Colors of the Heart

"Can I help you?" (Man)

That voice, I recognize it. I have that voice chide me for my past misdeeds. The voice is the one that comforted me, when I was young. That voice that reminds me more of my past, than that of seeing my family, for the first time in years.

"Daddy…" (Rehor)

In a voice, barely louder than I whispered, I called to the man. Yes, I said daddy. I have only ever vocalized, to him, that he is my daddy.

"Welcome home." (Father)

The fear, that I was still carrying, was instantly removed. And in the way of the communication of men, he nodded at me. Just a simple nod, that I immediately returned. That simple nod, giving him permission to greet me back, in what words are not suitable for. And then, Daddy, gave me a welcoming hug.

"I'm home." (Rehor)

Why was I afraid to come here? My family loves me. And I, too the extent that I can, love my family. The only way I could hurt them, was to not come back.

Nearly crying, I attempt to say one more thing to Daddy.

"Thank you." (Rehor)

"I'm glad you look like you're doing good." (Father)

"I'm doing better now." (Rehor)

"Let's go see the rest of them family, they'll be so happy to see you. They've missed you." (Father)

Daddy grabbed me, reassuringly on the shoulder. The strong grip, that I have not felt in years, led me back to my family. The family that I was not sure if I even wanted to meet again.

"Zuzana, look who's here." (Father)

The woman, who was focused in the work that she was doing. Turning her head from the bin of water, that she was using to do the laundry, I saw the face of my Mommy. She is older than I remember, but she has matured further into being a caring and strong woman, who is my Mommy.

"Is that…? Oh my, Rehor. My son." (Mother)

"Yes Mommy." (Rehor)

"You're here." (Mother)

"I'm… I missed you." (Rehor)

"Shut up and come here. My sweet baby…" (Mother)

Unlike my Daddy, she did not wait for the acknowledgment that I wanted a hug. As she got up from her work, she ran over me and gave me a hug. Tears of joy streaming down her face, for her precious son. She hugged me so tight, as if she did not want to ever let me leave from her grasp, ever again.

"Mommy, I missed you. I missed you so much." (Rehor)

"You're finally back. You were missed, so much." (Mother)

"Sofija, come over here and meet your brother." (Father)

I, who have never met my youngest sister, finally I got a chance to see her for the first time. Confused, she stared at me. The stranger, who was here, was her brother?

"You're my brother?" (Sofija)

How do I react to her? She is an unknown person, at least to me, and I do not know what to do. Confused, I look towards my daddy.

The communication of men, is one of limited words. Simple motions can convey more things, than words could ever. And with another nod, he tells me that I should just talk to her.

"Yes. And you're Sofija? How old are you?" (Rehor)

"I'm seven. Well I'm almost seven. Daddy calls me his precious peach." (Sofija)

"And do you do what Mommy and Daddy ask of you?" (Rehor)

"Yes. Well, mostly." (Sofija)

"That's not good. You should listen to them." (Rehor)

Though I chide her, for behaving as child always does, I am happy that she seems to be happy. Even with me being a stranger, she opens up to me automatically. She does not care that she does not know me, she talks to me as if I was always in her life.

There is only one more person that I have not greeted. The sister that I doted so much on, when were young, Katarina. I was closer to her than our parents. Unlike my parents, who I took for being a replacement, initially, for my original parents, she was just my sister. My caring for her was not overshadowed by my previous life.

"Where's Katarina?" (Rehor)

I saw her, while I stared at the house in hesitation. Since I came back, with my Daddy, I have not got a glance of her, as I spent some time with the rest of my family. I want to see her.

"She should be in the house, helping to get some lunch ready. We'll wait, go and greet her. She was lost without you, when you left." (Mother)

"I'm sorry..." (Rehor)

I am not sure if I am saying sorry for leaving my loving family, or for leaving to see Katarina. It might be for both at the same time. Leaving, for my training, was not of my own choice, but…

I walk into the house, that I grew up in. As I walk in the door, I call out to Katarina, calling her name. She is not in sight. In the small kitchen, she is not there.

"She isn't here." (Rehor)

"Give her a few minutes. She'll be back, from wherever she went." (Father)

It hurts. It hurts that I am not able to talk to her, right now. I cared so much for my sister, that I want to see her so much. And she is not there, for me to talk to.

And so, I wait for her to come back. I wait, as I say small pleasantries to my parent, and talk to Sofija. Time passes slowly, as I wait for her.

Is she avoiding me? Does she hate me? Why is she not here?

"She should be back by now. Where did that foolish girl go?" (Mother)

"Sh...should I look for her?" (Rehor)

"If she's hiding, you won't be able to find her. When you left, she hid from us a lot, and we were never able to find where she was hiding." (Mother)

"I think I might know where she would be hiding. When we used to play together, there was one place she always hid, that I pretended to not know where she was." (Rehor)