Ficlet
((FICLET))
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She took a deep breath. Her hands were sweaty and she was snapping the rubber band on her wrist again. It was a new accessory to her nowadays, before she had lost the habit of snapping the rubber band to calm herself down in situations like this.
“Eleanor, get a hold of yourself,” her mother whispered shrilly at her.
“What?” She said still snapping the rubber band subconsciously.
“That snapping, it’s distracting. Your father will be here at any moment, look presentable,” her mother straightened up and for once, she was sober. Ellie hadn’t seen her sober since the second time her mother went into rehab. That was three months ago.
Ellie rolled her eyes. This was going to be one hell of a reunion. Of course, it wouldn’t have been too presentable if Dan were here. Her mother had disposed of that trash as soon as she found out her husband would be coming home.
They were standing with a group of other anxiously awaiting families. Ellie recognized some of them from two years ago. There was a little boy running around…It was hard to think that two years ago he was only an infant. Look how much he had grown…his father missed all of it.
She bit her lip. Her stomach was in knots and there was a large lump in her throat. She wanted to throw up, that was how nervous she was.
“Eleanor, before your father arrives, there’s a few things I should explain to you.”
“Okay…” Ellie had no idea what her mother was talking about.
“I’m not proud Eleanor -” she paused and smiled and waved back to a woman that obviously knew her. She waited until the woman was out of earshot, “of the past two years. Things are going to change, for the better. When I told you that I -”
Her mother looked really shaken up. Were her eyes watering? “Mom, it’s alright. Things will be better.” She told herself that, in hopes of making herself believe so as well.
The next moment her mother was embracing her in a warm hug. “Mom…” Ellie said, almost about to cry. She hugged her mother back, the gesture was simple, but it meant everything to Ellie. It was as if all the wrong from the past two years had been magically erased.
“I was looking all over for you,” a voice said.
Her mother turned around as well as Ellie, both their eyes immediately filling up with tears of joy.
“Rich!” her mother exclaimed, letting go of Ellie and hugging her husband tightly.
“Maggie…” Rich said softly embracing her. He looked up, his eyes showed a hint of glint.
But…they weren’t the same as Ellie had remembered two years ago. They looked worn, as well as her father’s smile. The war had made his face look more sunken and gray. She even noticed flecks of graying hair. She hadn’t noticed her mouth was open.
“My little girl…” her father hugged her. Ellie was overtaken by emotion, she started crying. “I’m home now Ellie, no more worries…” he assured her, but it only made the crying more uncontrolled. Her mother hugged them both, making the moment even more heartfelt.
The Nash family was reunited once again.
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She took a deep breath. Her hands were sweaty and she was snapping the rubber band on her wrist again. It was a new accessory to her nowadays, before she had lost the habit of snapping the rubber band to calm herself down in situations like this.
“Eleanor, get a hold of yourself,” her mother whispered shrilly at her.
“What?” She said still snapping the rubber band subconsciously.
“That snapping, it’s distracting. Your father will be here at any moment, look presentable,” her mother straightened up and for once, she was sober. Ellie hadn’t seen her sober since the second time her mother went into rehab. That was three months ago.
Ellie rolled her eyes. This was going to be one hell of a reunion. Of course, it wouldn’t have been too presentable if Dan were here. Her mother had disposed of that trash as soon as she found out her husband would be coming home.
They were standing with a group of other anxiously awaiting families. Ellie recognized some of them from two years ago. There was a little boy running around…It was hard to think that two years ago he was only an infant. Look how much he had grown…his father missed all of it.
She bit her lip. Her stomach was in knots and there was a large lump in her throat. She wanted to throw up, that was how nervous she was.
“Eleanor, before your father arrives, there’s a few things I should explain to you.”
“Okay…” Ellie had no idea what her mother was talking about.
“I’m not proud Eleanor -” she paused and smiled and waved back to a woman that obviously knew her. She waited until the woman was out of earshot, “of the past two years. Things are going to change, for the better. When I told you that I -”
Her mother looked really shaken up. Were her eyes watering? “Mom, it’s alright. Things will be better.” She told herself that, in hopes of making herself believe so as well.
The next moment her mother was embracing her in a warm hug. “Mom…” Ellie said, almost about to cry. She hugged her mother back, the gesture was simple, but it meant everything to Ellie. It was as if all the wrong from the past two years had been magically erased.
“I was looking all over for you,” a voice said.
Her mother turned around as well as Ellie, both their eyes immediately filling up with tears of joy.
“Rich!” her mother exclaimed, letting go of Ellie and hugging her husband tightly.
“Maggie…” Rich said softly embracing her. He looked up, his eyes showed a hint of glint.
But…they weren’t the same as Ellie had remembered two years ago. They looked worn, as well as her father’s smile. The war had made his face look more sunken and gray. She even noticed flecks of graying hair. She hadn’t noticed her mouth was open.
“My little girl…” her father hugged her. Ellie was overtaken by emotion, she started crying. “I’m home now Ellie, no more worries…” he assured her, but it only made the crying more uncontrolled. Her mother hugged them both, making the moment even more heartfelt.
The Nash family was reunited once again.
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