TRACKSiDED

REUNION

"Everything is fine," I say with my 3 euros worth of smile.

Dad smiles, but Rebecca gives me, I' m-not having-your-bullshit stare.

The phone rings from afar, and Aina walks in with the dial.

"Who is it, Aina?"

"It's Miss. Mona."

I'm stunned, I've only been here a few hours, and Mona has already whiffed my presence.

"Did you call her?" Rebecca says with an inquisitive raised eyebrow.

"No, I didn't call or tell anyone."

"Inform her we're eating and that Miss. Jane will call her back," Rebecca says.

"Yes, madam."

I wonder who told Mona?

We haven't spoken in almost five years.

It's shameful she was my best friend, actually, Mona more than that. Mona is my cousin, her mother, and my uncle Robert met in Egypt.

Aunt Salomé was a widow, and she was raising Mona alone, her family wished her to remarry one of her cousins, but uncle Robert came along like a knight in shining armor. He married her, adopted Mona, and whisked aunt Salomé away.

Sounds beautiful, doesn't it?

But things aren't always what they seem.

My uncle is an American Lieutenant Colonel. They moved around a lot, aunt Salomé's family criticizes her a lot, and the extreme Muslims literally spit at her, saying uncle Robert is a murderer.

When aunt Salomé visits them, she always comes back a little brainwashed.

Aunt Salomé sent Mona to Egypt one summer, and she came back bald. Everyone thought it was her mother's family who did it.

The truth was they wanted Mona to wear a hijab, and she didn't. So Mona shaved her head and said there's nothing to see move along. They sent her back, saying the shaitan possessed her.

Mona is a new-age woman, impulsive and passionate.

My cousin is my hero. I admire her mental strength. She'll probably insult me for not contacting her and for being a coward. Brad, she and I were very close before I spoilt everything.

What did my parents tell them when I left abruptly?

We're finishing dinner when the sound of screeching tires fans my ears, followed by the doorbell and the echo of clicking heels.

"JANE."

At this instant, Rebbecca's expression is six feet under as Mona strides in and squeezes my head against her bosom in a headlock, "die, you evil bitch."

"Mona."

"Oh, uncle Travis, I didn't see you," Mona lets go and runs to kiss my father on the cheeks, and she sticks both thumbs up at my mother as she says," aunt Rebecca, looking good."

Rebbeca grabs her napkin and dabs the corner of her lips," I guess you'll be having dessert with us, Mona?"

Rebbecca doesn't even have time to finish, that Mona pulls out the chair next to me. Dad smiles; I read both relief and fear on his face.

Is he thinking the same thing as me?

Will Mona ask me what happened?

Will we get into the same mischief as we did back then?

A part of me craves to tell my father I'm not the same. I don't drink, smoke pot, or take other drugs anymore.

I'm clean; I swear I'm clean even if sometimes when the guilt is too bare hard, I wouldn't mind a little Nirvana Blue [Name of the drug in NETIZEN].