Allison and Eliza walked side by side to the dining table but there was no one seated there, not even her mom.
"Maybe we're too early." Allison guessed.
"You think?" Eliza asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey, did you notice the cars coming in through the driveway? It all looked really fancy." Allison pointed out.
"No, I didn't." Then it dawned on her that it must have had something to do with the reunion. "Do you think the cars have something to do with the reunion my mom talked about?" She asked and Allison shrugged her shoulders.
"Let's look around. Maybe there's another dining table that we missed." Allison suggested and they both started the walk.
Along the way, they noticed that all the maids and guards were also out of sight.
"Hey, where are all the guards and maids?" Allison asked.
"This feels strange." Eliza said.
There was a door at the end of the hall they walked in. Just when Allison was about to open it, she stopped.
"Is it just me, or is there actually a freaky weird atmosphere?"
"It's not you, I feel it too." Eliza added.
"What do you think might be at the other side of the door?" Allison asked, stepping backward.
"Only one way to find out." Eliza took hold of the two knobs of the door and opened the door widely to expose herself to a ballroom. "What the...?" Eliza began in shock.
"Heck?" Allison concluded with that same shock.
"And now I would like to call upon my daughter, the main reason we're all gathered here today. The happy reunion of my entire family starts now." Mr Songue announced and everyone clapped their hands and turned to the door. Eliza put up a really awkward smile, staring at the crowd.
"This reunion… Allison, do something." Eliza said through her teeth.
"Not what I had in mind." Allison said. "Well, good luck!" In the twinkle of an eye, Allison was gone to who knows where.
"Of all the times to abandon me, Allison. Tsk!" Eliza sighed and stood erect and walked towards the stairs and climbed up to the embrace of her mom.
They broke the embrace and Eliza stood surprised. She stared at her father, the tall handsome man before her.
'His eyes are just like mine. Hazel brown eyes. So pretty.' Eliza thought. Mrs Songue held her hand and led her to her father.
"Appa?" Eliza called gently and he quickly took her in a tight hug.
"Oh, my darling daughter, how I've missed you so much." He said as the whole congregation cheered on the happy family. "I've always wanted to see you since the day you were born. I'm so sorry."
"Appa, it's alright. All that matters is that we're together again." Eliza smiled with her eyes closed and warming up to the embrace.
"How I've longed to see you two together." Mrs Songue said, wiping off the twinklets of tears forming up in her eyelids. "Oh, I almost forgot your surprise!"
"I think I've had enough surprises for today." Eliza rolled her eyeballs.
"Not this one." Mr Songue said. "Jack, Derek, Zack, come over here." He called out and three guys came over to them.
As soon as Eliza saw them, she immediately misunderstood their intentions and turned to her mother.
"Oh no, Amma, don't tell me you want to get me married now. I don't want to yet!" Eliza complained bitterly.
"Who said anything about marriage?"
"Your mother must have kept this from you but I think it's my quest to do so. Eliza, meet Derek (black hair and hazel brown eyes like her; the eldest), Zack and Jack. (Twins, both brown hair and reddish brown eyes, younger than Derek by only two years) Boys, meet Eliza, your sister."
"What?!" Eliza exclaimed, shocked and perplexed. (Any word you can use to describe someone who just realized she had three elder brothers after almost 25 years of living as an only l child)
"Yikes!" Derek exclaimed.
"Shocker!" The twins exclaimed.
"Amma?" Eliza turned to Mrs Songue who could do nothing but say,
"Surprise!" It was really not the right time though.
"The boys knew I was sick, so I told them not to tell your mother but when she had asked them to run away with her, they refused and so she left without them." Mr Songue explained.
"Amma, is that true?" She asked but there was no response. "Why didn't you tell me I had brothers, Amma? You kept this part away from me. It's so...so..."
"Absurd?" Zack said and Jack elbowed him meaning 'not the right time'.
"Thank you. Absurd." Eliza said. "I once asked you if I had any siblings at all but you wouldn't answer. This, this is way worse than keeping Appa away."
"V, I..." Mrs Songue wanted to explain but Eliza wouldn't let her.
"No! I don't want to hear what you have to say now. Who knows if you're hiding something else? Tell me, what other big secret are you hiding from me?" Eliza asked fiercely.
"V, I didn't mean to keep you away from your father or your brothers, I just couldn't bring myself to tell you that I had taken you away."
"This is what you want?" She asked insecurely.
"Eliza, calm down. What your mother did must have seemed wrong but it was for your best interest." Mr Songue said to coax her.
"Best interest? Growing up without my Appa was one thing but growing up without my brothers," she shook her head, "...that's way too much."
"V, I'm sorry!" Mrs Songue apologized.
"Your apologies don't count right now. Not now, Amma." With that, Eliza hurried down the stairs, attracting the attention of everyone. It was an awkward situation and Allison went after her.
Mr Songue turned to the congregation. They were murmuring now.
"Nothing to worry about, it's just a little misunderstanding. Enjoy the party and relax." He said.
"Eliza, stop!" Allison yelled as Eliza hurried through the hallway.
"Leave me alone!" Eliza barked not looking.
"Eliza, it's me, Allison." Allison said and Eliza turned. "Eliza what is wrong with you?" She asked and Eliza hugged her.
"I don't know." Eliza said not knowing when tears rushed down her cheeks. She broke the hug. "I don't know if it's the joy of a happy reunion that's getting to me or the fact that my Amma never told me about my brothers."