HOME COMING

AFTER CHRISTMAS

The next morning, Rebecca was the first person I saw when I came downstairs.

She was sitting alone at the dining table, staring at her phone.

For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.

Then she looked up.

"Morning."

"Morning."

I walked toward the kitchen.

She watched me.

"Emily?"

I stopped.

"Yes?"

"You didn't hear anything last night, did you?"

My heart skipped.

She knew.

I turned around slowly.

"Hear what?"

She stared at me for a moment.

"Nothing."

Then she looked back at her phone.

I walked into the kitchen.

My heart was beating faster than it should have been.

I didn't know whether Rebecca suspected that I had heard her or whether she was simply asking.

Either way, I wasn't going to tell her.

Not yet.

Nana was preparing breakfast.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Still sleeping."

"Even Summer?"

"Especially Summer."

I smiled.

That was unusual.

Summer was usually the first person awake.

I helped Nana arrange the plates.

A few minutes later, May came running downstairs.

"Nana!"

"What happened?"

"I can't find my Christmas doll."

Nana looked at her.

"Which Christmas doll?"

"The one I got yesterday."

"You have more than one doll."

"This one is special."

I laughed.

"You said that about the other one."

"This one is more special."

Jeiel appeared behind her.

"She lost it."

"I did not!"

"You did."

"Jeiel!"

They started arguing.

Nana shook her head.

"Both of you, go and look for it together."

They ran upstairs.

I smiled.

Then Summer came downstairs.

She looked tired.

"Good morning," she said.

"Morning."

She sat beside me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

I smiled.

"Nothing."

Summer looked at Rebecca.

Then she looked back at me.

"Something happened?"

"No."

She studied my face.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

I nodded.

"I know."

I almost told her.

Almost.

But I remembered Rebecca's voice.

Please, just give me until after Christmas.

Whatever was happening, she clearly wasn't ready for anyone to know.

So I kept quiet.

After breakfast, Mum announced that we were going to take family pictures.

May was excited.

She immediately ran upstairs to change.

Jeremiah complained that he hated pictures.

Dad told him to stop complaining.

Noah helped Nana arrange the chairs.

Leah was fixing her hair.

Summer helped Rebecca with hers.

I watched them.

For a moment, I forgot everything.

We were just a family preparing for a Christmas picture.

Mum stood behind the camera.

"Everyone closer!"

Rebecca moved beside Summer.

"Smile!"

The camera flashed.

Again.

And again.

May suddenly jumped in front of everyone.

"Take one of me!"

Everyone laughed.

"Okay," Mum said.

May posed dramatically.

The camera flashed.

"Beautiful," Mum said.

May smiled proudly.

We took several more pictures.

Then Mum said something that made everyone excited.

"We're having visitors tonight."

"Who?" Jeremiah asked.

"Some old family friends."

Rebecca's smile disappeared for a second.

I noticed.

"Who are they?" I asked.

Mum smiled.

"You'll meet them."

The rest of the day passed quickly.

Everyone helped prepare the house.

Nana cooked.

Mum arranged the dining room.

Dad and Noah worked outside.

Jeremiah and Jeiel played basketball.

Leah helped Summer decorate the living room.

Rebecca stayed mostly upstairs.

I wondered what she was doing.

Around four in the afternoon, I went upstairs to get my charger.

As I passed Rebecca's room, I heard her talking.

I stopped.

"You promised."

Silence.

"You can't change your mind now."

Another pause.

"After Christmas."

Her voice sounded desperate.

"I said I'll pay it."

I froze.

Pay what?

Who was she talking to?

I heard footsteps inside the room.

I quickly moved away.

I went into my room and pretended to search for something.

A few seconds later, Rebecca walked past.

She didn't notice me.

I waited until she disappeared downstairs.

Then I sat on my bed.

There were too many questions in my head.

What did she owe?

Who was she talking to?

Why didn't she want Mum to know?

And why did everything have to wait until after Christmas?

I wanted answers.

But I knew I couldn't get them by spying on her.

At least, not without making things worse.

That evening, the visitors arrived.

Mum opened the door.

A woman stepped inside with a man and two children.

"Welcome!" Mum said.

Everyone greeted them.

I stayed beside Summer.

The woman hugged Mum.

"It's been years."

"I know."

They laughed.

The man shook Dad's hand.

Soon, everyone was talking.

The children joined May and Jeiel.

The living room became crowded again.

I looked at Rebecca.

She was standing near the staircase.

She seemed uncomfortable.

Then one of the visitors looked at her.

Their eyes met.

Rebecca immediately looked away.

I noticed.

Something passed between them.

Something I couldn't understand.

I looked at Summer.

She hadn't noticed.

Or maybe she had.

I couldn't tell.

Dinner was served shortly afterward.

Everyone sat around the table.

The conversation was lively.

Dad talked about work.

Mum talked about Christmas plans.

Lora laughed at something Jeremiah said.

Nana told an old story about Dad when he was young.

Everyone laughed.

Everyone except Rebecca.

She barely touched her food.

Then the woman who had come with the visitors turned toward Rebecca.

"So, Rebecca, how is school?"

Rebecca looked up.

"Fine."

"And your election?"

"Fine."

The woman smiled.

"That's good."

There was something strange about the way she said it.

Rebecca's fingers tightened around her fork.

I noticed.

The woman continued eating.

I looked at Rebecca.

She looked at me.

For a brief second, I thought she was asking me not to say anything.

I looked away.

Maybe I was imagining things.

Maybe all of this meant nothing.

But deep down, I knew it didn't.

After dinner, everyone returned to the living room.

I stayed behind for a moment.

Rebecca was standing alone in the dining room.

I walked toward her.

"Rebecca."

She turned.

"What?"

"Can I ask you something?"

She sighed.

"Emily, please."

"I just want to know if you're okay."

She looked at me.

For a moment, her expression softened.

Then she looked away.

"I'm okay."

"You don't have to lie to me."

She didn't answer.

I stepped closer.

"I'm your sister."

"I know."

"So if something is wrong—"

"Emily."

She finally looked at me.

"Please trust me."

I was quiet.

"I do."

She nodded.

"Then let me handle it."

She walked away.

I stood there alone.

I didn't know what Rebecca was hiding.

I didn't know what she had promised.

And I didn't know what would happen after Christmas.

But I knew one thing.

Whatever secret my sister was carrying...

it was getting closer to coming out.