Saving Saturn

Saying Goodbye

It was painful to leave everyone so quickly after we moved. The upside was that I didn't have to go to a new school.

"You're leaving, Ona? You just got here!" Nora protested when she heard the news. Tara just but her lip. "Ugh, I hate war and people." She continues. I raise an eyebrow, as does Tara. "Not you guys!" She exclaims, reading our expressions.

"I speak for both of us when I say, we won't forget about you. Two months isn't that long, right?" Tara says, breaking the silence. I nod, trying to see the bright side. It wasn't working. Nora smiles and jumps up and down. I give them brief hugs and walk home.

"I'm gonna miss painting your left hand." Azna greeted when I entered her room. Her room was larger than mine, her bed being leveled with the ground and queen sized.

"I'm gonna miss you painting it!" I joke. She wraps me in a long hug and starts to cry. She starts me up, too. "I'm worried about war." I say, my nose choking me up. She pushes me away and studies my face.

"Don't worry. I know you'll be safe. Just keep an eye on the news and call us if there's a problem." She finally says.

"You sound like Mom." I laugh. She giggles. I make my way to Dad's office, where he looks stressed, as always. His hair is ruffled, of what hair he has, scribbling on a piece of paper. He looks up when I walk in.

"Cookie!" He greets, pulling his glasses off and running his fingers through his hair. He past his knee, inviting me to sit. "We're gonna miss you. I will say, I was not all for this plan, but she's your mother, and you can't stop her for nothing." He says, like he's not joking.

"I'm worried about war. I talked to Azna and she said exactly what Mom would say." I reply.

"We can't stop anything from happening unless we know it's going to happen. When nature says "go" you have to, no matter what. In this case, your mother is nature. Unless, something happens, nature will protect you at any given point in time. I love you, cookie, and I need you to be good for your mother. This is a favor I'm asking from me. Can you do that?" He asks seriously. I nod and he lets me go to Mom.

"Mom? Can I come in?" I ask when she was taking a nap.

"Yes, Ona." She replies groggily. When I open the door, she and the baby are settled in the bed. She looked concerned. All I did was cry into her shoulder.