Everything I Ever Wanted

Coming Home

'Ok, then to home we go.' She says in a funny way and turns back to the front when Mary-Kate starts driving away. I look back out the window as we turn away saying goodbye to the place I was raised in for all eight years of my life. I thought it would be hard, but I guess leaving bad memories behind isn't as difficult as you would think. For now at least.
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Now:
'Are you hungry?' Mary-Kate questioned me looking back through the mirror as we got a few more blocks away. Am I hungry? People actually ask that. How do you tell when your body has been trained for eight years to live off of scraps or no food for days even weeks. I have no idea. My stomach stopped growling when I turned a four. I mean I could eat but I would never eat much because I'm not used to having full meals. 'Uh, not really.' I shyed. 'That's ok. It's almost eight anyways. It's starting to get dark out. We can get you settled in first and make some sandwiches or something later.' Lizzie suggested. I guess she could see me tense while thinking about my answer. 'So, when's your birthday? That boy earlier said it was two weeks ago.' Ashley looked back at me. 'July 27' 'only nine days ago then' Mary-Kate added. I nodded. We drove for another twenty minutes in silence. Comfortable silence. No awkwardness or tension in the air just silent company. We then pulled into a parking garage where we stopped at a small gate and a man stepped up to the Mary-Kate's now rolled down window. 'Miss Mary-Kate did you all have a nice time out.' A kind man asked with a warm smile on his face. 'Yes, Paul we had a wonderful time.' Paul, that was his name. He tilted his head down to greet. 'Miss Ashley. Miss Lizzie.' He stopped at me. 'And who might this be?' He said in reference to me. I was hoping he wouldn't notice me. Don't get me wrong he was nice. I liked him. I just don't like meeting new people it makes me anxious. A wave of panic rushed over me and I turned to Lizzie. She looked at me and instantly knew something was up so she put her hand on my thighs, an inch or two above my knee, and rubbed soft circles with her thumb to let me know I was ok. 'This is Eva. We just adopted her, so she'll be living here from now on.' Ashley responded for me. He smiled at her and turned to look at me. 'Well, it is nice to meet you Miss Eva. I'm sure we'll become good friends.' I offered him a small smile and a nod. 'She's a bit shy.' Lizzie told him, explaining my actions. 'Then we'll just have to take it slow.' He said. Slow. I can do slow. I liked him and I had to make sure he knew, meaning I had to do the one thing I disliked most. Talk to a new person. I took a deep breath and- 's-slow. I can do slow.' I repeated in my small voice, surprising everyone. He beamed at me. 'I'm glad.' He stepped back from the car. 'You four have a nice night. I'll be seeing you around.' 'Yes, thank you Paul.' Mary-Kate ended before driving past the gate he opened for us. She drove around before pulling into a spot marked 18. We got out of the car and I grabbed my backpack while Lizzie took my duffel bag. We walked to this fancy elevator and Ashley pressed the button labeled 22 as we got inside. The doors closed and we started moving up before the elevator stopped at floor 22. The doors opened revealing a simple lobby area with tile floors and a couple plants. There was a skinny table beneath a mirror hanging on the wall across from the elevator and a nice looking door. When we walked over to the door, Mary-Kate took out a key and unlocked it. She opened the door and walked in side motioning for us to follow her, which we did. The inside of their apartment was beautiful. The apartment door opens to an open living room and kitchen with an attached balcony off of the living room, and full glass windows as the outside walls. Off of the kitchen is a hallway with seven doors. Four on the wall opposite the kitchen and three on the same side. They immediately gave me a tour. Where I learned the first door opposite the kitchen was the office, the next a guest bedroom, then Ashley's room, and finally what is now my room. On the other side the last room, which is across from mine, is a half-bath, followed by Mary-Kate's room, and the final room is Lizzie's. When they showed me my room is was very simple because they said they wanted to wait for me to decide how I wanted to decorate it. We put my things in my room and unpacked my clothes, but decided we would finish everything tomorrow since it was already 9 and we hadn't eaten dinner. We walked back out of my room to the kitchen as I thought about how I had stopped stuttering while i talked to them. I didn't talk that much, but it was still more than usual. Stuttering is like a nervous habit of mine. I stutter when I'm around new people, anxious, overwhelmed, or feel unsafe. Mary-Kate helped me onto a stool around the island before she stood next to me. Ashley sat beside me and Lizzie stood across from us. 