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I wanted to move, to run and hide, but I couldn’t. My friends were just standing there, wondering why I was suddenly standing there, immobile. They were all just sitting or standing there, waiting to see what would happen. Aunt Kate walked in.
“Oh,
Jessica. There you are.” She looked around and frowned.
“Hello
girls,” she said to my friends after a moment. They all smiled and nodded
politely, not too sure what to do after hearing what was really going on.
“Um,
we better get going now,” Lucile spoke up.
“Yeah.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I
have to finish my science experiment.”
They all filed out of the door.
“Bye,”
Adriann, who was the last one, said. I waved as she closed the door. I just stood there. I didn’t know what to
do. This was not at all the way I had planned to reunite with my family. My
aunt went back into the kitchen. I sat down on the edge of a chair, dazed. What
if my mom didn’t care? What if she just came to see Aunt Kate? My throat got
tight. I swallowed. I looked down at my hands and fiddled with my jewelry,
getting lost in thought.
“Jessica?”
My mind could never forget that voice, no matter how hard I tried. With out a
thought, I looked up.
“Mom?”
my voice was surprisingly calm.
“Oh
baby,” my mom said, enfolding me in a hug. I thought that this would be the
time I really started to cry, but I didn’t. My mom didn’t either. I was a
little surprised. She stood back and looked at me.
“What
did you do to your hair?” she said jokingly. I smiled.
“Dyed
it. Don’t you love it?” She smiled and we laughed.
“I
missed you.”
“Me
too.” Then a small voice spoke up from my aunt’s arms. A tiny voice started to
wail. My mom smiled at my confused face. She took the small infant from Aunt
Kate’s arms.
“Jessie,”
she said, cradling the infant, “I’d like you to meet your little sister, Zoë
Genevieve.” My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. I had known, thanks to
Elizabeth and Marie that my mom had had another baby, but had yet to meet her,
or know her name. My mom handed her to me and I held her in my arms.
“Hey
Zoë,” I cooed. “I’m your big sister, Jessica.” She smiled and giggled. As I
proceeded to play with her, I could see my aunt and my mom smiling at each
other out of the corner of my eye.
-----Holiday Inn Hotel, The Hanson Family’s Room-----
Mrs. Hanson slid her key card through the lock and opened the door, while balancing Zoë on her hip.
“Did
you enjoy visiting with your sister?” Zoë clapped her hands. Mrs. Hanson
smiled.
“Hey
Mom,” Zac said, walking across the room with a Doctor Pepper. She smiled.
“Hello
Zac.”
“Where
were you?”
“Visiting
with your aunt.” Suddenly, the room, previously filled with sound and chatter,
was silent as a tomb. All six children were completely silent.
“Aunt
Kate?” Taylor finally asked from across the room.
“Yes,
Taylor. Aunt Kate.” She started to drop her things. It was silent again.
“Well…”
Zac prompted.
“Well
what?”
“Mom!”
All the children, minus Zoë, whined. Mrs. Hanson smiled slyly.
“Yes,
your sister was there.” That wasn’t enough information for them.
“This
one,” Mrs. Hanson tickled Zoë, “made friends easily.” They all waited eagerly
for more information.
“For
one thing,” Mrs. Hanson said, “she doesn’t blend in with the Hanson crowd
anymore.” They frowned.
“What
do you mean Mom?” Isaac inquired.
“Her
hair.”
“Huh?”
“She
dyed it.”
“Oh
my God!” Taylor exclaimed. “She did? What color?”
“Maybe
you should ask her yourself,” Mrs. Hanson said as the door opened.