A New Home

When most older brothers leave home, go to college, and finally come home they are shocked to find that things are different, that the little girl who used to be their kid sister has turned into a woman. I didn't. Anna had barely changed at all in the five years I was away, and if I had stayed away even longer I doubt anything would have been any different. Anyway, it's not as though I didn't try to stay away longer. It's not that I disliked my little sister; I just hated Hairnov, my home town. I wouldn't have come back at all if it weren't for the funeral.

Shortly after graduation I got a response from the large Canadian software firm I had applied for a job at. I had interned there the summer before and was well liked so it was no surprise to me when I got a full time position. Even at entry level the job paid well enough that I could relocate to Canada and find a very nice home for myself. Perhaps it was a little more then just nice. It was a very spacious three bedroom house with two baths, a library, a den, a children's nursery (an unnecessary feature since I hadn't planned on having any children), an indoor heated pool, a large kitchen with a wine and storage cellar beneath it, all set on nearly one hundred acres of forest, fields, and a few small ponds. The draw back to all this luxury was that it was covered deep with snow a large portion of the year and remained unbelievably cold the rest of the year. Still, since I could do all of my work from the network of computers that I had built into the house these draw backs seemed worth the benefits.

I would probably have never left my new home with the exception of the occasional visits to the local store, socializing in the community bar, or checking in at the home office, all which where located in the nearest town about 50 miles away from my snow covered paradise. My prearranged isolation was interrupted after a few months in my new home when I received a telegram from my childhood home. I knew as soon as I received it that it had to be serious since I hadn't received word from family since the last Christmas card and I had never before received a telegram in my life.

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Dear Mr. Lasko,

We are deeply saddened to have to inform your of the death of your mother and father, John and Linda Lasko. Your presence in Hairnov, Wisconsin, USA is formally requested for the reading of their will. The reading will be held immediately following the funeral on February 15th of this year.

Our Condolences,

The Office of Smith, Jamieson, and Lewis

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I hated Hairnov but this was worth going back for. I would have to take four different airplanes to get there due to my isolated location, and this would take a minimum of three days each way. Since the 15th was only three days a way, I spent only moments packing and arranging my trip.

When I finally made it to Hairnov, I had to dress in the taxi to make sure I was on time. I arrived at the church (the only church in Hairnov) just moments before the minister was to begin the service. As soon as I entered the sanctuary it became clear that everyone in town, and possibly even everyone within twenty miles, had known my parents and were here for the service. I surveyed the whole church, darting my head back and forth trying to find an open seat. Finally, I noticed that there was only one open seat left and it was in the front pew. When I got closer I realized that the spot was left intentionally. My extended family was all in the front rows, every aunt, uncle, and cousin was here. The seat that was open was on the far end of the pew, next to Anna. I tried to move as quickly as I could without making any more of a scene then I had to since I was aware that everyone in the church was watching me very closely. When I finally got to the seat, I slumped down so try to divert some of their eyes away from me.

"I saved you a seat." My little sister whispered to me, her face red and streaked from tears, "Everyone said you wouldn't show up, that you were no good and a bad son. I told them they were wrong. I knew you would come."

I could tell she was going to cry again, as I could tell from the expression on her face that she had been doing for many days now. I put my arm around her and gently stroked her long dark hair, as she leaned into my side and began to mumble and sob uncontrollably. Anna pressed her face so hard into my side that despite the how loud she was sobbing, no one but those immediately behind us heard anything but the slightest noise.

I don't know how long the service really was but it felt like days, and for most of it all Anna could do was lean into me and cry. When she finally stopped I could tell it wasn't because she no longer felt like crying but because she just didn't have any tears left. I continued to hold her close to me, as any attempt to allow her to sit on her own was meet with a motion by her to push herself closer into me. Eventually her motions become very small and her breathing became very rhythmic and shallow. She was asleep.

