Two Sisters is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship, and the unbreakable bonds we share with our pets.

When two women, drawn together by circumstance rather than blood, find themselves navigating the highs and lows of life, they discover that family isn’t just defined by lineage. Through laughter, tears, and the companionship of some cute dogs, they learn that the ties that bind are stronger than they ever imagined.

This story will touch the deepest chords of your heart and remind you that sometimes, the strongest connections are the ones we choose for ourselves.

Chapter One

Lexie straightened her legs like two stilts, pressing her heels against the floor
of her sister’s Mustang as hard as she could while keeping her eyes on the
other cars traveling across the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Bridge. “Payton,
do you have to drive so fast? You’re scaring me.”
Payton took her eyes off the road, bangs dangling in front of her dark brown
eyes. “I’m only going … what?” She glanced at the speedometer. “Eighty.”
She chuckled and returned her gaze to the traffic ahead. “Eighty miles an
hour ain’t shit, Lex. I promise I won’t get you killed. I’ll drop you off safely at
your place in less than fifteen minutes.”
“I’m not worried about me getting killed, Payton.”
“Whaddaya mean, you’re not worried about you? You’re only worried about
me?”
Lexie focused on the five lanes stretching before them as her sister drove
faster, closing in on the car in front of them. “Yes, I’m worried about you, but
I’m not worried about dying.” Lexie leaned her head back against the head
rest and grabbed the edge of the dashboard. “You’re swerving. You’re drunk.
You shouldn’t be driving.”
Payton’s knuckles whitened as she gripped the steering wheel. “You’re not
worried about dying,” she said in a monotone. She took a quick look at her
sister, her straight black hair sweeping the top of her shoulders with each turn
of her head. “Explanation needed, please.” She paused. “And, FYI, I’m not
drunk.”

Lexie closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. “This Mustang is
your baby and you’re going to crash it. I know how much it means to you.”
She didn’t understand her sister’s psycho behavior. “Do you have a death
wish or something?”
Payton sat up straighter. “No, I don’t have a death wish. You’re the one who
said you’re not worried about dying. Sounds to me like you’re the one with
the death wish. Why’d you say that anyway? And I’m not gonna crash my car
cause there’s hardly anyone on the bridge at this time of night.”
Lexie pointed at the windshield. “The lanes on this bridge are not empty. If
you get pulled over, the cops will take your license away, you’ll get a DUI and
then how’ll you get to work? Public transport at this time of night is scary.”
Payton strayed into the lane to the right. “You’re skirting the subject. Why’d
you say you’re not worried about dying? And I’m not gonna get a DUI. I’ve
never seen a cop on this bridge, like, ever. Lighten up, will ya? You need to let
go of all of your rules and regulations. That’s no way to live.”
Lexie covered her eyes with her hands and moaned. “Why do you have to
insinuate I’m so uptight? We just left that place you took me to in the city. I
danced, didn’t I? I had a drink. It’s freaking three o’clock in the morning. I
was partying, just like you asked me to.”
Payton yanked the steering wheel and returned to the lane she just left,
pressing down on the accelerator hard enough to cause both their heads to
jerk backward. “The point was for you to have fun. It wasn’t like I asked you
to watch paint dry. It’s the first party you’ve been to in months. I know how
to party and I go out all the time. You hardly ever get out of your apartment.
You’re, like, twenty-five years old, four years younger than I am. You should
be having a blast, before you get too old to enjoy it.”

Lexie took a look at her phone and chewed at her bottom lip. “I’ve got work
tomorrow.”
Payton frowned. “I have to sleep too, ya know? Just cause my hours are the
opposite of yours doesn’t mean I’m not tired. Anyways … I love working at
Neverland. I make a shit-ton of tips.”
Lexie sighed. “All I meant was, you don’t have to get to work at eight o’clock
in the morning. I do. I know you work long hours at the bar. You’re on your
feet all night, listening to those guys and their constant crap. You know, I was
thinking, how can you stand the way they look at you? Always coming onto
you with lines from an X-rated movie.”
Payton shrugged. “At least I go on dates. When was the last time a guy asked
you out, huh?”
“I don’t meet anyone at my work. There’s five of us at Doggie Doodles and
we’re all women. That’s not my fault.”
“If you’d look for another job, maybe in the city, you could dress up, get your
hair done, wear make-up. Guys would be all over you. Dudes love redheads.
And, of course, big boobs.”
Lexie rolled her eyes. Big boobs and red hair. Where had they gotten her so
far?
They finally reached the exit for Alameda and Lexie took a deep breath. One
margarita on an empty stomach had taken its toll. Actually the first margarita
she’d ever had. She felt as if she might throw up. Payton’s wild driving wasn’t
helping calm her nerves or her stomach. “Well, I’m glad you like your job. I
love working at the shelter too,” she explained.” It’s not all about money.”

