When it rains in the desert

Cake

It was two weeks before I could step on a plane and fly back to New York. I knew it would be hard to bury her 4,000 miles away but I also know that she would've wanted to be buried with Carter.

The whole way home I had two nagging thoughts.
1. I was leaving Celia
2. I was going to get my sister back

I walked into the familiar doors of my apartment building, up the elevator and down the hall. I stopped at the door with the key in my hand. I couldn't help but hesitate walking in.

I felt my palms grow sweaty, what if she was different? What if she was mad at me for not saving her? Did she hate me? Did she look the same?

Could I hug her? Would that be weird? I mean it's been ten years what would I say? Hey munch, how are you? By the way do you want me to pay for your therapy?

It took me a good 20 minutes of contemplating before I finally pushed the key into the door and turned it.

I froze at the door when I saw my apartment, exactly the same as I'd left it. I was stuck in place at the door, afraid of walking in when I heard my bedroom door open and was attacked by the little two foot monster that was my niece.

"UNCLE JACOB!!" She squealed as she launched herself at me. "Catch" she laughed, jumping for me to lift her up.

I lifted her up and she wrapped her arms around my neck, practically strangling me and kicked her legs against me in excitement. "Hey trouble" I laughed. I let go of her slightly to let her know I was going to put her down but she just hung there. Dangling from my neck.

I laughed again as she giggled against me shoulder before I looked around the apartment. I couldn't see Lia, "Rory, where's mom?" I asked. She looked up at me as I pulled her up in front of me.

She pointed towards the bathroom door and just as though she'd heard me ask, the bathroom door opened.

I felt the wind knock out of me a little because there she was. I think I was a little bit afraid, not of seeing her again but that it was too good to be true. That maybe, if I saw her, it would've be real but here she was.

I mean i'd thought of this moment my entire life. I'd expected to see her on the news, i'd even thought that maybe one day i'd pass her in the city, maybe she'd escaped And just be roaming around New York City.

But these were all my most optimistic options. I'd mostly thought I'd see her next in a casket or being asked to identify the body of my missing sister.

Never in a million years would I have thought that the first time I'd ever see my sister after ten years, was when she was coming out of my bathroom. I saw her process what was happening in slow motion.

Her face hadn't changed a single bit, she had the same blue eyes and the same round face as she did 10 years ago. Her hair had been cut to just above her shoulders but that was the only difference.

Of course she was a a few inches taller but she was still my little sister. When she walked into the room she looked worried but when she saw my face, her features softened. Her eyebrows relaxed and her mouth dropped.

I tried to move but I was literally frozen, I still had Rory in my arms, held against the side of me but I couldn't move or speak. It was Lia that made the first move.

A tear rolled down her cheek and she smiled as she wiped it away, "I was going to say long time no see but that doesn't seem appropriate" she laughed.

Somehow her voice had gotten deeper. She wasn't the little kid I still had pictured in my head anymore. No, she was grown. I laughed and took a deep breath, rubbing the back of my neck.

I put Rory down next to me and moved a little closer and that was all it took. She released a deep breath and threw herself into my arms. I felt her shake against me and soon my own tears began to fall.

She squeezed her arms around my back, hugging me tighter. I didn't know what to say, what was the right thing to say? I thought it best to just hold each other in this moment. We had ten years worth of hugs to make up but right in this moment it was like I'd never lost her.

Rory felt a little left out and attached herself to my leg whilst we were hugging. We both giggled before I moved to lift her up and add her into the hug.

After a few minutes I pulled back, looking at Rory and Lia, looking at my sister and my niece in awe that I had my family back and I couldn't help but wish that Celia was here. She'd know what to say and what to do.

Almost as if Rory had read my mind, she said " let's make cake" and I couldn't help but cry a little harder than I had before.

I placed my hand and Lia's cheek, wiping her tears away " it's going to be okay now. You're safe with me" I said nodding "okay?" And she nodded back.

I took Rory's hand and put my arm around my sister's shoulders, guiding them both to the kitchen. Rory tugged on my arm and smiled that adorable, mischievous smile before I placed her on the counter.

Lia took the eggs out of the fridge and placed them by Rory big mistake. I looked at the eggs and then looked back at Rory who was reaching for them, she smiled at me and I place my finger on my lip, moving out of the way so she had a clear shot at Lia.

"What the hel-" as Lia turned around to see what had just hit her in the shoulder me and Rory looked at each other, making ourselves look busy. But Rory, the little traitor, began laughing before we could even run away.

For a moment, just a moment, we were okay. I hadn't just lost the one person I loved the most in the world, I wasn't still grieving the loss of my sister, the world wasn't going to shit because I'm that moment my sister was in front of me, smiling, my niece was giggling so much she was holding her stomach and i felt myself smile.