Sparks Reignited

3 | New Life

By the time I return to the kitchen to help Aunt Abbie, a small silhouette through the glass window catches my eyes.

"Riley!"

The door opens and a little girl comes barreling into the house, throwing her arms around my legs. Behind her, a friendly-looking man follows, flashing a big smile at the sight of me.

I glance down at the child with a blank stare before looking up at the unfamiliar man. In my head, I debate whether I should make a run for the door. With many pairs of eyes on me, the space suddenly feels small and the uncomfortable feeling inside me grows.

The urge to run back to my room is tempting.

"Riley!" The girl grins up at me. Her blonde curls bouncing on her shoulders. "I miss you!"

I stare down at her, feeling a sense of awkwardness between us. How should I react to a child? Smile? What am I supposed to say?

I want to run away, but with the anticipative look that Aunt Abbie is giving me, I stop myself.

How many times have I gone back to the little cave that I have made for myself? What will change if I run away? Where else can I go if there is nowhere for me to return to except here? With or without a choice, I'm a part of the family now.

In the end, I give Judy a small smile and squeak out a "hi".

Her grin widens and she clings even tighter to my legs. Her father takes the chance to cut in during this moment, flashing me a warm, friendly smile. Aunt Abbie joins his side and watches our interaction, allowing a smile to grow on her face.

"It's great to have you with us, Riley," he greets me. "How are you feeling?"

He steps forward with his hand reaching out towards me, as if he intends to ruffle my hair.

But I take a step backwards.

"Dave," Aunt Abbie warns. "Don't rush things."

"Right." With a sheepish smile, Uncle Dave withdraws his hand and keeps a distance from me, not too near or far. "Make yourself at home, Riley. If you need something, let me know."

I answer quietly. "Thank you."

He flashes another smile. "You guys have fun while I excuse myself. I'll be in my office."

I nod and he bends down to peck his daughter's cheek. "Sweetheart, can you keep Riley company?"

"Of course!"

He shoots us both a smile and leaves quickly. But with Judy hugging my legs, it's proving a little difficult to move around the house. Aunt Abbie hurries past us and heads back into the kitchen to resume her cooking for dinner.

Her voice rings out loud and clear. "Judy sweetie, please don't go too hard on Riley."

The girl pouts. "But Mommy," she whines. "I want her to play with me."

"Sure you can, but give her some time to adjust, okay? Riley has just recovered."

Disappointed, Judy pushes out her bottom lip. "Fine."

Releasing my legs, she takes my hand instead and guides me to her bedroom. Pushing the door open, she lets go of my hand and walks over to a pink table lined with many toys. Her eyes scan them quickly and she picks a white rabbit plush. Spinning around, she waves it at me.

"Riley, look! This is what you gave me for my fourth birthday. I'm taking good care of it, just like how you told me to."

I frown in confusion. How much does this girl know about me and my condition? How should I respond to her?