Seeing you again

Chapter 32

Francisca's POV

Another day, another hangout at my brother's.

Currently, we are sitting on the floor of Ivan's room watching 'The Quite Place', we are at the part where the dad dies and I'm a sobbing mess.

When the movie ends I'm still not over it.

"There there" Dan pats my shoulder but I can tell he and Ivan don't empathize with me at all.

I should've known that watching a movie with them wouldn't be like with Jenny and Lori.

Thankfully I calm down after a few minutes and Dan goes downstairs to get us some snacks.

Ivan and I talk about whatever when Dan comes back and settles back into the floor beside me.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you guys" I said "Granny Agatha came to see me yesterday."

It was really weird seeing her again after so long, she looked so different but I was glad to reconnect with her and hear stories about mom and her childhood. Mom never really talked to me about it so it was nice, really nice.

Ivan looks at me open mouthed, mid way into putting a piece of popcorn into his mouth while Dan looks at me confused.

"You saw Grandma Agatha?" Dan asks.

I nod my head.

I feel like the air chilled all of the sudden and notice that my brother's expressions aren't ones of happiness that I reconnected with a family member, but something else entirely....they looked hurt.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Dan and Ivan give each other a look.

I look at both of them, waiting for an answer when Ivan clears his throat.

"No that's um- that's good Fran- great."

A look of concern in my face is evident as Dan continues

"It just took us by surprise that she would- it's just that we haven't seen or heard from her in a long time."

"You haven't?" I ask

Dan shakes his head.

"For how long?"

Dan shrugs and mumbles an "I don't know."

"Years." Ivan responds "she visited after you and mom left a couple of times but even then she wasn't really there for us...I think she was there to help dad find you guys but stopped coming after..."

He doesn't need to continue.

"Wow" I say "I had no idea".

I see the grim looks on their faces.

"Not even once has she visited you or called....?"

They shack their heads in unison.

And a hurt look comes across their faces again.

This doesn't sit right with me, doesn't sit right with me at all.

———

Before I leave I go to dad's office to say goodbye, because surprise surprise he's still working.

He always does this, he doesn't take breaks and it looks like he barley even sleeps and when I expressed my concern about this once he said that he's trying to finish all of his work on week days so that he'd be free on the weekends with us and Matt and I couldn't say much after that.