[Excerpt]:
"Does it bother you?" He asked, after an incisive moment of silence.
"Does...what bother me?" I immediately returned, unable to decipher the objective behind the closed-ended question.
"The way I stare. At you." He pondered, as his dark...
The next few days were spent planning the details of Mrs. Franks' memorial service. To lend additional support, I chose to extend my trip and help organize the grim event. In honor of Mrs. Franks request to be cremated, we decided to host an intimate gathering within her backyard.
Tonight, we prepared the house for friends and family visiting to mourn her passing. Outside, we hung colorful lanterns that lit up the landscape with a warm gradient and set up tables and chairs for prospective guests. Around mid-afternoon, people began to arrive and, by sundown, the yard was packed with dozens of Mrs. Franks' closest acquaintances.
As families continued to trickle in, I remained isolated inside the comfort of my childhood room. Oddly enough, it now felt strange to be in the same room that once held so many fond memories.
From the bedroom window, I had a clear view of the backyard, where I watched as clusters of individuals with vaguely familiar faces began to stealthily occupy the ground space. Slipping on a ribbed black dress and tying my hair into a neat updo, I decided that I had stalled long enough in joining the festivities.
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The first person I saw when I reached the bottom of the stairs was Sarah. She appeared hard at work in the kitchen, diligently preparing more snacks at one of the long counters. Christopher, who stood by her side, briskly planted a quick kiss on her cheek before heading out the backdoor. It was hard to miss the way his hand had lingered on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.
Up until this point, I had my suspicions about the nature of their relationship. Were they friends or lovers? However, the interaction shared between them just now provided all the clarity I needed to conclude that the two were indeed intimately involved.
"We've been together for three years, in case you're wondering." Sarah spoke flatly into the air, seeming to detect my presence without turning around.
"Uh, congratulations." I replied, unsure of the proper response to evoke in a situation like this. Was it even legal to date your former foster sibling?
"Look Raya, I want to formally apologize for the way I treated you as a child. I wish I could blame it all on simply being young and dumb, but that still doesn't excuse my actions. Now that I'm older, I really want to work towards building a friendship with you. I think that that's what Mrs. Franks would have wanted. For the both of us, at least." She stated, while she continued to busy herself with loading more trays with crackers, cheese, and dip.
Taking a moment to process her words, I could sense the sincerity in them. No longer wishing to cling onto the traumatic memories of my past, I decided that it was time to let go of any resentment and move on. My life had changed for the better and I would rather bask in that.
"It's okay. I forgive you." I left my place near the staircase to fully enter the kitchen.
Sarah turned towards me, just as I began to help her organize the remaining snack trays. I could sense that my words had taken her by surprise. However, as dazed as she was, she chose not to respond. Instead, we silently finished replenishing the refreshments together and, when all the trays were filled, she gestured for me to follow her to the backyard.
