Totally Opposites

Chapter 27: Family Hug

Eloise's POV:

I don't talk much. I mean, I used to, but I don't anymore. I used to be talkative, a lot. But I guess since I was trapped in that closet for weeks, almost a month, I got used to not talking. And it stuck ever since. The only person I do talk to is my sister, Alex.

I don't know how it happened. One minute, I was talkative, kind of like a chatty Cathy, talking to almost everyone, now I barely talk to anyone.

"Elly, Mom says it's time for lunch," Alex says, peeking into my room's door. "Woah... what happened to your room? It looks.. different..."

"Like it?" I ask her.

For some reason, I can only talk to Alex.

"It's cool, I like it," She smiles.

"Thanks," I smile back. "Tell Mom I'll be there."

"Got it," She leaves my room, closing the door on her way out.

After a few minutes, I go to the kitchen, sitting in a chair specifically assigned to me. Everyone in our house has an assigned seat.

Mom puts the lunch out, rich with meat. I give Mom a smile and start to dig in. This lunch is delicious, god, it's been so long since I've had a home-cooked meal. I so desperately wanna say her food is delicious but I can't bring myself to talk. How do people do this? How do people talk to someone without feeling anything? I mean, she's my mother, I should be able to talk to her, but I can't for some reason.

I clear my throat to get their attention, but like always, I'm too quiet. So I try again but still nothing. I see Alex peeking over at me.

"Mom, I think Eloise has something to say," She says, giving me a chance to talk.

Mom looks at me, waiting for me to talk. I look back at her, not entirely sure what to say. I swallow the big lump in my throat and try taking a chance to talk.

"Eloise, whatever it is you-" Mom starts to say.

"I don't know how to talk about what happened," I hesitate a little.

"And you don't have to. Not right now," She replies.

I think about the time I was taken in the middle of the night by some random man that I didn't know was my dad until he shoved me into my closet a few days later. That feeling of darkness around me and I'm not just talking about how there was no light coming in to the closet. I'm talking about that feeling in my chest, that nobody will find me, that nobody cares enough to look for me. But there were people who cared enough to look for me. The two most important people in my life, are my mother and sister Alex. I love them so so much and I cannot imagine my life without them.

I feel arms wrap around me and it's not until then I feel wet hot tears running down my cheeks. I try to wipe them away but my mother forces my hands down and does it herself.

"Thank you-"

"Shh," She puts her finger to my lips. "You don't have to talk, let's just stay quiet for now."

We stayed hugging for a bit. Just me and mom. Then Alex hugs us and it turns into a full family hug – well, minus my dad of course.