Staring at the three people on the other side of the door, Maria had a fleeting feeling of panic. What if this is all a mistake, and I can't explain properly… what if… Refusing to go there, Maria forced herself to smile and stop that train wreck of thoughts before it happened. "You made it, good, good. Come in?"
If her parents or Andre noticed that her hostess skills were sorely lacking, or the anxiety behind them, they said nothing. Instead they stepped into the new apartment all their attention focused on Maria. As if by mutual decision, it was Maria's mother, Theresa, who spoke first, waiting until Maria had closed the door and turned towards them. "It's been so long…"
What could she do but nod? Maria was too busy staring at her little brother, now a grown man of twenty-six, twenty-seven? She couldn't remember and the idea that she couldn't remember something so simple finally brought the tears to her eyes. "I can't believe you're all here… I've missed you so much…"
Stepping into the void of silence was her father, Ricardo, standing for a hug as he hastily assured Maria with his words, "We've missed you too, we've all missed you too. Your brother and mother and I, we've never stopped thinking that you would find us again."
The unspoken question hung like a guard in front of the door of reunion, not unexpectedly. Deep breath taken, Maria began her side of the story, "When I got separated, I was so nervous, so worried. I was going to get a small job and come home on my own money…"
Before it was uttered, she hushed her father's protest, already knowing that he'd never admit to any money problems. Staring with unusual fascination at her hands, Maria continued, "Before I knew it, I'd met these kids, and I fell in with entirely the wrong crowd. I was young, I didn't know anything, and instead of helping me get home, by the time I realized it, we were halfway across the country in the wrong direction."
Hurriedly, she rushed through the next parts; "I didn't know how to get in touch, to get home, so I thought I'd take a quick job. I got caught up in the wrong places and then the pulse came and I just kind of got lost. But now I've been found, and I had to get in touch, to see you all."
It was a decent explanation, as truthful as it could be, and as vague as it had to be. Now was not the time for secret government conspiracies that Maria herself didn't fully understand yet, despite being trapped in one for over half her life.
As soon as her rushed explanation was finished, Andre spoke up, cutting off the tearful exclamations that their parents were about to make. "Past is past. Welcome back to the family, big sister."
Maria was the one to start crying and exclaiming, "So much has changed!" As she pulled her brother into the hug she'd been longing after for twenty long years.
Gruffly, she pulled back, and received equally fierce hugs from each of her parents before everyone settled back down. Gasping for air around her tears and emotions, Maria couldn't help a small laugh at how happy this all made her. "Tell me everything, everything I've missed, tell me everything."
"It was lonely, without you," Theresa spoke up, "but we managed. Your father kept the family store afloat through the pulse, and your brother got a good job with one of those overseas companies, at a local base."
Sensing his mother about to go into a diatribe of the last twenty years, Andre jumped back into the conversation excitedly, "But there's time for all the details later, momma, now that the whole family is back together, there's all the time in the world for the details. Why don't we go out to eat, have a nice family dinner, and let the details attend to themselves?"
Andre moved to get up, determined that the past would only bog the newly united family in the sadness and regrets that he could see forming on his father's brow, but one look at Maria's suddenly crestfallen expression and he stopped. "Maria?"
"We're not," Maria paused and looked up at her family, "all together again, that is."
Sensing how troubled this made her, Ricardo gently asked, "Andre hush, yes some details later, but some now. What is it, my Maria?"
Fumbling over her words and thoughts, Maria shakily began, "Before I got lost the second time, I… that's why you all had to come here, see… since her and I have just been reunited, I knew that you all had to come too and…" she stopped, and forced herself coherently together. It would do no good to sound crazy now, when she most needed to be sane.
"Not all the family's here yet… you haven't met my daughter."
Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and not abandoned this story. I know it's been a long (nearly) two years, but don't give up hope. I haven't. I had some writer's block for a while there, but I'm over it, and I finally have the rest of the story properly mapped out and the time to write it.
Sorry about the huge wait from the last update, but here's two scenes to appease you. All comments, complaints, critisism, and enjoyment is GREATLY encouraged. I need to know how my step back into the story went. ;)