Je Suis la Tienne

Part 2

I shower first before joining her in her room, "That was very fun."

"Very."

Pausing, I say, "I think we should tell them now."

"I disagree. It is not time yet."

"You never think it is time," I stand, exasperated.

"I don't think they will react well."

"We have been legal adults since February and telling them won't change our decision."

"I don't want them to be unwelcome towards us."

"If they don't like it, we can just leave."

"I don't want to leave. Since I first set eyes on this place, I have loved it and I would not give it up just for us."

"Then you would have us keep it a secret? Until when?" Shaking Elisa's shoulders, my voice breaks, "We can't pretend forever."

"Please," Elisa begs, "I do not feel it is the right time-"

"Right time for what?" Mother opens the door, looking in at us.

I quickly dab my face, turning away.

Elisa smiles, "It was nothing, Aunt."

Turning back, I yell, "It's not nothing!"

Taken aback, my mother looks between us. Walking towards her, I say, "Mother, I'm in love."

She smiles, "Ooooh. What dashing gentleman did you fall in love with at prom?"

"I didn't just fall in love. I've been in love for a while now."

"And when shall I be seeing this fine young man that you've been hiding?"

"It's not a man, mother and I haven't been hiding."

Her smile droops into confusion as I continue, "I'm in love with Elisa."

"No." She snatches her hand out of mine, "Please say it is not true."

Smiling, I answer, "It is."

SLAP!

I press my fingers to my cheek before I realize she has slapped me.

Entering further into the room, past me, she yells, "How dare you? How dare you bring this sickness into the house and seduce my daughter? I have raised you and given you a better life than your parents could ever have asked and this is how you repay me?"

Grasping for her hand as tears flood my eyes, I call, "Mother, please."

Pulling her hand out of mine, she passes again, "I cannot bear to hear you speak. Your father will deal with the both of you."

We were allowed to nap until he arrived. Even though I would like to say I did not sleep a wink, I pass in and out of consciousness. My father usually came in from his nightshift at three in the morning and I expected this day to be no different from any other. I heard whispers from the hallway of my room and was vaguely aware that my cousin left the room.

Ever since she immigrated six years ago, she and I had slept in the same room and I knew something was wrong when she did not come back to bed. It is oddly quiet as I open the creaky door as slowly as possible. All the lights are on in the hallway. The door to my parent's room is ajar. I tip-toe past to the stairs, looking and listening for any signs that there is someone else in the house.

The wood cracks and creaks under my feet with every step until I make it to the bottom - nothing moves. I peek into the living room to find it empty. I wander into the kitchen. Absentmindedly, I look out the window, my eyes focusing before I am aware. I watch the three figures in the driveway and it clicks for me. I run to the front door, not bothering to look back as it slams behind me. I rush down the balcony steps – woods splinters shoving into my feet until they kiss the pavement at the bottom. The morning sun peeks over the fence.

A scream fills the air and I cannot tell whose it is as I start running towards my cousin. Mother intercepts, holding me back as my father places the last suitcase inside the vehicle. Kicking and scratching at her arms, I try to gather all my strength just to move forward. Mother's weight tries to keep me back and soon we tumble to the ground but I refuse. I refuse to lay down and watch her leave. The pavement scrapes my skin as I crawl forward, tedious and slow. The tears drip from my eyes and snot from my nose. The screams rip air from my lungs as Father opens the door for Elisa and she gets in.

With one rev, he pulls out of the driveway. My legs thrash frantically as I struggle to move forward. Elisa never looks my way no matter how I scream. They round the corner of the suburban bend. I want to move forward but I cannot anymore. I have no strength and every part of me hurts. But I try and I watch the tears that drip onto the warm pavement.

I sob.

My mother releases me and heads inside. I do not know how long I have been crying but soon, my father returns and pauses next to me before continuing.

I have spoken to neither of them since then.