Sisters by Patricia MacDonald

head. ‘You didn’t listen to a word we said.’
    Alex blushed but refused to apologize. She imagined the lonely voicemail from Dory, speaking to a mother who never picked up the phone. ‘Elaine, I know that you warned me, but I find I can’t turn my back on her.’
    Elaine looked exasperated. ‘What exactly are you hoping to accomplish?’
    ‘I’m hoping to help her prove her alibi.’
    ‘Her alibi.’ Elaine snorted and opened the refrigerator door. She pulled out a bottle of water. ‘Garth, do you need anything in here?’ she asked.
    ‘Get me that jar of garlic,’ he replied.
    While Elaine searched in the refrigerator, Alex looked at the assortment of photos affixed to the open refrigerator door with magnets. The largest photo was of a beautiful young woman onstage, her arms extended out in a plea, her gaze troubled, her mouth open and lips forming an oval. Her shining blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders and she was wearing jeans, boots and a gauzy top over a camisole. When she looked more closely, Alex realized that all the photos were of the same person. In one photo, she was a young teenager accepting a bouquet, her golden hair in a long braid down her back. Another was a headshot. Her sweet eyes snapped with life. Lauren, Alex thought.
    There were no photos of Dory.
    ‘Is that Lauren?’ Alex asked.
    Elaine closed the door and handed Garth the jar he was seeking. Then she tilted her head and listened, her eyes misting. ‘Yes. That’s our Lauren. She had such a beautiful voice.’
    Alex was suddenly aware of the CD that had been playing since she arrived. ‘Oh, is that Lauren singing?’ she asked.
    Elaine frowned at her. ‘Isn’t that what you asked me?’
    ‘I meant the pictures,’ said Alex. ‘I’m sorry – I don’t really know country music. But you’re right. She does have a beautiful voice. It’s so clear.’
    ‘There’s a lot you don’t know,’ said Elaine.
    Alex, who had not been asked to sit, shifted from one foot to the other. ‘Like what? What is it that I don’t know?’
    ‘Elaine,’ Garth said in a warning tone.
    Elaine scowled and Alex could see that she was debating with herself whether or not to heed his warning. Finally she made up her mind. ‘This was not the first time,’ she said.
    Alex frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘There’s no need to bring this up,’ said Garth.
    Elaine ignored her husband’s warning. ‘Do you know what it means to have your record expunged?’ she asked.
    ‘Well, I imagine . . .’ Alex’s voice trailed away. ‘No, not really.’
    Garth muttered something unintelligible. He set the spoon down and turned on his wife. ‘Elaine, stop. I understand how you feel, but stop. This is a stranger you’re telling all this to. And she doesn’t need to know this stuff.’
    ‘She wants to know about Dory. I think she has a right to know, before she gets herself in any deeper. If you don’t want to hear it, why don’t you go upstairs and see what’s keeping Joy and Therese.’
    Garth shook his head and sighed as he walked out of the room. Alex heard the door to the apartment slam.
    ‘What were you saying? About a juvenile record?’ she prompted.
    ‘Expunged. It’s something they do for minors,’ said Elaine crisply. ‘It’s a way of clearing the criminal record of a minor, so that it doesn’t affect their whole lives.’
    ‘Now that you mention it, I think I have heard of that,’ said Alex.
    ‘When she was fifteen years old, Dory took a razor to school and sliced the face of one of her classmates,’ Elaine said calmly.
    Alex stared at her.
    ‘We knew she was troubled by the time that happened, but we tried to support Dory. We made excuses for her. That the other girl was picking on her. It cost a fortune for the lawyer to arrange it, but her record was expunged. We never dreamed . . .’ Elaine heaved a sigh and looked at the spot in front of the double French doors which led into the garden, as if she could still see