Harmony Sisters | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Harmony Sisters | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jack Taylor
09/15/14
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The twins hated their names.

Their first day in high school the school bully showed up with two side-kicks. “What kind of name is Love Harmony?” he mocked as he tugged on a blond pony-tail.

The last-born of the identical models furrowed her eyebrows and retorted. “You’ll have to ask my sister. I’m Grace. Maybe you should get glasses.”

The real Grace howled in laughter with her later when she reported how the red-faced rogue stood with his mouth open as his buddies kidded him by forming finger circles around their eyes.

Love made the junior cheer leading squad, and Grace was denied. The rift between them grew. So did the subterfuge. When the Defensive tackle shuffled his bulky frame up to Love’s locker and told her how he loved to watch her cheer, she told him she was Grace – the chess master. He shuffled off before anyone noticed his mistake.

Grace was furious when Love borrowed her favorite Coco Channel skirt and t-shirt and shamelessly flaunted herself before the wrestling captain. The next time Grace wore the combination she found herself fighting off advances she’d never want for her worst enemy. Love used her smart phone to capture the whole event and sent it off to all their contacts.

During their second year of high school, Grace caught the flu on the day of her mid-term math exam. She was okay with that. She wasn’t prepared and knew she’d get a chance to make it up at a later time. When she returned and saw an exam paper with a big F next to her name she went ballistic. She tried to explain to the principal that her sister must have impersonated her since she was sick. Love seemed aghast that her sister could accuse her of such a thing.

After a carnival put on by the school’s Christian club the twins decided to go to a church youth group. Youth pastor, Chris, called them Charity and Charis. No matter how they tried to play double on him he seemed to know just who it was in front of him.

Love finally got fed up with being called Charity. “My name’s Love and if you can’t handle it then I don’t need to be here.”

Chris plopped down cross-legged and invited her to join him. She did. “I used to hate my name,” he started.

“So!” said Love.

Chris leaned back and stretched out his legs. “So, I didn’t understand how important a name was for its owner.”

Love remained in her Lotus position. “Okay.”

“Do you know what Chris is short for?”

“Christian, or Christopher, I suppose.”

“Bingo! Christian.” Chris pulled up and wrapped his arms around his knees. “Do you know what it’s like to grow up being a pastor’s kid named Christian?”

Love untangled herself and mirrored Chris’s pose. “Probably no different than being a kid named Love.”

“Exactly! Certain names provoke people. A name in the Bible talks about character and expectation and dreams.” Chris stretched out his legs and leaned back on his arms. “When your parents called you Love they probably had certain thoughts about what they felt about you, or thought about what you might become. Someone who was loved and who would love in return.”

Love hung her head. “My dad was a drunk who I never knew and my mom was so stuck trying to think she was a hippy born out of her time, she never got into reality.”

Chris sat up and leaned toward Love. “Do you know why I call you Charity and your sister Grace?”

“I haven’t got a clue. Maybe you have a lousy memory.”

“Charity and Charis are kind of Greek equivalents to Love and Grace.” Chris cocked his head and checked Love’s eyes to see if she was following. “Even though your mom and dad may not know what love is meant to be, the God who made you does know. He wants your name to reflect who you are. Especially, with your sister.”

Love got to her knees and glared at Chris. “You don’t know what Grace is like. She’s a volcano ready to blow. She can’t take a joke. She wouldn’t know what grace is about if you preached it to her.”

Chris also got to his knees. “Let go of your jealousy and show her love. You’d be surprised what she could know.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

Chris reached out. “We’re in the right position to start.”

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