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.
***********************
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
***********************
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?
