MY SISTER-IN-LAW HATES ME

It smells as if I am in an all-boys gym class. No windows and it is freezing. Everyone has gone home for the evening. That is everyone but her. She is standing in the small, tight elevator on the other end. I can feel her piercing gaze through my back. I turn to look at her.

She looks at me like a hawk ready to attack her prey. Her eyes are the color of the scarlet scarf she is wearing. Her lips are fixed as if she has eaten a whole bag of lemons. She is scowling at me.

“HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?” she screamed in my direction. I jumped at the tone of her voice. I’m thinking to myself, trying to figure out why this woman hates me so much. After all, I am married to her sister. I ignore her yelling and make her even angrier. I pull out my phone to see if I can get a signal to text my wife so she can send help; what do you know, no signal.

I look over at my sister-in-law. She is shaking as if she is cold, and her lips are turning blue. The building we are in is as cold as the arctic. The small elevator makes it twenty times colder as the walls are made of metal. I can’t help but think of the fowl smelling person that left their body odor in the small, enclosed space that we are stuck in.

“Sylvia, are you cold or hungry?” I asked politely. I did not eat the lunch my wife made me, and I was willing to share because it looked as if we would be in here all night. I also wanted to offer her my throw blanket that I bring from home every day. We might not get along, but she is my wife’s sister, and I will always have her back.

“I don’t want anything from you. I would rather starve and freeze to death before I take anything from a demon like you,” she responded in a tone so evil, it felt as if she had stabbed me in the heart and twisted the blade inside me.

I do not know what I did that was so bad to make Sylvia hate me as much as she does. I’m determined to figure it out and fix it before we get out of this smelly elevator.

“Sylvia, what did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?” I asked.

“You stole my best friend from me. Ever since you married Angela, I don’t get to see her or talk to her. I know you said something to her and now she does not even call me anymore,” she replied. I looked at her like a deer in headlights. Suddenly, my mouth became as dry as the desert. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I could not believe she was blaming me for Angela not calling her.

I have been married to Angela for over a year now. I have always encouraged her to reach out to Sylvia and continue to have that strong sisterhood they have always had. It was Angela’s decision to not call Sylvia. She decided that she needed to focus on getting her degree and preparing for the baby that will be here any day now.

“Sylvia, I would never come between the bond you and Angela have. This decision was all Angela’s doing. In fact, I always told her to call you. She is just focusing on her last year in school.”

Sylvia looked at me. I could tell she was trying to read my facial expressions to see if I was lying. A few minutes later, she started to chuckle. I was confused and a little scared. She ran up and hugged me.

“Bryan, I am so sorry for the way I have treated you. I just assumed you were the reason Angela stopped talking to me. If the offer is still on the table, I would appreciate part of your lunch and the blanket,” she said with a smile on her face.

We sat and ate the meal I had, and I gave her the blanket. About an hour later, the elevator started up again and we were able to leave. Once we got outside of the building, Angela was waiting to meet us with open arms.

“How did you know we were here? Sylvia asked her. She had a look of shock on her face that quickly turned into a huge grin.

“I called mom, and she said you had a meeting at work and never returned. I thought about it and realized Bryan also had a meeting and never returned, so I called the office manager, and we got the elevator fixed. I am so glad you both are ok,” she said.

I went to put my things in my car to give Angela and Sylvia some privacy. A few minutes later, we were on our way home. I could not wait to shower and get in my bed. I am glad that Sylvia and I were able to mend our relationship for the sake of Angela and our baby.

Christina Langford was born in Charlotte, NC. She is currently enrolled in Full Sail University where she is studying to get her Associates Degree and will continue on to get her Bachelors Degree in Creative Writing. She loves to cook and entertain her family and friends. Her ultimate goal is to write inspirational stories based off of her life experiences.