“I haven’t done anything but pray since I heard the news. I don’t know what else I can do at this point.” I waited for my sister to respond, but knew from the silence that she had hung up on me.
When I was twelve and Savannah fourteen, our sister Grace had left the house for high school one Friday afternoon and never returned. My entire family went crazy in how long and hard we searched for her, but no matter what we did or who we talked to, we never heard another word from her or about her. I responded by attending church more often where Savannah responded by going to parties and dating the wrong guys. Neither of us have ever forgotten our sister, but Grace’s name has been mentioned less as the years have gone by.
Since Grace’s disappearance, my parents relationship has had very noticeable highs and lows. They both blame each other for her sudden exit from our lives and on some days, they only blamed themselves. Yesterday our family almost exploded for the second time. There was a letter in my parents mailbox saying Grace was still alive and on her way home. We were to be prepared of her arrival Saturday morning.
As we all worked ourselves into a frenzy over the idea Grace was still be alive and coming home, I knew Grace wasn’t coming home. She was alive, but would never return. Not after what our mother had done to her.
Standing Room Only 