| Two Shining Stars |
| Chapter 1 |
�Thank you Wembley, you�ve been a great crowd. We love you�, Mark shouted tothe crowd that him and his band mates had just played. Sam was at home watching her older brother performing on the television. She loved her brother and loved it when he came home. But the thought of that happening soon was very unlikely. Westlife had embarked on a World tour, and would travel the Globe for months leaving family and friends behind, including Sam, to await their return Sam missed Mark so much when he was away, despite the 5 year age gap they were unbelievably close, and Sam always found herself in tears even if Mark had been gone for only 5 minutes.Mark was the same. His band mates knew that he was such a homeboy and missed his family very much. He would always be found with his phone stuck to his head speaking to who ever he had managed to catch at home. They also knew about his fondness for his baby sister, Sam. She was his only sister and with her beingat a �vulnerable age for a teenage girl� as he would say, he worried about her a lot and was very protective of her. Maybe too much, but his band mates knew it was just his brotherly love that he shared between his other siblings as well. �Mam, I�m gonna call Mark, tell him he looked great tonight. Okay?� Sam called out to her Mum who had busied herself in the kitchen making the family all cupsof tea. �Okay love, tell him I thought he was wonderful tonight and that I�m very proudof him.� Sam walked to the phone reciting Mark�s number in her head that she knew off by heart. Mind you, I�m sure anyone would if they dialled the number over 20 times a day. As she reached the phone she put her hand down the lift the receiver when suddenly it rang. It made Sam take a step back as it gave her a fright. �Who could be calling at this time of night� She thought looking at the clock that read 11:15pm. Then she realised. Mark! It had to be Mark. Samantha eagerly picked up the phone and asked excitedly. �Hello! Mark is it you?� �Alright Sis, how you doin�? What�s the craic like at home?� the voice on the other end replied. It was Mark and by this time Samantha was getting very excited and this was showing by the way she jumped up and down the hall like a drunk kangaroo. �Mark, I was just about to call you, you looked great tonight, Mam and Dad are proud of you, I love you and miss you, when are you coming home?� Samantha asked all in one breath. Mark laughed, �Whoa! Slow down girly. I love you too sis but you know I�m not gonna be home for a while.� �But Maaaaaaaaark! Please, please, please, come home. Please!!� Samantha pleaded with her brother knowing she was fighting a battle that only Mark could win. �Sam, I would if I could and I wish I could, but you know that I can�t, not with my schedule.� The smile on Sam�s face dropped, she knew that Mark wouldn�t be home for a while, but hearing him say it made it all so real, so real that she couldn�t dream anymore that he would come home for just one night. The rest of the family had gathered in the hall after hearing Sam�s pleading, all trying to get a chance to talk to Mark. Sam was upset and didn�t feel like speaking to Mark anymore, no matter how much she loved him, she just didn�t feel up to it. She gently put down the phone on the table and walked up the stairs. Her quietness was quite the opposite of the noise coming from her family, all-trying to grab the phone first. Luckily for herself Marie, Sam and Mark�s Mum reached the phone first. �Hello Mark darling, you looked lovely tonight and you held your voice very well. We are all just so proud of you.� Marie said making sure that her eldest son knew how much they cared for him. �Yeah Mam, thanx. Erm� Is Sam okay? She didn�t even say goodbye. I don�t mean to upset her Mam, and I really would love to come home and see her, but she just doesn�t seem to understand that I can�t come whenever she wants me to.� Mark said to his Mother, feeling guilty for hurting his Sister�s feelings. �Oh Mark, you know what your Sister is like. She likes getting her own way, and when she doesn�t she sulks. Don�t worry about her, she�ll be fine, besides she needs to become more independent, not keep relying on you. And she does have 2 other brothers who she can talk to if need be.� Marie answered reassuring Mark that his little sister would be fine. �Okay Mam, but I can�t help but worry about her, she�s my only Sister and I want to be there for her, make sure that she�s okay and that no-ones messing her around. You know, like older brothers are supposed to do.� �I know Mark, but I really do think that she�ll be fine, and she knows that she only has to pick up the phone to speak to you.� �Yeah, you�re right. Look Mam I gotta go, the concert has worn me out and I wanna get an early night so that I�m not too tired tomorrow night, as I�m hoping to go out then.� �Okay love, well make sure you ring again soon, and don�t be staying out too late at night, and don�t drink anything other than what you have bought yourself, and drink in moderation. And don�t worry about Samantha she�ll be fine.� �Thanx Mam, say hi to Dad, Baz, and Colin for me and tell them I�ll speak to them next time. Oh yeah, and Mam, can you tell Sam that I�m sorry please. I�ll speak to you soon. Bye!!!!� �Will do, bye bye!!!� �Bye� �Bye� Marie put the receiver back in its cradle and turned around to see three angry faces looking at her. �I�m sorry guys, Mark had to go. He said he�d speak to you next time he rings.� With that Marie made her way past the men in her family, and started to walk up the stairs to go and talk to Samantha. Knock knock� Marie knocked gently on Samantha�s door knowing that she would bein an unhappy mood. �Go Away� Samantha�s just managed to say from underneath her bed covers that she had hidden herself in. Marie entered despite Samantha�s answer and went over and sat on her daughter�s bed. �Samantha, I know your upset about Mark, but it isn�t his fault love that he can�t be at home. He really wants to be and it has upset him that you think he is staying away on purpose.� Samantha lay motionless hoping that her Mother would leave her alone. But she continued. �Samantha, please, you need to understand that Mark can�t be here as often as he used to be. And you know that he loves you so much, he is constantly making sure that you are perfectly fine. He worries even if you cough, because you�re his only Sister and he feels responsible for you.� This time, Samantha moved. She slowly untucked herself from her cover and twisted her body around to face her Mum.�Mam, I know Mark can�t come home, it�s just I miss him so so much and I hate it that he chooses to go away with his band rather than be at home with us.� �Samantha you can�t be so selfish. Your brother is living his dream. And he�s 21 Samantha, even without the band he probably wouldn�t be at home anyway.� Once again tears started to fill Samantha�s already red eyes and start to trickle down her already tear stained cheeks. Marie saw her daughter�s sadness and wiped her tears away and lent down and kissed her fore head. �Oh Samantha, please don�t cry darling. Look, you know that when Mark�s away you have your father and I and your 2 brothers to talk to, and you even have us when Mark is home. Look, get some sleep and I promise you things will look better in the morning.� Samantha nodded her upset head, and snuggled down into her bed, whist her Mother tucked her in. Marie stood up, bent over her daughter and gave her a kiss before leaving the room. |