I could tell that my Aunt Jill, who was sitting next to us and who was perhaps the only family member outside of my immediate family that I actually got along with, wanted to tell me something but couldn't while the preacher was talking. When the service finally ended and everyone stood up Jill quickly covered the few feet that were between us and leaned down to say something to me quietly. I was quite nervous. Even though Jill and I got along I knew that most people felt that I had disgraced my family by moving away and I feared she would say something I didn't really want to hear right then.

"That's amazing. How did you do that?" Jill asked me, looking quite astonished.

"What do you mean?"

"She's sleeping... and quietly. Anna has been staying with us since the accident and she's only slept a few hours in the last week and every time she ends up screaming as if she was having a nightmare."

Jill stared down at Anna for a few seconds, whose head was now lying in my lap, and then walked off to find her family and join them in the funeral procession. I debated for a moment on what I should do and eventually decided to just pick Anna up and carry her out with me to the car that had been arranged for us by the lawyer. I laid Anna down gently in the back of the car, placed myself into the driver's seat, and slowly joined the end of the procession.

The cemetery was not very far away, and this final part of the service went quickly. I felt bad about having to wake Anna, especially since it took almost until we were back into the car again and heading towards the lawyer's office before she was actually alert.

The actual ride to the lawyer's office took nearly an hour, but that didn't bother me much since my flight back home left from the same city. My plans included a short stop at the layers office and then I'd catch my flight back home since I'd almost be late getting back to work as it was.

The whole hour long trip was filled with talk between my sister and I. I felt bad because although I tried asking any and every question I could think of, Anna would give my nothing but short answers. Only about 5 minutes of the trip were spent talking about her life and the remainder centered on me and mine. I had no idea Anna was so interested in what I was doing. Anna was in seventh grade when I left and now she had just graduated from the local high school and had originally planned on going to college to study computer programming, just like me, before the accident. I could tell that now she didn't know what to do, but I couldn't manage to suggest anything what with all her questions.

She wanted to know what my job entailed and whether or not I liked it. She wanted to know what it was like where I lived, what the people were like, and once she found out that I lived alone she wanted to know why. When I told her all my answers to all of her questions, she simply smiled, sighed, and began to ask more.

When we made it to the lawyer's office and got out of the car, I saw that a few of my relatives were just arriving as well. As soon as we got out and caught sight of them, the very inquisitive and talkative Anna disappear and was replaced by a silent and shy one. I quickly headed up to the building that the lawyers office was in and walked into the law offices, and despite my fast pace Anna was never more then a foot behind me. We were the first two into the lawyer's conference room but within five minutes everyone who was supposed to be there, five of us (Me, Anna, and three of my relatives and their spouses) were there.

I didn't pay much attention to the details of the reading. It seemed all very dry and dull, and I couldn't understand why I had been summoned here. What would I have been left in the will?

I half listened to what was being said to the others. It seemed that all of my other relatives were getting small items with only personal value. I continued to think, what would they want to leave me? What could they possibly want to leave me that I might possibly find of value?

It's not that I was cold hearted or anything such as that, it's just that my family and I never really got along and the only thing from them that I valued were the occasional good memories that I had. Still, I continued to think.

"... And to our only son, Robert Lasko, who left to find his place in the world we leave only this thought. Despite what you might think we love you very much and want you to know that when you are happy, we are happy."

There was a pause as everyone looked at me and all I could do was smile.

"Aren't you going to get mad Robert? They didn't leave you anything! Not that you deserved anything..." My uncle Jim asked me, trailing off at the end.

"Why should I be? They gave me what I didn't even know I wanted until right now." I said, more to myself then to Jim or anyone else.

When the room became quite again, the lawyer continued to speak.

"If Robert is pleased with what we have given him, as we suspect that he is, we leave all that remains of our worldly estate to him."

The lawyer put down the document and looked at all the shocked faces in the room. I had been left with their estate. Needless to say, I was shocked. Then the wheels in my head started to turn. Something didn't seem right. Finally, it dawned on me.

