2: Truth.

 

Light filtered through her window blinds and flooded into her room. Her eyes opened slowly and she blinked a few times, trying to wake up. She pushed the covers back and dangled her feet off the side of her bed. She glanced at the window and shielded her eyes from the bright light. What time is it? Sarina wondered to herself. She got up and looked around, and then froze. For a moment everything was unfamiliar, but then she relaxed when she finally remembered where she was.

                She sat down in front of the small, dark wooden vanity her mother had put in her room for her. It had a huge mirror on top of a small desk. At the bottom there was an opening for her legs, and then on either side there were drawers Sarina hadn’t yet filled yet. She opened the longest drawer on top and scooped up the only thing she’d put it in it yet: her hairbrush.

                She looked up into the mirror and began brushing out her long, dark red hair. It didn’t help it much, so she threw it up in a bun on the top of her head. She looked at herself in the mirror and all she could see was her mom. They both shared the same hair color, and Ellie’s hair was always up in a bun--she rarely wore it down. They both had bright blue eyes, a small, heart-shaped face and full lips. Sarina pulled her bangs down so she wouldn’t look so much like her mother, and then slipped the brush back into the drawer--but then something caught her eye.

                A small folded piece of paper was near the back of the drawer she hadn’t noticed before. She reached for it and unfolded it. A few words were scribbled on it:

                It’s beautiful, just like you! Your father made this. I love you, Tonya.

                Tonya?

                Sarina looked at the note for a few more moments, and then slid it back into the drawer and shut it. She’d never heard that name before, had she? She figured that maybe the note had been left in there by accident when her mom bought the vanity.

She got up and changed into some real clothes, and then walked down the hall. A delicious smell wafted through the air as she came closer to the kitchen. Once inside, she saw her mother at the stove cooking some bacon.

“That smells soo good,” Sarina said, making her way behind her mother and glancing over her to the stove top.

“I thought I’d surprise you with a big breakfast for your first day here,” Ellie said, looking behind her and flashing a smile, then she looked back at the bacon sizzling in front of her, “did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, thanks,” Sarina replied. Her eyes wandered to all the food her mother had laid out on the counter--eggs and cinnamon rolls, and sausage--and her mouth began to water.  

“Go ahead, take some. This will be done in a second.”

Without any hesitation Sarina grabbed a plate and started loading it with food. Just as Sarina had sat down, Ellie turned off the stove and grabbed her own plate of food and sat down across from her.

They ate in silence for a moment, but Sarina couldn’t wait long until jumping right into what had been eating at her all night last night: what her parents had been fighting about.

“Mom,” she started. Ellie glanced up at her. “I need to ask you something about--” and then the doorbell rang.

Ellie excused herself and quickly walked to the door. She peeked through the window next to the front door, and then back at Sarina. Sarina’s eyes fell to her plate so she wouldn’t seem like she was trying to be nosey. Ellie opened the door and slipped outside for a moment, the door still a bit cracked.

Sarina could hear Ellie faintly. “Oh, thank you,” a pause, “yes, I know. Thank you again.” Ellie came back inside and closed the door softly. She stood there for a moment, and then came back to the table and sat down. She had a few papers in her hand. Sarina realized it was probably only the mailman and immediately felt stupid thinking it was something else her mom was hiding from her.

“Sorry,” Ellie said.

Sarina smiled politely. “It’s okay--I just wanted to know--what was with you and dad yesterday? I mean... You guys were just more angry than usual.”

Ellie was quiet for a moment and ate some of her food. Sarina noticed her eyes were glazing over, just like they did last night when she was arguing with her dad. “Well, this is hard,” Ellie tried to gather her words together. She sifted through the papers she’d gotten from the person at the door in her lap and pulled out one of the letters and slid it over to Sarina. “Go on, read it,” she urged.

Confused, Sarina took the envelope and opened it. She pulled out the paper inside. Sarina noticed it looked a lot like the note she’d found earlier in the vanity.

Sarina, I think about you constantly. This is the only thing I can think of doing so you’ll be safe. I hope you will understand one day and forgive me. You brother and sister are there for you. Ask them anything. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to meet you for a very, very long time. I hope that day isn’t too far away. I love you, and so does your Father. Good luck.

Tonya.

Sarina looked up at Ellie who was staring back at her intently. She started to feel sick. Confusion and anger boiled inside of her.

“What… What is this? Who is she?” Sarina already felt like she knew the answer, but she had to hear confirmation--and when Ellie replied, Sarina’s face grew hot, and she felt like she was going to fall over.

“Tonya… Is mom.”

Sarina bolted to her bedroom--which didn’t even feel like her bedroom, so it made her feel even more uncomfortable--and locked the door behind her. She crawled onto her bed and buried her face into the pillow.