'Hey, Eva watcha thinking about?' I now remembered that I also stopped my hesitation in speaking and if I took longer to answer it was because I was deciding what to say. 'I stopped stuttering.' I had promised myself I would be honest with them because I would probably tell the truth within 24 hours of the lie anyways. I can't lie. I feel too guilty. They looked at each other a little confused before Ashley spoke up. 'What do you mean?' 'I always stutter when I talk to new people.' 'That just means your getting comfortable with us. It's a good thing. Your family now and family should feel comfortable around each other.' Ashley says while smiling at me. I think again. 'Got something else on your mind, Evie?' Lizzie speaks. 'I grew up around Ms.Hanson and a lot of the other kids there, but I still stuttered around them most of the time.' And there it is. A full sentence. No more short answers. 'Maybe you didn't feel comfortable or safe around them like you do here.' Mary-Kate suggested but it was more of a 'this is what it is' kinda suggestion. I'll give it to her, she is right. I never felt safe in that place. I nodded in agreement. 'Alright, so sandwiches? What kind does everyone want?' Lizzie questioned. Ashley and Mary-Kate said something but I kinda zoned out rethinking the words Mary-Kate and Ashley had said. 'Evie, what about you?' I just shrugged my shoulders. In all honesty, I had no clue. I wasn't used to being asked what I wanted or if I was hungry. 'Before I make you something, do you have any allergies we should know about? There wasn't much listed on your file.' Lizzie asked while getting everything out. 'Walnuts. Specifically almond syrup and actual almonds, because I can still have almond flour and milk. And shellfish.' I inform them which they take note of. We continue to talk, mostly about what The twins are working on right now, while Lizzie makes everyone's sandwiches. She gives everyone their food sliding a plate with a simple sandwich in front of me. 'I figured a peanut butter and jelly was the safest way to go.' I thank her before everyone starts eating. After finishing the first half, I start to feel full. I look to see they all were already on their second half. I definitely hesitated in beginning the second half, which is probably what gave away that I was full. 'Eva, you don't have to finish it all. It was a pretty big sandwich for a very, very small girl.' Mary-Kate tells me. 'Lizzie isn't the best about portion sizes, so a lot of the time she gives us way to much food when she cooks. Tonight, we're just really hungry.' I nod my head. 'You can call me Eves or Evie too if you want. It's not just Lizzie.' I smile. 'Well Eves, you can call me Ash, and Mary-Kate MK if you want.' Ashley smiles back before whispering,'just a warning, MK calls practically everyone babe, and Liz will probably call you something different every time you talk.' I chuckle at her statement which honestly surprises me as much as them. It was a real laugh, even if it was small, it was real. I look up at her. 'What about you?' She looks at me. 'What about me?' 'What's your thing with names? Everyone has something.' 'I don't have a thing.' I give her 'the look'. Like you know when you're saying 'really' or 'sure', that look. 'Oh no, Eves is right. Everyone has something. So, what's yours Ash?' MK backs me up, accentuating my repeated statement. 'No, I-I don't have a thing.' 'Yes, you do.' Lizzie speaks for the first time in this conversation. 'Then enlighten me.' Ash challenges. 'You find a nickname for someone that usually develops from an inside joke and you stick with it. I mean you've called me Lizard since I was six just because I got excited to see them at the zoo.' She explains. 'Fine, that's my thing. Now we just wait to see what Eva's nickname will be.' As weird as it may sound, listening to their small but simple argument made me realize something. I was no longer sitting in the kitchen of a house I'd be living in with my adopted family. I was simply sitting in the kitchen of my new home surrounded by my new family. I have a home now. That's something I never thought I'd be able to say. But I can now because I'm home...with my family.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. I got writers block halfway through it and it took a little longer than expected, so my apologies. I do need a vote on what Lizzie, Mary-Kate, and Ashley will become for Eva. Are they her new mom's? Sisters? Also, if you have any requests/ideas for chapters I'll try to incorporate them because I'm stuck on ideas at the moment.
Love,
EJ