Odd Couple

After 3 long years, we have finally settled the estate. All of the i’s have been dotted and the t’s have been crossed and my sister and I share guarded optimism that perhaps this phase of our lives is over. Working our way along this difficult path we have learned many lessons including among them, perseverance and faith and many days learning difficult lessons at one time.

Through this long and painful process I have learned to trust and love my sister more than I ever thought possible. We started our lives together as step sisters thrown together by narcissistic parents with little or no care for young feelings. We spent many years eyeing each other suspiciously wondering about each other and thinking the worst. Over time, my sister and I learned to accept each other and share a laugh now and then, but we never opened our hearts to total trust.

Throughout this long three years we have released our suspicions, advised and leaned on each other and in time we have each felt our new friendship grow into love and respect for one another. We are an odd couple; my sister is driven and smart with amazing fortitude and patience, while I too am driven, my brain works differently and I tend to have a difficult time understanding the mathematical process as clearly as my sister can. I truly felt from the beginning that I was very fortunate to have someone so gifted working side by side with me.

It will be a while before either of us relinquishes totally to the fact that this long battle for the return of what was rightfully my Mom’s is over. My sister and I are cautiously optimistic. Cautious because we have been in this crouching position waiting for the other shoe to drop for so long that we will have to take our time getting out of it.

In the end I have gained a sisterhood with two sisters, both wonderful people with good hearts. I started life as an only child and I will treasure God’s gift of family that he has given me. Sadly, out of the four of us girls, one of the sisters has decided to go her separate way. Money and the fight for it can create distrust and envy and sometimes those wounds do not heal. Our family is no different. After years of finger pointing, name calling and fight for control there is no going back, we are battle weary and hurt, we will, at least for the time being, remain a family divided.

After three years of battling to make things right in my Mom’s name, my one sister and I have accomplished what we can. We walk away from this frustrating mess of a nightmare wishing we could have done more but grateful that this odd couple could work together to restore what we did. For me the main gift will always be the opportunity to love and trust a wonderful woman who I now call my sister and my friend.