"Mr. Lewis, didn't you forget Anna?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Lasko, the will is quite clear on that point. Anna is to get nothing from the estate."

"But why?"

"The will doesn't say. What it does say is that they have reasons that Anna will understand."

In the next few moments everyone but Mr. Lewis and I left the room. My Aunt Jill took Anna out of the room and into the women's bathroom to try to calm her down, although she seemed perfectly calm to me. The wheels in my head that had started turning earlier were going full steam now. I had only a very short time before my flight left and I still had things to take care of.

I left Mr. Lewis with specific instructions. Once Anna returned from the bathroom he was to allow her (or more accurately, provide for her the means) to go back to our parents house and to gather up whatever personal affects she wanted. Then, if she wanted to, she could find plane tickets prepaid and waiting for her at the local airport, with the final destination being my home in Northern Canada.

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It took three days to get back home and as soon as I arrived I got right back into my work. I had to make up some time to get back on schedule but I was dead tired. I had installed wireless doorbells at different locations throughout the house and now their soft chimes were slowly waking me from my sleep.

*Chime*...pause...

*Chime*...pause...

*Chime*...pause...

*Chime*...pause...

*Chime*...pause...

By the fifth time I was finally able to realize that the soft granular sand I was lying on in my dream was really my keyboard. Apparently I had fallen asleep while working.

*Chime*

Awake, I finally recognized the chiming noise as the doorbell. Still fully dressed, but also still a little groggy, I slowly walked out to the front door. When I open the door, I was quite surprised to see what I saw.

"Anna, you're actually here! And so quickly..." I said, a bit surprised she had chosen to take me up on my offer.

"Are you kidding? I've wanted to visit with you and spend time with you ever since you left for school. You can't imagine how happy I was to hear you wanted me to come visit you!" Anna said with the biggest smile I had ever seen anyone make. It almost looked like she was going to start crying again she was so happy.

With her standing her in my doorway, I now for the first time actually saw her. At the funeral things were to hectic and to emotional. When I saw her in Hairnov I did see her, but nothing really processed in my brain. Now though...

Anna had barely changed in the nearly five years since I left home. If anything, she had become more geeky and awkward. She had gained a few inches in height since I had left, now standing at around 5' 6" but still more then half a foot shorter then me. She still wore the same style of glasses that she had since she was little, large circular ones with very thick lenses that resembled old fashion coke bottles. Her face was still youthfully smooth, (unlike mine, which was showing some signs of an age I had not yet reached) her lips were still thin like I remembered, and since she wore no make up or ear rings her huge glasses were the most attention grabbing feature on her face.

My eyes moved from her face to her hair. She had the same blackish brownish hair that I did, the kind that seemed to change shade with the seasons. My eyes followed her hair from the top of her head down. She still wore it the same way as when I left, loosely braided and stretching halfway down her back.

As my eyes traced along her hair, something triggered a flag in my brain. I stood staring for a few seconds trying to figure out what it was that didn't seem right about her. Finally, the light bulb flashed. It was her breasts, or better put, the lack of them. Anna was wearing a thin white blouse that I could somewhat see through and I could tell that she wasn't wearing a bra and that she had probably never worn one in her life. Her nipples were erect and clearly visible through her undershirt, and they appeared to be the same thickness, or thicker, then the very slight curves that tried to pass themselves off as breasts.

I suddenly realized that I shouldn't be staring so long at her nipples and that if I didn't divert my attention quickly things could get awkward. I decided to finally take all the details in at once. Since she had grown a few inches, she had obviously bought new clothes since I left, but I couldn't tell for sure. She was wearing the same style of schoolgirl's uniform she had taken a liking to in middle school (despite the fact our school never had a dress code). She was standing in my doorway wearing the same white blouse, long plaid skirt that went down just below her knees, and was holding a single large suitcase by her side. And she was fiercely shivering, but still smiling.

