Overshadow

by Brea Essex

My phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse and glanced at the caller ID. It was Tanis, Genevra and Shane’s foster daughter. “I need to take this,” I told the social worker, answering it before she could respond.

  “Raena, where are you?” Tanis demanded in lieu of a hello.

  “At the hospital.”

  “Stay there. Mom and Dad are on their way. They were able to catch a last-minute flight.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, they just got off the phone with the doctor.”

  “Okay, thanks for letting me know.” I felt immensely relieved that I wouldn’t have to go to the children's shelter.

  “Hey, Raena? I’m sorry about your mom.”

  I smiled a little, even though she couldn’t see me through the phone. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll see you when you get here.” She hung up without saying anything else.

  Sonya stared at me curiously. “Who was that?”

  Did she have to know everything? “Tanis, Genevra and Shane Deville’s foster daughter. Other foster daughter,” I amended. Now there would be two of us.

  She nodded. “And?”

  “They’re on their way to get me. I didn’t ask, but I’m guessing they’ll be here in about an hour and a half, maybe two.”

  “Well, in that case, why don’t we take you to your house so you can start packing?”

  My house. It wouldn’t be my first time entering it without my mother. I had done it many times before while she’d been in the hospital, but I had always thought she’d come home again. Now it only belonged to me.

  When we got in the car, I gave her quick directions. I lived close to the hospital. Sonya didn’t even bother to plug the address into her GPS. “I know where that street is. I can find it,” she explained.

  We were silent on the short drive to my house. She pulled into the driveway when we arrived.

  I took off my seat belt. “Are you coming in with me?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I have to. I‘m legally obligated to stay with you until I can place you.”

  “Yeah, I get it.” As I got out of the car, I noticed something small and black on the doorstep. When I got closer, I realized it was a kitten. With a low cry, I crouched down to check on it. It stood, stretched, and rubbed up against my outstretched hand. It seemed extremely tiny, but healthy enough. A glint at its neck caught my eye. I caught the pink heart-shaped charm, which read “Nuada.” No address or phone number.

  “I wonder where she came from.” I mumbled out loud.

  “Who knows?” Sonya said. “Are you going to keep her?”

  Without answering, I picked the cat up and carried her into the house, with Sonya following at a distance. I stood in the entryway, surveying the interior of my house. “I can’t believe my mom is gone. I mean, I knew it would happen, but it’s hard to think I’ll never see her again. She’ll never step foot into this house again.”

  She came up behind me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “I wish I knew what to tell you.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t expect you to say anything. Thank you though.”

  I left her standing in the hall. I went to my room and stood in front of my closet, staring. Did I need to pack everything? I supposed I should. Las Vegas and Capitola, California weren’t exactly that close to each other. But would Genevra and Shane let me bring all of my belongings? What would happen to the rest of our things? I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste. Would I need my hairdryer? I decided to take it. Tanis didn’t seem like the sharing type.

  Sonya stood looking at the photos hanging on the wall when I came out of my room with a suitcase in hand. “You look a lot like your mother.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t see it.”

  “I can’t help but notice that your father is missing from these photos.”

  “He died. I never met him.”

  “Your life has seen a lot of tragedy,” she remarked. I chose to ignore that comment. “Do you need some help packing?”

  I could tell that she’d offered mostly to make conversation, rather than actually wanting to help. “No, I’ve got it.” I disappeared back down the hall to get the boxes I had stored in the extra room. I had known this was coming. I probably should have packed already, but I hadn’t liked the idea of living out of boxes while my mother lay dying in the hospital.

  My phone rang. It was Genevra. “We just landed,” she informed me.

  “Okay. I’m at my house packing.”

  “Didn’t Tanis call you? We were going to pick you up at the hospital.”

  “Well, the social worker decided to bring me here so I could start packing.”

  She sighed. “We’ll be right there.”

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