11

                                    

                                          
"This is the place" he announces, as Cassandra wakes me up. I smile very wide. The house looks beautiful. It's a big white house with golden designs around. It has a golden gate in front of it. Cassandra and I come down from the car and walk towards the gate. The gate is open, so we walk right through it. We walk right to the front door, and press the doorbell. I'm getting more and more nervous. We hear the door being unlocked, and someone opens the door.
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"Mom?" I say as she opens the door. "Kha...Kha...Khadijah, Khadijah come in, come right in. Oh My Goodness! What are you?, How?..." she stammers. She draws me into a tight and long hug. We both start crying. "I thought I'd never see you again" she cries into my shoulder. "Me too". We draw apart and walk into her living area. "Who's your friend and where's everybody?" she asks, as we sit. "This is my friend and lawyer, Cassandra.." they both shake hands "..and everybody's at home, in LA. Only Malika knows I've found you" I say. I'm speechless literally. I can't believe it. It has been 21 years, and she's here in front of me again. "I have so many questions to ask, mom" I say as I catch a tear drop. "I know you do, sweetie. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For running away, for not coming back, for everything, I'm deeply sorry" she apologizes. "Mom, it's okay". "No it's not okay". "Please, stop crying, and just tell me everything"
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"Wow, mom. I'm...I don't know what to say" I wipe off tears from my eyes. "We're baaaackkk!!" I hear a cute voice call out, followed by another cute voice "Moooommmmyyyy!!!! I'm hungwy!". Then two little girls walk into the living area. They are so pretty. One looks so much like Kareemah, and the other looks a little like the first, but not as much. They're both light skinned. The older one has black straight hair, and the other has light brown curly hair. "Hello" they both say. "Hi" I wave at them. "Charlie, Sapphy, meet your big sister, Khadijah" mom says. "We have a big sister?!" the older one squeals. The younger one comes to sit in my lap. "Yes". "I'm Charlie" the older one walks over to me. "I'm Sapphy" the one in my lap says. "You guys are so cute" Cassandra says. "I know right" I hold their cheeks. "Guess what?" I say. "What?". "You guys have three more big siblings". "No way!" "Wow!". "Yeah. I'm a twin, my twin sister is Malika. My brother is Khalid and my youngest sister, is Kareemah". "You're a twin? Cool". A man walks in and clears his throat. "I'm guessing you're Sean" I get up and stretch my hand out for a handshake as Charlie and Sapphire run out of the living area, "Yeah". "I'm Khadijah Haqq McCray" I smile. "You're married?" my mom walks back into the living area with a tray of two cans of Sprite. "Yeah, and I have a daughter, Celine" I laugh, flashing my ring in her face, "I thought you noticed". "Oh! My bad". "You're from her last marriage, right?" Sean asks as he takes a sit and I do too. "Yes, yes I am". "Wow, okay". Mom sits beside me and squeezes me tight, "So how's everybody, how's Mohammed? How's Aaliyah? I heard they got married? Do they have any kids?". "Dad's....dead", "Oh my gosh! How? When?", "About four years ago, he was sick". "I'm so sorry", "It's okay". "Well aunt Aaliyah, I guess she's okay. She was sick some months ago, but she's okay now. Kareemah hates her though". "Wow! How is Kareemah? Khalid? Malika? Nona?" "They're all good. Kareemah's getting married?" "What?! Oh My God!" "Khalid, Malika and Nona are also good" I say as I open my photos to show her pictures. "Here" I give her to look at pictures.