"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all."

Eleonor Roosevelt

•••

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." My supposed grandmother mutters. She stares at Lucy and I before averting her gaze, "You've left me no choice."

I narrow my eyes at her, "What are you talking about, old woman?"

"Nova." Lucy warns me with a stern stare. I, as usual, ignore my rule-abiding sister.

"Louis! Anthony!" The old woman suddenly shouts and clicks her fingers continously...well until two rough-looking, burly men walk into our apartment.

Panic sets on Lucy's face and I would be lying if I said that I wasn't internally freaking out too.

"And what are these two walking tree trunks going to do?" I ask the old woman and point at the men and grin. One, the shorter of the two men, scowls at me whereas the other fights back a smile.

The old woman sighs, clearly fed up with my retorts.

"Girls, please try to understand. We're biologically related. We're blood. Why are you making this so hard?"

I open my mouth, preparing to voice another snarky remark but Lucy speaks before I can.

"Do you have any proof? Like a picture of you with our mom?" Lucy asks, a hint of hopefulness layering her tone.

I throw my sister a death-stare. Why was she encouraging the old woman? We knew she was lying. Our real grandmother was dead. This woman was clearly mad.

The old woman, for the first time since our encounter, beams, "Why yes I do, young lady. It's my mistake for bombarding you like this. You are right in questioning me and being wary of my motives. It would have been a good idea for me to show you a picture as soon I came in. I was under-"

I roll my eyes, "There's no need of a boring ass speech. Where's the picture you claim to have?"

The old woman frowns but remains mute. She unzips her handbag for the second time and after a few seconds of shuffling pulls out a single crumpled photograph.

"Here you are," She hands the picture to Lucy, her expression smug.

I watch Lucy as she inspects the photograph. My heart is pounding for some peculiar reason. Surely, if I was adamant that my grandmother was dead I wouldn't be reacting like this...so why is my heart racing so hard?

Lucy loud exhales interrupts my thoughts. She drags her gaze away from the photograph and looks directly in my eyes, "It's her. She's telling the truth." She breathes, bewildered.

I shake my head, not willing to accept the revelation.

It can't be true.

"Let me see." I snatch the photograph from her trembling hands. My hands are trembling too.

I stare at the photo long and hard.

My mom is in the photo that's for sure. She must be fourteen or so, same age as Lucy. Her mousey blonde hair, identical to my younger sister's, is braided into pigtails. Vibrant blue eyes, also a reflection of Lucy's shine with a happiness so bright that I find myself biting back tears.

My gaze shifts to the woman sitting next to my mother. She's somewhat older, and she too is grinning with joy. I note the lady's hair is pulled up into a neat bun and she's wearing pearls around her neck similar to the ones the old woman standing before me is wearing.

I look up at the old woman and then back to the lady in the photograph. The resemblance is uncanny. The disaarming, vivid aqua eyes the lady in the picture and the woman stood before me share could only mean one thing.

They were the same person.

The old woman in my apartment was in actual fact my grandmother. That must mean..my mother lied to us.

But why?

"I have documents to prove you are my granddaughters," the old woman says, smiling faintly, "I'll wait for you while you pack your bags. You shouldn't be too long," her gaze travels all over our apartment, failing to hide her repulsion.

"Do you ever clean this place? It smells and looks like filth." The old woman, or grandmother I should say, complains and turns up her nose.

"We try when we get time," Lucy replies sheepishly.

The old woman laughs, her eyes twinkling with unexplained amusement, "Well, you won't have to worry about cleaning in my home." She stops to check the time on her delicate but expensive looking watch before continuing, "you'll have to hurry, girls. Pack your bags as quickly as you can and then we'll take off."

I grind my teeth together. The anger bubbling under the surface is only seconds away from erupting.

"We're not going anywhere," I bite out through gritted teeth.

The old woman appears surprised at my words, "Excuse me?"

I let out a frustrated sigh, "Look, I understand that you are telling the truth. You're our...grandmother but that doesn't change a damn thing. We're happy with the way things are. We can manage on our own."

"No you will not!" The old woman announces suddenly, "you will come with me. I am your legal guardian so you have no choice but to come and live with me."

Lucy steps forward and consoles the old woman by placing her hand on the her shoulder.

"We'll come with you," Lucy tells her before turning to me, "Nova, we need to do this. We don't have anything here. And you don't have to do what...you usually do. We can finally be normal."

I shake my head, "Lucy..."

She cuts me off, "Please Nova? For me?"

I stare into her welled up eyes, the desperation and longing I see in them make it impossible for me to ignore her request.

"Fine," I groan eventually.

Lucy squeals with joy and the old woman grins. I pretend to be happy with the decision but the smile on my face slowly pecks away. I didn't want to go but I had to do it for Lucy.

I've lost my mother. I didn't want to lose my sister too.

Authors Note: