Ropes already frayed and torn.

Unkept promises and betrayal, settle among the silence.

I never thought we’d all be together in the same room again.

All I see when I look at my family, is harsh words and love that was never unconditional.

The confusion of our connection clouds around us all in this cramped, run down lawyers office.

I only came out of greed.

“Maybe my disgruntled grandmother left me something of value”.

Crosses my mind.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

Curious if they missed me.

As I continue to not hear my name being brought up in the will, my eyes begin to scan the room.

They settle upon my siblings.

I always thought we’d be close.

Now they’re nothing but strangers, that I hear from once every few years.

Our parents lack of love and support didn’t just tear us down, I guess it also tore us all apart.

The walls seem to close in, once I recall how much we all used to care about each other.

I start to miss them.

Even though they’re just a few feet away from me.

Although, I reminded myself, I left for a reason.

All the sudden, I hear a loud cough and quickly glance to my left.

Ah yes, of course.

My parents are here.

Anywhere they can get something for free, count them in.

Talk about a bunch of mooches.

My gaze quickly fades off of them, leaving my face with a look of disgust.

I haven’t talked to them since I left when I was 18.

That was the best decision I ever made.

Being in contact with them, is like jumping into a riptide over and over again, not expecting the current to drag you under.

When I left, I finally felt like I could breathe.

Before I knew it, being surrounded by my family ,had already caused me the same confusion ,I felt all those years ago.

I started to feel uncomfortable, my feet beginning to tap the dusty wooden floor boards, as I picked at my perfect manicured nails.

At about the same time I could feel beads of sweat running down the nape of my neck.

Is when I decided it was time to leave.

I stood up, smoothed out my dress, and walked towards the door.

As my heels clinked against the wooden floors, all my family’s faces looked over at me.

I opened the door and briefly looked back at them, almost as if I was saying goodbye, without speaking any words at all.

I could tell by their faces they were saying goodbye also. As I shut the door and headed for the buildings exit, a hand on my shoulder stopped me dead in my tracks.

I looked over my shoulder.

It was my brother, he grabbed me and just hugged me.

Behind him I could see both my sisters,who followed him out of the lawyers office, their eyes filling with tears.

“I knew they missed me”

I thought as a tear fell from my cheek,onto my brothers blazer.

As he finally let me out of his loving big brother grasp, he had his hands, one placed on each of my shoulders. He said “we should really catch up sometime, just us four”. I smiled softly and said “I would love that, I’ll call you soon”. After hugging them and saying our goodbyes, I excited the building, and headed for my car.

I opened my car door, stepped in, plopped down in the drivers seat, and let out the biggest sigh I’ve ever sighed.

“I’m happy I came” I thought to myself.