Orphans

15

Darina hears a car pulling up outside. She goes to check and is pleasantly surprised to see Nadi's car.

"Are you back or have you come to take more stuff?" She asks her smiling at her, the moment she steps into the house.

"Wouldn't you like to know..." Nadi snaps at her.

"You are becoming so rude..." Darina says taken by surprise at her tone.

Nadi feels guilty.

"Sorry, I'm just hungry." She apologizes.

"Oh... Let me make you breakfast," Nadi offers as they enter the house.

Nadi closes her eyes breathing in the smell of home. She's missed this. She walks upstairs and unpacks her clothes. When she comes down, she finds Darina done with breakfast. She sits down and starts eating.

"We missed you... How are you?" She smiles at her.

"If you missed me how come not once did you call me or check up on me..." She accuses

"Miss Elica said you said you needed space from us... I didn't want to be a bother..." She confesses.

"Hmmm... A text wouldn't have hurt..." Nadi mumbles as she eats.

Nadi eats while Darina sits with her at the table. Despite the subtle awkwardness between them, she's happy to see her and sit with her like this.

She notices Nadi looking upstairs and she realises that she is looking for Elica.

"She's not here..."

"Oh..."

"She went to Ana's house to help her out and stay with her for a bit since she went blind..." Darina reveals.

Nadi feels her heart beating violently, yes she called Eli yesterday and referenced to Ana as being blind, but she only said it to spite her. She didn't truly mean it like that... She feels horrible and as if she will puke all the food she has just happened.

"So she is really blind?" She asks with a  hoarse voice.

"Yes... But she said she will be okay after a bit ... She said it happens sometimes..." Darina sighs.

Nadi keeps quiet feeling a weight she doesn't understand on her chest. She feels the tears approaching.

Darina notices her dilemma. She stands up and comes back with tissues, handing them to her. "It's okay Nadi... Don't cry... She will be fine. I believe so..." Darina comforts her and Nadi hugs her, feeling all the void from being away from them, hitting her.

"Sorry..." She apologizes trying to stop crying and not really understanding why she's crying.

"What were you eating in the hotel?" Darina asks her and Nadi laughs.

"I definitely missed your food." She confesses and Darina offers to make her favourite for lunch.

"I think I should make more for Ana and Miss Eli... Since neither of them can cook... And ask miss Eli to send a cab over to take the food to them..."

"That's nice of you..."

"Darina?" Darina looks at her.

"Why is it so easy for you to call Anabela "Ana..." But you keep referring to Eli and I as "Miss?"

"She asked me to call her Ana and not Miss."

"But Eli and I have been asking that you to call us just by our names and you never do it..."

"I don't know, maybe it's because the first established relationship between us was an employer, employee..."

Nadi keeps quiet, not wanting to debate, but Darina sees her inner turmoil.