Sapphires

Chapter 7- The Reunion

I was in my room. I hadn't left for the rest of the day. My dad tried to come in and bring me food, but I didn't want it. Besides, I had my hidden stash of candy that mom helped me create. I had hundreds of chocolate bars, skittle packs, and lollipops. I wasn't going to leave my room until they found mom.

Dad came in. I turned to him.

"Did they find her?"

He sat on my bed. He looked really weak. This was the same man who taught me how to ride a bike, swim, and was the same one who made the kids in my class stop picking on me for my bright eyes.

Now though, he looked like someone who had gotten in a fight, and lost. He didn't have bruises and he wasn't bleeding. He looked beat.

I walked up to him. Usually, he would tell me not to go on my bed with my shoe's on. This time, he didn't care.

I hugged him. I hadn't done that in a while. I had told my parents that I was to big for hugs. Just two day's ago, mom tried to hug me when she dropped me off for school. I told her that I was two big for hugs, and that the kids would make fun of me for hugging my mom.

But now, I wish I did hug her.

Dad hugged me back and looked at me.

"Son. I don't know how to say this."

He was lost for words, but I could tell.

"Is mom dead?"

He looked at me, tears in his eyes. He nodded.

I buried my face in his shoulder. He held me tight, telling me it was okay. That I could cry.

I did.

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I stared at the women who was in front of me. She was the same height as me. She was wearing a light blue sun dress. Her eye's were the same eye's that I remembered looking into when I was little.

They were the eye's I trusted.

They were the eye's of my mom.

She looked at me and smiled. Tears were forming at her eye's.

"Nathaniel. You've gotten so big."

Before I could think about it, I hugged her. She hugged me back.

She let go of me and looked me in the eye's. "I remember that you used to say you were to old for hugs."

I laughed. "Let's just say I owe you this one."

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I walked into the house. My mom followed, and I held Valerie's hand. She watched me carefully. Why, I don't know.

I turned to look at my mom. She was looking around the living room.

"Nothing has changed."

I walked to the staircase and called out to my dad. "Hey dad, you better come down here."

I looked at my mom. She looked nervous. I walked next to her and put my arm around her shoulders.

I could hear my dad climbing down the stairs. Valerie grabbed me by my sleeve and pulled me back. Me, her, and Kayla were standing near the back door.

My dad reached the bottom of the staircase. "Nathaniel what's..."

He saw my mom and stopped in my tracks. My dad looked as if he was looking at a ghost.

"Angie?"

My mom smiled. "Hello Leo."

My dad ran up to her and pulled her close. I had never seen him that happy.

I looked at Valerie. She had tears in her eye's.

I nudged her. "Are you crying."

She looked at me. "Aren't you?"

I shook my head, but as soon as I did, I could feel the wetness in my eye's. My dad looked at me and stretched out his right arm. I walked up to my parents and hugged them both.

It was a dream come true.