“So you’re happy there, going to work every day and spending eight hours
with dogs? You don’t have any friends and you damn well don’t have any guy
friends who could introduce you to someone who’d ask you out. I forced you
to come with me and my friends tonight. Otherwise you’d be sitting at home
in your safe little apartment in safe little Alameda, probably watching Animal
Planet or some shit.”
Lexie pointed ahead. “There’s a curve coming up and you’re going kinda fast.
Could you please slow down a little? I feel sick to my stomach.”
Payton pressed down further on the accelerator. “Don’t tell me how to drive,
okay? I know the way home like the back of my hand. My car could drive
itself to Alameda.” She lifted both hands off the steering wheel for a few
seconds and laughed out loud then shifted her eyes to Lexie. “I just want you
to be happy, Lex. You never do anything fun.”
Lexie closed her eyes and swallowed, hoping the bile at the back of her throat
wouldn’t suddenly fly out onto the only nice dress she owned … and ruin the
upholstery in the Mustang. She bought her dress on Amazon so it would
arrive in time for a night out with her sister and her sister’s friends. Spent
sixty-five dollars for it, which wasn’t in the budget. She had nothing
appropriate for a fancy club in San Francisco. And, no, she didn’t remember
the last time she’d gone out on a date. “Just because I don’t party all the time
doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy myself. I love taking care of dogs at the shelter.
And if I had to compare them to the people I meet, I’d choose a dog over any
guy, any day.”
Payton slowed at the stoplight right outside the Posey Tube in Alameda. She
turned toward her sister. “So are you gonna marry a dog? Have puppies
maybe?” She furrowed her brows. “You make no sense. I’m not talking about
work. I’m talking about a social life outside of work.”
A horn honked, startling both of them.

Payton’s eyes shot to the rear-view mirror and she raised her right hand,
middle finger pointing upward. “Get a life, buddy,” she yelled out of her half-
open side window as her car shot forward.
“You shouldn’t mess with people.” Lexie glanced over her shoulder at the
truck following too close to their back bumper. “People shoot people who do
stuff like that. It’s called road rage.”
“Not in Alameda, they don’t. Screw him. He’s an idiot.” Payton slowed way
down, forcing the guy in the truck to slam on his brakes.
He swerved into the opposite lane and flew past them, engine rumbling, smoke
spewing from his tail pipe.
“Asshole,” Payton mumbled, flipping him off once again.
“I’m glad we’re almost home. I don’t feel too good.”
Payton shook her head. “You’re just not used to drinking is all. You gotta
learn how to party, girl.” Payton laughed uproariously and Lexie wondered if
her sister was more wasted than she initially thought.
“Are you okay, Payton?”
“I told you, I’m fine. Smoked too much weed is all. I’ll drop you off then I’ll
head home, get some sleep before I go to work tomorrow night.”
Lexie touched Payton’s forearm. “You can stay at my place. I go to work early
and you can sleep all day, if you want. That way you won’t have to chance it
with the Alameda police. You know how they are.”

Payton nodded her head, over and over and over. “I know how they are. Keep
Alameda safe. Drive carefully. Keep out anyone who doesn’t look like an
uptight white Alameda person.”
“That’s not true, Payton. It’s a safe place to live and it’s beautiful. There
aren’t any homeless people and it’s very racially diverse.”
Payton made a sharp turn and punched it. “No popo on this street,” she said,
giggling.
Lexie grabbed the dashboard again. “You were supposed to turn right on
Grand Street, not left. I swear to God, will you slow down!”
Payton raced down the street, looking from side to side. “I know where you
live. Just got a little mixed up.” She hiccuped. “You can’t drive a stick, so I
had to drive home. Stop lecturing me.”
This section of Grand Street ended at the estuary. In a few blocks they’d be at
the entrance to the boat ramp. Lexie’s heart beat so fast, her chest vibrated
like a drum. “Slow down, Payton.” She pointed forward. “That’s the water.
You’re going too fast. We’re going to-“
Lexie watched the live action movie unfolding in front of her eyes, as the
Mustang leaped over the part of the road labeled “bump” and, just like the
1966 Ford T-Bird driven by Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise, the car flew
through the air and landed on top of the water with a gut-wrenching thud.
Freezing cold water spewed through both their side windows, splashing all
around them.
Within seconds, the water rose to Lexie’s knees then her stomach.
She knew enough about cars to know.
Mustangs don’t float.