie - I remember things differently. But well… what can I say… I was the eldest. Still am.

Theo - Not if you ask short pants over there! He looks at you as if you were still in your forties, girl!

Annie - Whatever do you mean?

Theo - You mean I am the only one who noticed how he looks over the fence?

Annie - Get out of here!

Theo - I mean it… How he flexes his buttocks when he leans to grab the lawnmower… Attention seeker! He wishes you looked his way now and then.

Annie - That's ridiculous! That old fart?

Theo - We're not exactly young ourselves… I know you don't like to admit it. But it is the truth.

Annie - You can call yourself old. I just don't relate to that notion!

Theo - Yeah… Saved by the Botox and the acid!

Annie- Now… that's just mean! What can I say… I want to hang on to it as long as I possibly can. I work out regularly, try and keep healthy! It's in my best interest.

Theo - Unlike me.

Annie - I never said anything about you. You do as you please. Everyone is free to make their own choices.

Theo - But you look down on me. Admit it! You kinda always did.

Annie- What's that supposed to mean?

Theo - Let's be real. You were always the bright shining star in our family. The pageant beauty!

Annie - Let's not start this again! I was the beauty and you were the rebel. You never cared much about your looks, that's the truth!

Theo - Maybe I did… just had no room for it. Rien ne pousse a l'ombre des grands arbres.

Annie - What's that?

Theo - Nothing grows in the shadow of tall trees.

Annie - I really thought we were past that by now. Theo…. We're almost two hags and still having this conversation.

Theo - Come on! I was just pulling your leg. It is all gone and forgotten. Time erased those feelings. Just like it does everything.

Annie - Hope it has. I mean… Yeah…. I do wish I could forget some things rather than others, you know?

Theo - True. Like the summer dad died.

Annie - You know, I can only remember being terribly sad. Not knowing where to put that sadness, what to do with it.

Theo - You seemed to be the sanest in those moments.

Annie - Well, whenever I saw you and mom I felt the need to freeze my feelings, hide them deep inside. Your pain was so obvious.

Theo - It was brutal. Yep. Now it all seems like a dream.

Annie - Derek helped me a lot then. He would come by and he had this way of talking about little things, unimportant ones. But I kinda got caught in his words and forgot about my sadness.

Theo - Yeah, he was something! Remember how he used to whistle like a strange bird?

Annie - Yeah! And he made that really serious face whenever he did that.

Theo - A sort of -Look at me! I am a real talent!

Annie - You know, I still remember him fondly. There was a time I truly thought he was the only man I truly loved.

Theo - You loved a lot of men! I have a hard time believing he was the one.

Annie- Be that as it may… I can still remember some of our times together pretty clearly. Or little gestures he used to make. Like … the way he would take my hand and put it on his cheek.

Theo - You remember that?!

Annie - Yeah, I was really in love. My first love actually.

Theo - I used to watch you two through the small hole in your door.

Annie- What small hole?

Theo - Ha! You had a Michael Jackson poster on your door, remember?

Annie - That's right! What about it?

Theo - Well, I made a hole through Michael's belt that corresponded to the hole in your door. The one you were trying to cover. You never noticed it … so… I could spy on you whenever I felt like it.

Annie- Theo! You did that?! I can't believe it!

Theo - You'd better, girl!

Annie - You looked at us when we were making out?

Theo - That was the main reason for the hole!

Annie- But you were like… you were like 14! And back then….

Theo - I was at the right age to be interested in that, darling.

Annie - But I am your sister. That is gross!

Theo - Well…. We had no porn back then. I had to learn, right?

Annie - Jeez!

Theo - I still remember his jeans… tight… and his thick black hair.

Annie - Yeah, he was a handsome one… Plenty of girls crazy about him. And he really knew how to kiss.

Theo - He sure did!

Annie - Whatever do you mean?

Theo - Nothing…

Annie - Theo?

Theo - I mean I got that from what I saw through the hole.

Annie - You… that would have been something… You two kissing… I mean he was head over heels in love with me.

Theo - And yet he dumped you.

Annie - He didn’t dump me. His parents moved town.

Theo - He could have written, called, visited. I mean, you thought he was head over heels.

Annie - We were young and stupid.

Theo - He managed to write to me though.

Annie - Did he? Why you? Did he want to know what I was up to? Oh… so he didn’t forget me that quick! I was sure of it! Why haven't you told me for all this time? That would have meant the world to me!

Theo - To know he is still in love with you?

Annie - Of course!

Theo - Geez, you are conceited! Actually, if you must know, he wanted to know what I was doing!

Annie - You? But why would he want …

Theo - Maybe because he cared. Truly cared.

Annie - I don’t understand…

Theo - Remember you two broke up one year before he moved away?

Annie - Was it that long? I don't….

Theo - He dumped you.

Annie - Theo! Now you're just mean! We had a fight! A lover's fight!

Theo - And all that special relationship ended there and then. Cause of a stupid fight!

Annie - Truth be told… I don't even remember what we fought about…

Theo - That's cause it was unimportant. He made up some stupid reason to make you mad. That's how bad he wanted to end things.

Annie - We were in love… Listen… why do you have to be so mean to me about something that happened ages ago? Derek and I….

Theo - Derek and I … you mean… that's another story. Derek and I were truly in love. You didn’t want to see it because you were too full of yourself and couldn’t believe your little sister could get your guy!

Annie - Theo! I can't believe this! You're making this up!

Theo - Not at all.

Annie - And how did you…

Theo - Just like that! At first I wanted him because I wanted to see that smug smile wiped off your face whenever he came by. I was patient. I asked him to walk me home after classes saying I was scared. He fell for it. I listened to him. He was passionate about music and movies. One day, he suggested we stopped by his place so he can play me this song. It was a Pink Floyd track - Shine On Crazy Diamond… don’t know why that track made me cry, instantly. I asked him to hold me… and I kissed him, really kissed him. Next thing I know we were both naked doing it. It surprised me… It sure got him by surprise as well. I guess you could put the blame on Pink Floyd and something magic in the air that night, Or on the fact that guys are stupid. Now I know it, but back then I was so proud of me! The next day he broke up with you. And yes, I didn’t even feel the need to tell you about it for all these years. It was my silent victory!

Annie - Theo! Who are you? How could you…

Theo - Come on! Get over yourself …. In two months time you were with someone else…

Annie - You are my sister! I was crazy about him!

Theo - So was I… And yes, at first I wanted to show myself I could be better than you at something, that someone picks me over you. But… I guess he was my first true love.

Annie - I don't know what hurts more! The fact that you two were together, or that you, my own sister, betrayed and … and kept this from me for all this time!

Theo - Really?

Annie - Theo… what you are telling me is simply preposterous! How could you keep this to yourself for so long?

Theo - Annie …. Ok, I am gonna put things into perspective for you now. Maybe it makes you get over this. I know you slept with my husband. I've known it for years. I guess I am that good at keeping things to myself.