“Hujambo!: When the World Stopped”

Her world came crashing down at just over fifteen hours and a thousand miles away from home.

Most people would be surprised to learn how simple life is when an earth-shattering revelation is realized. She was on her way home from work when the memory of her last conversation with her younger sister slammed into her head. The conversation had been forced, brusque, and nothing like a conversation between sisters should be. She hadn’t thought much of it then, but looking back on it now…what had happened? How had things gotten so messed up? How could she have done this to herself?

She once had everything going for her. She was part of a loving family, with the exception of a horrible birthmother, and she was smart. Yeah, she wasn’t as smart as other people, but she wasn’t stupid, either. She was in school, she had a good job…and she gave it all up. For what? For some job she was barely qualified to have? For a life of empty partying? For a strained, and in most cased non-existent, relationship with her family? Why would she trade her home for this?

Her mind once again went to her younger sister. She had sounded so grown up, and it killed her to know she had missed it. What grade was she in now? Was she still so smart? Had she been out on a date yet? Would she still be able to annoy her to no ends?

What about her stepmother? No, her mother? Looking back, she realized it then. The woman had been more of a mother to her than her birthmother could ever be. The woman had loved her, had raised her, and had tried so hard to get her to stay. And she ran. Like the ungrateful, selfish fool she was, she ran.

She wondered how her cousins, aunts, and uncles were. Were her grandparents still alive? Did that one aunt ever get married? Were they happy? Did they miss her?

So many questions whirled through her brain, but they all brought her back to one fact.

She had made a decision, and it had cost her everything.

Lumera Carelli had been the prodigal son for nine years, and she didn’t think she’d ever be able to find her way back home.

a.n.: Thinking about mi sis, y this popped out. You hear about Lumera y Fang in H!, but you never really meet them. Guess this is a first.