Sound of Your Voice

O N E

"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life." -Terry Pratchett

As a teenager, the only pain you really experience is a heart break or a broken limb or something along those lines. In those situations, there's always someone to help heal the wound, someone to help you cope. I am left to heal this wound alone. No one to help me cope with the fact that my whole family- well, the family I was aware of- was killed in a house fire that left no mercy to my home. From the moment I was informed of the tragedy, I was in police custody for four days. I had to identify the burned, black bodies of my 38 year old mother and my 10 year old sister. I had to sift through the burned remains of what used to be my house to look for belongings I could salvage. I had to listen to the judge in court tell me that according to my mothers will, if anything were to happen to her, my sister and I would be sent to our fathers' homes. When I said that my father was also dead, the judge stared at me as if I had three heads. He told me that my father was not dead; he was alive and I was being sent to live with him. Now as I am on a flight to Wolverhampton, I finally am left alone with my thoughts, and strangely, the only thing I want right now is some company. The plane ride from New York to London is 6 hours and 47 minutes, and I am pretty sure I've been doing nothing but staring at the seat in front of me for at least three hours. I can't help but wonder what my father will be like. I don't know anything about him, not even his name. Before I boarded the plane, the police officer that escorted me to the terminal told me that my father would be holding up a sign with my name written on it and that's how I'd know who he was. But what if he hates me? I wonder if he knows anything about me. What if I look like him? I've always been told that I am a spitting image of my mother but I don't see it. I close my eyes once I start to feel tears threatening to flood my vision.

"Hey. Hey, miss?" I lift my heavy eyelids and shudder from the nightmare I had just had.

"The plane landed ten minutes ago." As I stare at the flight attendant in front of me, I am smacked with the reality that my nightmare wasn't just a nightmare; it is my life.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." I mutter softly, trying not to cry. I stand up and stretch my legs while the other passengers exit the plane. I stand on my toes to grab my bag out of the compartment above my head, and smile at the flight attendants as I exit the plane myself. Walking towards the terminal entrance, an army of butterflies take place of my stomach. I am about to meet the father I thought was dead. I keep my eyes on my feet to distract myself from crying and fainting and throwing up all at the same time. My heart is pounding and I can hear the blood flow in my ears. Slowing up my pace, I attempt to collect my thoughts and take a few deep breaths. I close my eyes, and silently tell my mother and sister that I love them and to wish me luck. I open my eyes and try to walk steadily, which is becoming more and more impossible due to my knees shaking. I look in the crowd of people for some sort of direction to whom my father is, and my eyes land on a tall, slightly overweight middle aged man holding up a sign that has my name scribbled in blue ink. I approach the stranger cautiously and watch as his eyes fill with tears.

"Giovanna?" I nod slowly and avoid eye contact with him as he takes my face in his hands.

"You look just like her, I can't believe this is happening." His thick accent is entertaining to listen to and I find myself hoping that he continues to talk.

Pulling me into a soft embrace, I can hear his sobs and I hug him back hesitantly.

"I'm sorry, you don't even know me. I'm Geoff Payne. I can't believe this is happening!" He looks me up and down with his arms stretched out in front of him. I really am not sure how I am supposed to react, so I speak.

"Trust me, me either." I try my best to smile but I know he isn't buying it.

"What you're going through is.."

"I know. It's okay, you don't have to." I try my hardest not to cry, and not to show my new guardian weakness. After a few moments of silence, Geoff gestures towards the baggage claim.

"Shall we?" He smiles and starts to walk away. Not knowing what to do or say, I follow him. This is so strange. A week ago I was in my bed reading, while my mom cooked dinner for my sister and I. Now, here I am, across the world and following this man I thought was dead.

Nothing could make this better.