They Left Me Twice, I Stopped Following Chapter 03

They Left Me Twice, I Stopped Following Chapter 03

Early Saturday morning, I squatted by the frozen riverbank foraging for wild greens.

My left hand held down my study guide, while my right hand worked a small trowel.

Just as I reached the third set of vocabulary, the rumble of a car engine sounded at the town entrance.

I looked up.

Dad, Mom, Grandma, and Chloe stepped out of the vehicle.

The trowel hit the dirt with a thwack.

In my past life, I searched for them for two whole years.

I’ve slept at bus stops, squeezed into crowded, cheap train carriages, and chased after figures that looked like yours from behind.

I was terrified of forgetting them.

Every night before closing my eyes, I forced myself to recall the deep furrow between Dad’s brows and the small mole near Mom’s left ear.

Before I died, I was still thinking how wonderful it would be to see them just once more.

Now, they were standing right in front of me.

My mouth opened, but I couldn’t even force out a call for “Mom” or “Dad.”

Chloe had already run ahead.

She wore a bright pink down jacket and pristine white leather boots.

I looked down at myself.

My worn school pants were soaked halfway up the calf, my cuffs splattered with mud, my ten fingers coated in dirt.

Mom finally noticed me, her brows immediately knitting together.

“Why do you look like such a mess?”

My chest tightened sharply.

A whole lifetime later, the first thing Mom said to me upon meeting again was still this.

Chloe glanced at the basket of greens beside me.

“Sienna, do you eat this every day?”

Dad’s face darkened instantly.

“Didn’t we leave money at home for you?”

“Who are you trying to embarrass, looking like nobody cares about you?”

I gripped the handle of the basket, offering no explanation.

They had only returned to pick up Chloe’s childhood belongings.

The moment they walked into the house, Chloe sneezed three times in a row.

Mom pulled her close immediately.

“Why is there so much dust?”

She turned to glare at me.

“You’re home by yourself, and you can’t even wipe down the tables?”

I glanced at the tabletop I had just wiped down last night.

I said nothing.

Grandma was already rummaging through the closets.

I placed the basket of wild greens by the stove.

I had spent the whole morning digging up those greens.

I planned to sauté half for lunch and boil the rest in soup for dinner.

Chloe wrinkled her nose.

“What is that smell? It’s gross.”

Mom casually picked up the basket.

“Chloe can’t stand that smell.”

I instinctively took a step forward.

With a loud spill, the entire basket of greens was dumped into the chicken feed bucket.

The fresh leaves got coated in bran and chicken droppings.

My outstretched hand froze in midair.

My stomach chose that exact moment to growl loudly.

Mom didn’t hear it.

She was already turning around to pour water for Chloe.

I slowly pulled my hand back.

Forget it.

I’d find something else to eat.

At noon, Chloe snuggled against Grandma, pouting.

“We haven’t taken a family portrait in so long.”

Dad pulled out his phone immediately.

Mom helped adjust Chloe’s hair, while Grandma stood in the center with a smile.

I was folding the old clothes they had pulled out from the drawers nearby.

Hearing them talk about a family photo, I took a half-step forward anyway.

Mom handed the phone to me instead.

“Sienna, take it for us.”

My feet glued themselves to the floor.

After two seconds, I reached out and took the phone.

On the screen, Dad wrapped his arm around Mom, with Grandma standing right in the middle.

Chloe held onto Grandma’s arm tightly.

I stared at the screen, my vision blurring slightly.

I blinked twice to refocus the camera.

“Look here.”

Click.

The photo captured the moment.

Without me.

Chloe ran over to check.

“Sienna, you take great photos.”

I handed the phone back, forcing my lips to curve upward.

My cheeks felt painfully stiff.

“Yeah.”

I grabbed my study materials and headed for the riverbank.

Nobody asked where I was going.

The wind blew hard, so I pressed my test papers down with a rock.

There were four days left until the scholarship exam.

I studied until dark before heading back.

I pushed open the door to a room smelling of rich food.

Only fish bones, leftover chicken broth, and a few empty plates remained on the table.

Chloe was leaning against Mom, eating fresh oranges.

When the door clicked, all four of them looked up simultaneously.

Mom paused.

“Where were you?”

Grandma stopped as well.

“Sienna hasn’t eaten yet?”

I stood by the doorway.

My shoes and socks were soaked with evening dew, my stomach twisted in sharp hunger pangs.

I glanced at the empty chicken stew bowl.

“I ate.”

No one asked any further questions.

When I got back to my room, I realized my blanket was gone.

I searched for a long time, finally finding it tucked in a corner.

They had used my old blanket to wrap around the trunk Chloe was taking with her.

I squatted down, untying the rough hemp rope loop by loop.

Dust blew into my face, making my nose itch and my eyes sting.

I wiped my face with my sleeve.

And remade my bed.