Long Lost Summer

I squinted my eyes away from the burning sun as we made our way outside the airport.We just disembarked from a plane from Tokyo which is bound to Okinawa. A black car was already waiting for us and the driver opened the door for me. I went inside without saying any word. As the car accelerated its speed,I noticed that we are now in the highway,and I can see lots of tropical trees, and I can also see the ocean nearby.

When you're in Okinawa,everyone will think that you're in a middle of a vacation. A holiday. But sadly,it was the opposite.I have different reasons on why I came here...

I glanced at a certain lady who was in her early fities. She warmly smiled at me in return.I gave her a polite nod,and turned my attention back to the road. The lady sitting beside me is my adoptive mother,Nishikawa Chieko-san.She is a doctor in a certain rural area in Okinawa,and which is a small town called Naha.

The people in the social services house said that I was lucky to meet a person just like her, and fate bound us together.But I don't believe in fate nor in destiny. Well, let me take that back.I did believe in fate and destiny ONCE.

But eveything crumbled when that "tragedy" happened to our family.

My father died while on his business trip.The plane was bound to land in Singapore, but they didn't reach their destination because of a terrible plane crash. My father died instantly. I thought this kind of scenario can only happen on television dramas and movies, but I never thought it can happen to our family in real life. The death of my father had a negative effect to my mother.She started taking sleeping pills since she couldn't sleep at all, because she's thinking about my father the whole night. A single pill became two,three and she ended swallowing all the pills inside the bottle. She took them as if its the only way to keep her alive and sane,and it only made her feel worst.

She became paranoid about everything.She saw me as her enemy,the cause of her husband's death.My very own mother almost sliced my wrist and left me bleeding on my own in my room. She did it to herself too,while she was sitting in the bathtub...

I absently-mindedly touched my left wrist which was covered with bandage... Then my mind travelled back in time again.

"Doyou want to die together and see your father in heaven?" my mother asked while smiling,as the razor slowly made its way on my wrist...

 I shook my head trying to go back to reality...But I wasn't successful.

The social services decided to keep me in a certain home facility. I've been in that facility for almost a week when a certain doctor came to visit the home.It was Nishikawa Chieko,which is also a good friend of the head of the house. I don't have any idea on why she decided to adopt me, but maybe I look like a helpless pathetic kid and she took a pity on me,but I really didn't care. I don't have the energy to protest while they were busy doing the adoption process, and I don't give a damn. Physically I'm alive, but emotionally, I feel like dying. So I decided that I'll just go on with the flow...

"Nao?" I heard Nishikawa-san's voice. It made me went back to reality. I looked at her with a blank expression on my face.

"We're home." she announced.

We stepped outside the car while the driver obediently carried our suitcases.I took a good look at the house infront of me. It was quite a big house, and I was surprise to see that it looks like one of the houses in a exclusive neighborhood in Tokyo. My adoptive mother much be rich. I Iroamed my eyes around the little town and I saw some of the people who were all looking at me. Some gave me a friendly smile.

Great. I didn't come here just to make friends.

"I'm going to show you your room..." my "mother" guided me inside the house and upstairs.

We stopped at one room and Nishikawa-sensei slowly opened the door.

"Your sister Mika decorated this room for you..." informed my-so-called mother.

 I reluctantly took a step inside and looked around the room.The ceilings,walls,bedsheets,and the carpet were all pink. Typical room for a girl.The bedroom is three times bigger that my room back in Tokyo.

"Do you like it?" Nishikawa-sensei asked.

 I just nodded in return.

"Mika will be glad...Oh,she's still at school so you will meet her at dinner.For the meantime,you can take a rest and I'll call you once dinner is ready,okay?" Nishikawa-sensei said with a motherly smile.

"T-Thank you." I forced myself to speak,just to be polite.

Nishikawa-san slowly closed the door,finally giving me time to be alone.

I closed my eyes as I try to sleep. Sleeping is the only way that can make me forget everything, but I suddenly felt something warm flowing from my eyes. I terribly miss my real mother.What is she doing right now? I wondered,until my mind drifted into a deep slumber....

********************

I suddenly woke up as I heard something. I noticed that it's already evening,but I didn't bother to switch on the lights. I've become a light sleeper after my father passed away,and I would instantly wake up at any sound. I can hear Nishikawa-san talking to someone downstairs...

"So,what did she say about the room,Mom?"

There. She heard that voice again. If she's not mistaken,she's guessing that it must be Mika's voice,which is her sister...

"Your sister didn't say anything at all but I saw on her face that she liked it." she heard Nishikawa-san's voice.

"I told you so..." 

"Shall we eat,then?" it was her adoptive mother again.

"Isn't she going to eat with us?"

"Let her rest,Mika...Let her forget all the bad things that she experienced..." 

I could sense from her tone that they're worried about me.

"I don't need your sympathy."  I murmured.