Granted

Chapter 15

The plane landed hours ago but still, Dianna sat quietly in the airport. She was deep in thought. All the worries about whether it's really okay for her to see her family again came flooding in.

Dianna sighed, anxiously clutching her phone where her brother's address was stored, conflicted on whether she should continue with her planned reunion or just go back and maybe try again after a month or so.

But if she goes with the latter then she'll only push herself away from the one thing she had always wanted and it's been just too long to deprive herself of the familial love she's been yearning for.

And so with one deep breath, she finally decided. "Okay, I'm gonna go spend my holidays with my family and whatever happens, happens. I'll be okay, I know I will"

So off she went to her brother's apartment somewhere in this big busy city.

o-o-o-o-o

Dianna stood nervously in front of a white door. With her heart beating fast and her whole body tensing up, she took a deep breath and finally knocked on the door.

After a few tense moments, the door finally opened.

Hector stood at the door, staring at the girl in front of him.

"...hey Hec" Dianna softly spoke

Hector smiled softly, eyes turned soft and teary "...hey Di" then gave her sister a tight embrace

Dianna couldn't hold back the tears as her brother held her in his arms. She wrapped her hands around her brother and hugged him tight in return.

Once the siblings parted, they wiped away their happy tears and laughed.

"Look how dramatic we've become" Hector chuckled, then stared at her little sister, "you're a lady now. Time really flies"

Everything was still hitting Dianna so much that all she could do at that moment was to smile ever so brightly

"Well, c'mon inside!" Hector invited, taking the bags from Dianna's hand and motioning her to enter his home.

Dianna nodded and stepped inside the house. Her eyes wandered around and saw pictures of their family, the ones she remembered seeing in their old home. It brought such strong nostalgia, happy and sad ones.

But what got Dianna the most was seeing her college graduation picture on proud display.

"I went to your college and asked for a copy and they gladly gave me one after I showed them proof that I'm really your brother" Hector commented after noticing the change of expression in his little sister's features, "You're a dean's lister right? I saw your name on that congratulatory board thing"

Dianna chuckled albeit getting a bit teary eyed again, "Yeah I was"

"We're so very proud of you Dianna"

Dianna smiled but before she could reply, an older woman called out to her as she walked into the room

"Dianna? Is that you?"

Dianna turned and saw her mother. She was still the same beautiful woman but time took its toll on her, nevertheless, her mother aged gracefully. But the one thing that stood out the most was how her mother's eyes were so warm and inviting towards her, despite the tears rolling down on her cheeks. A huge contradiction to the cold, ashamed eyes she last saw years ago.

Despite her longing to embrace her mother, Dianna stood awkwardly, undecided on how to react.

Alicia on the other hand, quickly went to her daughter and wrapped her in a tight embrace. Dianna felt tense at first but slowly eased into her mother's arms.