Going Home Again

"Family reunion" (Lizamay)

Climbing the stairs to my childhood home, easy. Ringing the doorbell, not so much. I stared at the intricate pattern on the front door for thirty minutes. Shuffling back and forth, fixing my outfit at least a dozen times. My black pant suit seemed to be getting a lot of fuzz on it suddenly. Either that or I kept looking for reasons not to ring the doorbell.

Finally I leaned forward and pushed the small white button, a musical array of ding dongs sounded. Not realizing I was holding my breath, I let it out when my mother opened the door. Ester was a down to earth beautician, who had a shop in the back of our house for more than twenty years. She was a thick woman who loved her fried cooking and sported short brown hair.

Some of it was now gray, but she was still the beautiful woman who nurtured and loved me. Five seconds of silence went by and the suspense was killing me. This was a mistake, I half turned to run away when a loud screech startled me.

"My baby!" She engulfed me in a bear hug. I'd imagined this moment and in my head, it had been awkward, but this felt good.

"Hey momma." My accent flowed back into place as I returned her embrace.

"Come in baby girl!" My over zealous mother dragged me inside. All eyes were on me making me instantly regret my decision in coming. 

Regardless of how bad I thought this little family reunion would go, it actually wasn't what I had imagined. 

I was stuck in a whirlwind of screams, hugs and kisses. In my mom's living room was most of my family.

"Hey, sis long time no see." My brother Hunter squeezed me until I thought I would break. It was so good to see him. We had been so close growing up being so close in age had helped. There was a pain in seeing him as well, he looked just like our father. Sandy blonde hair, intelligent green eyes, even his know-it-all chin was like dad's.

"Hey big bro." Behind him was a mini-me boy about the age of five.

"This must be Ryder." I smiled at the adorable boy and was surprised when he returned it.

He ran and clasp his hands around my waist. I was so shocked by his affection, most children were shy around new people but this little guy wasn't.

"Your my Aunt Lizamay, Daddy shows me pictures of you." He did? Tears pooled in my eyes at the thought of all I'd missed in this boy's life.

"My baby sister is named after you!" Behind the group in the floor was a small chubby baby. She sat in all pink playing in the floor. Her wisp of brown hair in a bow on the top of her head.

"Meet Lilly May." My brother said with a smile. My heart busted at the thought of someone being named after me. 

"Where is Cheryl?" I mused out loud, scanning the room for my brother's high school girlfriend and mother of his two children. Sadness washed over my brother's face and suddenly I realized I had mentioned some foreign taboo. 

"Didi, get in here and see your sister." My mother saved me by calling in my little sister from the kitchen. The door swung open and in walked my sister with a sour look on her face and her stomach round with child.

"OH! Your pregnant!" I could barely contain my excitement, she however beheld me as if I had sewage on my outfit. I opened arms to embrace her and found a small pat on the back, in my ear she whispered.

"You shouldn't have come." A pang pricked my heart at her tone. She then plastered a fake smile on her face for our mother. Yep, I was home.