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The pilot had just finished addressing his passengers - who all but one were extremely disappointed to be back in England - when Ebby awoke from her nap, leaving behind a small patch of drool on her mother's shoulder. As her mother straightened her jumper out - still unaware of the saliva stain on her shoulder – next to her, Ebby yawned and stretched out in every direction possible in an attempt to wake herself and greet her beloved. She had missed the smell of the damp, summer rain and the below-average summer temperatures which compared greatly to the blazing hot and sweaty Australian weather she had been subjected to for the past five years. Needless to say Ebby had enjoyed living in Brisbane, but to her there was simply nowhere else in the world that even compared to England; particularly, London. She'd missed the drama and excitement of the city, the bright blazing skyline lights, noisy car alarms and the lost and frantic tourists who kept her awake at night as they wondered clueless. She was reminded of these lights when she pulled the shutter of her window up and peered out. Her eyes grew wide and glazed over, filled with nothing but joy and appreciation to be home in the city she'd been so excited to return to. Now that Ebby could see her beloved London again in all its beauty and grandeur from above, there was nothing more she wanted to do than get off the plane and appreciate it all in person again. She relaxed back into her seat, still admiring the view from her small window, sighing contently. Ebony Richards had come home.
***
The anticipation and excitement within me only grew as I wheeled my suitcase through the airport, weaving in between and around various travellers, families and air stewards, each of them struggling with their own luggage. After what felt like a lifetime apart, at long last I was about to be reunited with Rosa.
Rosa was my sister. Not by blood of course, but it felt that way at times. She was the type of person I felt I could tell anything to. For example, when I was thirteen years old and the red flood gates of hell broke free I told Rosa before anyone else; and then there was the first time I claimed I was in love (at the ripe and wise old age of ten) with Charlie Newton, my first detention at school with the frail, old Mrs Briggs and of course my first kiss with Daniel Evans when I was living in Brisbane who Rosa was so delighted to find out had a thick Australian accent and glowing tan to match. Rosa was always the first to find out. Of course we'd kept contact via social media and written to each other when we could, but seeing her in the flesh again after all this time was something I had been anticipating ever since I'd even left for Australia.
She possessed an aura of cool, laidback sophistication, whilst also preferring to remain a mystery to others who didn't know her so well. Reserved, but confident. Only adding further to her unique personality was the hilarious and infectious, honking laugh that she dispensed copiously, often leading to my own embarrassingly loud cackle breaking free.
I hadn't even bothered to wait for my own family as I continued clumsily knocking into others and muttering quick apologies, not when just a few metres away I had spotted Rosa and her mum waiting for us at the baggage claim. I continued watching Rosa search for me among the crowds and busy masses of people, and when she finally noticed me heading towards her, the pursed lips and concentrated expression she wore turned to one of joy and built-up excitement instead, much like my own. When I was close enough to Rosa that I could hear her squeals, we both broke out into laughter before embracing in a tight hug. That loud, familiar laugh of hers sounded so much like the ugly but heart-warming melody I had craved to hear for so long. The whole reunion felt familiar and warm and comfortable, and mostly it felt like home.