It dawned on me that she had been standing out there for at least ten minutes waiting for me to come to the door and was obviously unaware of what the weather was going to be like at my home. Here she was, standing in a blouse and skirt when it was twenty below and snowing.

I grabbed her suitcase with hand and grabbed her arm with the other and jerked her inside so hard and quickly that she nearly feel forward onto her face. I then immediately slammed the door behind her.

"I'm sorry I took so long to answer the door. I had fallen asleep and didn't know you were going to be arriving so soon. Obviously no one told you what the weather was going to be like up here." I said, forcing the suitcase from her cold, stiff hands and setting it down near the door.

"I'm sorry. I thought you wanted me to come right away. I didn't mean to inconvenience you. I can go back home if you like." She said, almost whispering. I had to turn and look into her eyes to realize that she was being serious.

"No, no, no... You're not inconveniencing me and there is no need to go home." I said, still holding her hand as I began to guide her to the kitchen, "I just wasn't sure if you were coming at all or if so when. I'm glad you came. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you here."

We were in the kitchen shortly and I showed her to a stool at the kitchen counter. I then turned away and began to make something warm for her. Once it was done a few minutes later I turn around to see her still shivering and trying to hold herself for warmth.

"Here." I said, extending the large cup to her, "You still like hot chocolate don't you?"

When my sister was little she loved hot chocolate. As soon as it would start getting cold she would drink at least a glass of it everyday.

She quickly took the glass from me, smiled, and began to frantically drink. Of course, since the liquid was still nearly boiling, after only a few gulps she had to stop, set the glass down, and try cool down her mouth and throat. All while still shivering.

I instinctively put my arms around and pushed her close to me, in an attempt to warm her up. It didn't dawn on me that this might have seemed weird to her, but apparently it didn't occur to her either. As soon as my arms were around her she turned to face me and wrapped her body around me.

I just stood there for a few minutes, suspending her in the air and rubbing her back as she squeezed me as tight as she could and panted feverishly in an attempt to cool her mouth and warm her body. After a few moments I could feel her legs finally release from around my waist and her grip around my shoulders loosen, so I slowly lowered her to her feet.

"Do you feel better?"

She shook her head yes and smiled slightly.

I went back out and into the front hall closet and get out my full length winter coat that I had gotten at an army surplus store, the kind that Russian guards wore. I took it back with me and draped it over Anna's shoulders and handed her the hot chocolate again.

"Alright now, remember, sips not gulps." I said jokingly to her. Her small smile grew back into the one I had seen at the front door. "Come on, follow me. I'll show you around."

We went from room to room as I showed off every little aspect of the house to my first house guest ever. Throughout the whole tour I could hear the brushing sound that my coat made against the floor, as it was many inches to long for her. When ever I talked I could hear the little sips she made as she tried to drink without making any noise that might disrupt me and whenever I turned to look at her directly that same smile returned to her face. As we walked from room to room I noticed that just like when we going to lawyer's office, Anna stayed right by side as if she was tethered to me by a rope that was only a foot long. All this seemed a little odd but I shrugged it off, deciding it was probably nothing.

We ended the tour with the extra bedroom I had decided to let Anna use.

"And here is your room." I said, placing her suitcase on the floor near the door.

She slowly walked into the room and looked around as I stayed in the doorway. Once she realized I wasn't coming in she came back to the door.

"Alright, I have some work I have to do. I'll come and check on you at about dinner time."

I started to turn away when Anna interjected, "Can we go swimming? I haven't been swimming in years!"

"You're more then welcome to, but I should really get some work done." I told her, and then looked to see the big smile I had become accustomed to from her. There was no smile at all. "Alright, I'll make a deal with you. You go take a nice warm shower so you're all warmed up and won't die of hypothermia, I'll go do a little work and then meet you in the pool. Okay?"