Expectation || (n.j.)

7

"Oh my god." I gasp and whisper to myself as I see her familiar face walking through the airport. She spots me as well, walking over to me quickly. We've sent pictures of each other over the years, so we knew what each other looked like when I came to pick her up. She finally moved out of her foster home and is moving in with me hopefully.

"Aaliyah." My younger sister is standing only a few feet away from me, her bags at her sides on the floor. We just look at each other and I look around to see my boyfriend standing by a vending machine so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by him when she saw me for the first time in many years.

"Finn." I still couldn't believe she was here. I remember when I was 11 and she was 9, and they literally had to take her from my arms. I would not let them take my little sister to another home and away from me. Of course, our parents just watched it happen. That day, it was like the other half of me was ripped away from me. We both walked toward each other and hugged one another.

"I can't believe it's really you. I missed you so much Finn." I breathe out, tears falling from my eyes.

"I've missed you so, so much Lee." Finn tells me and I can tell that she's crying as well. When we pull away, I see some people gathering around and watching our reunion.

"You know, I've kept the picture of us when we were little and we're playing at the park for years. Ever since I was taken away from you." My sister pulls a picture from her wallet and it's one of her and I at the park. When we were actually happy. More tears well up in eyes. Joyful tears.

"I've thought about you everyday. I remember the day you were taken away from me like it was yesterday. I know you don't, and I'm somewhat glad for that." I smile at her and wipe my eyes and nose with the sleeve of my shirt.

"Me too. I remember some of it, and it was horrible." Finley says, biting her lip.

"Let's go home. There's someone I'd like you to meet. We can talk about everything that's happened over the years too." I say in a bright tone, the smile not leaving my face.

"Eight siblings? Wow." I reply, blown away.

"Yeah, eight. And all of them were boys too, so that was great. One of them, Luke, had the biggest crush on me for awhile. Of course, we were never real siblings, but it still would've been kind of weird." Finn laughs and I fold my hands on the table in front of me.

"Woah. Well, I had three. Jake, Sara, and Justin. They were all younger then me. Justin and Jake were only younger by a year, but Sara was just a little one."

"My foster parents were amazing too. I had a great childhood, apart from where I was separated from you. They made it the best they could for all of us. When I said I was leaving and coming to see my sister for the first time in years, they were sad but also very happy for me. They said that they remember seeing how you fought for me when we were being taken to the homes. They were there for the whole thing." We've been talking for hours now, but it's so fascinating to hear about everything she has to say. I mean, it's so cruel that they would've done that to us. Knowing how close we always were. I take a deep breath and start to talk myself.

"My foster parents were great as well. They saw the whole incident as well and always reminded me that I'd see you soon enough. I was able to add you once, but you guys had moved out to Alaska, and I was still in Texas, so that wouldn't have worked. I think I had to be 15 and do you were only 13. I remember crying about it for days because I couldn't see my little sister and wanted to so bad. I didn't go to school for about a week because of it, and I remember being so mad at our birth parents for splitting us up. It's like that's exactly what they wanted." I was shocked as all of this had come out of my mouth. I haven't talked to anyone about this in a long time. Finn nodded and really looked like she was listening to everything I was saying.

"I love you Aaliyah." My sister said in a quiet voice. I looked up at her slowly, not sure what she meant exactly.

"Hm?" I question with pressed lips.

"I said I love you. You have no idea how long I've waited to tell you that in person." She exhaled like she just got something huge off her chest. I guess, in a way, she did. I got up and walked over to where she was sitting. I motioned for Finley to stand up and I wrapped my arms around her. I hugged her tight and whispered in her ear, tears silently falling down my face as I spoke.

"I love you so, so much Finn."