Nebula

Reunion

I sat tucked in a ball, staring out the window. I could see some dust clouds forming in the distance. I squinted, trying to see what it was. When they came closer - I saw that it was a couple of black vans. A couple? Why did they need a couple to transport my family?

I got up and walked out the door, and down the stairs. Mona was standing by the window nibbling on her nails, I walked over to her.

"I'm sorry." Mona turned her head, "Oh, no I'm sorry. You were right..." She tucked her bangs behind her ear. "We shouldn't have taken you away from your family, it was wrong. I should have said something..."

I leaned my head on her shoulder, "Even if you had said something, they wouldn't have listened. Don't blame yourself, I was mad and didn't think about what I was saying."

Mona stroked my hair. "They're almost here, you should go down to the meeting room." I looked at her, confused. "We have a meeting room?"

The room was empty, without windows, with a single table and 3 chairs in the middle. It was not a very inviting space. My hands were shaking and my brain was full of thoughts. What would my family think of me? Did they even remember me? And what about my brother, he didn't know me!

Suddenly the door was opened. I flinched, my mother came in through the door. It took me a second to recognize her.

"M-mom?"

I got up from the chair, my mom smiled and walked over to me. "Daira! Oh my lord, you look so grown up!"

Tears pushed through, as we embraced eachother. "Mom its been so long, I- what about the baby?"

I looked over mom's shoulder. Dad came in, carrying a little boy on his back.

"Is that her, daddy?" The boy asked.

Dad nodded, "Yes thats your sister Peter."

I let go of mom. "Peter..." I put a hand over my mouth, dad put the little boy down.

"Wow you're so pretty!" he awed at me, while I dried my tears.

He had mom's hair and dad's eyes. I squatted down to him. "I've been waiting to meet you, Peter." I lightly pinched his cheek, he giggled.

Peter stared me in the eyes, "You don't look like mom or dad at all."

I felt like he could see right through me. I didn't know what to respond to that.

"Oh, that sometimes happens Peter," Mom interrupted, breaking the silence.

"W-wow! That's so cool!" I sighed. It wasn't his fault, he wasn't aware that we weren't actually related.

"Now, what have I missed?" I got up, my gaze went from mom to dad.

"Oh, just the usual-" Mom smiled.

Dad interrupted, "-But there is one thing, our neighbor Jennie moved."

I remembered her. She was very forgetful and had to borrow things from us constantly.

"Why?" I asked.

Mom shook her head. "Oh she got remarried with a lawyer who lives in the 3rd class houses."

I nodded, I had actually never seen any houses of the upper class. Those neighborhoods were further away from the city, we had no reason to go there.

I wasn't sure what more to say, it had been so long since I last saw them.

Peter ran over to mom and pulled her skirt, "How long do we have to stay?"

Mom lifted him up from the ground. "Until Daria has to go, sweetie," mom smiled.