Tara held Selena close as she wept, her hand gently patting her back. Each sob that shook Selena's body seemed to travel through Tara, touching her heart. It felt as if every tear was searing Tara's own heart, filling her with a deep sorrow that made her want to cry herself.
The room around them was chaotic with arguments and noise. Tara hadn't yet pieced together why Selena had rushed home and was so heartbroken, but from the tight grip Selena kept on the picture frame in her hands, Tara guessed it was the key.
Selena's relatives barely acknowledged Tara's presence, except to give her appraising looks, as if assessing her worth. Their sharp, probing eyes darted over her as if gauging how much wealth or influence she might possess.
With Tara's comforting presence grounding her, Selena slowly calmed, her sobs subsiding. As she came back to herself, her gaze fell on the crowd of relatives, all staring at Tara with hostility. Anger flared in Selena, and with a swift kick, she sent the suitcase her brother had been rummaging through skidding across the floor. The loud scrape and thud echoed through the room, a tangible release of all the emotions bottled up since she'd learned her grandmother's passing had been hidden from her.
Selena was once again the assertive, commanding presence she was in the corporate world.
The sound of the suitcase silenced the group, and for a moment, they stared at her in surprise. But soon enough, they regained their nerve, the elders launching into a barrage of complaints and accusations against her.
"Well, isn't this convenient, coming home at last? You live in the lap of luxury while your mother and brother suffer here," sneered her uncle, stepping forward with righteous indignation. "You'd better make up for it, girl. Either stay and support your family or take your brother along and give him a cushy job at that fancy company of yours."
Selena recognized her uncle as the same man who'd nearly brawled with her mother over a few meager plots of land her grandmother had left behind. She couldn't help but laugh, cold and sharp. "You want to live off someone else's hard work so badly? Just head to jail. They'll feed, house, and even discipline you, all for free."
"You brat! How dare you curse your own brother?" Her mother lunged forward as if to hit her, but Selena's patience had long since run dry, her mother's pretense of affection withering along with any residual attachment Selena might have had. With a simple flick of her arm, Selena pushed her mother back with barely any effort.
Tara gently stepped aside to avoid her mother's anticipated fall, but her mother caught herself, straightening up in feigned indignation.
Selena surveyed the dimly lit room, noting how the chill seeped up from the earth, mingling with the bitter winter air. A thought crossed her mind: where had all the money she'd sent gone? By any calculation, her mother should have been able to cover expenses without turning to her for an impossible amount of money when her brother got into trouble.
A creeping suspicion gnawed at her.
Selena took a steadying breath, the cold air stinging her throat as she began to cough. Tara's hand gently rubbed her back until the coughs subsided, and Selena looked up, eyes moist and fierce, like a wounded cat. "I'm fine."
"Given the money I've sent every month and how little this house has changed," Selena continued, "you should have at least a hundred thousand saved. So why are you playing the victim as if I'm the one making you suffer? Where did it all go?"
Her words had a chilling effect, quieting her relatives who had been so bold moments earlier. But her brother, seizing his chance, began to pull on their mother's clothes, yelling, "What she's saying… is it true?"
Her mother stammered, "N-no… she's lying! There was never that much money… not even close!"
Selena laughed bitterly. "Bank records don't lie. Want me to check?" She held up her phone as if ready to make the call.
Her brother's eyes bulged. A hundred thousand. It was enough to marry, enough to get out of his mess without fear, and enough to escape this rundown, ice-cold shack that hadn't been updated since the last century. And all this time, his mother had claimed she'd received nothing from his sister.
Realizing her mother wouldn't answer, Selena turned her gaze to her uncle, her voice like ice. "So, where is it?"
"What money? Are we really splitting hairs here? What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine…"
Selena let out a mirthless chuckle, backing away as she gestured for her brother to deal with his own questions. Holding her grandmother's photo close to her heart, she grabbed Tara's hand and led her out of the room. She shut the door firmly behind her, sealing away the noise.
Once alone, Selena placed the photo reverently on a small table. Now Tara could finally see the picture clearly. The gentle, wise face staring back at her could only be that of Selena's grandmother.
Tara moved forward, bowing respectfully before the image. "Grandmother," she said softly, "you don't need to worry. I'll take good care of Selena."
Selena felt her eyes fill with fresh tears, her hand tightening around Tara's as she lowered her head. Even here, in the biting cold, Tara's hands felt as comforting as ever, though they too had been numbed by the icy air. Without a word, Selena opened her coat and slipped Tara's hands inside, shielding them. The single dim bulb above cast a soft light around Tara, making her appear almost ethereal.
For Selena, this was enough. Tara's presence was her light, more real than any fleeting affection she'd sought before.
Seeing the dried mud on Tara's cheek and the tear in her sleeve, Selena pulled her closer, her voice gentle but teasing. "You came all this way? So that was really you I spotted at the airport, wasn't it?"
Tara's quiet chuckle warmed the cold room as she admitted, "Yes. I followed you here."
Selena narrowed her eyes. "How come I never saw you, not even on the plane?"
"If I were that obvious, how would I have surprised you here?" Tara's smile grew. "I followed you to the airport, confirmed your destination, and then took the next flight out. Luckily, most of the people here live in family-named villages, which made finding you a little easier."
Selena took in the full extent of Tara's journey. Her shoulder was scratched from tree branches, and a tuft of down feathers peeked from a rip in her jacket. Mud hardened on her pants, and as she moved, a visible red scrape on her neck caught Selena's eye—a silent testament to the difficulties of the trip.
Selena's chest clenched as she looked into Tara's gentle gaze, tears brimming anew. Tara quickly reached up, brushing Selena's hair from her eyes. "Sister," she said softly, "don't cry. Your grandmother wouldn't want that."
Selena took a shaky breath, trying to steady her voice as she asked, "Are you cold?"
Tara shook her head firmly, denying any discomfort. Selena studied her, asking next, "Are you hungry?"
Tara opened her mouth to say no, but her stomach growled, giving her away. Selena couldn't help but laugh, gently smacking Tara's shoulder before heading to the small kitchen area. "Sit down. I'll make you something."
Tara noticed the slight limp in Selena's step and rushed forward, stopping her with a hand. "Sister, it's fine. I'll just make some instant noodles."
Selena's kitchen had a rustic, old-fashioned stove that required firewood. With a pair of heavy gloves and a bundle of wood, Tara set to work. It took some time—neither of them was familiar with the stove—but eventually, they managed to get a small fire crackling.
Tara pulled several packets of instant noodles from her pack, emptying them into the boiling water. Seeing this, Selena raised a brow. "Why so many?"
Through the steam, Tara's reply was soft. "You need to eat too, Sister."
In reality, it was far more than the two of them could possibly eat, but Tara knew that if she made enough to share, Selena's mother wouldn't have a reason to complain. As Selena watched the firelight flicker over Tara's face, she saw not just her best friend but someone who'd scaled mountains and braved the winter night for her.
Selena's heart swelled. She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Tara's waist from behind. The smoky scent clung to Tara, comforting in its simplicity. Resting her cheek against Tara's shoulder, Selena murmured, "Thank you."
Tara didn't answer, not needing to. She knew the thank you wasn't just for the meal. It was for all of it.
Selena's hug felt warm and close, melting away the chill that had seeped into her bones.
The next morning, Selena led Tara through the dense forest to a small burial site where her grandmother rested.
They knelt together beside the modest grave. Selena, whose eyes had been red-rimmed for days, felt the weight of grief, heavy and unrelenting.
Tara gently pulled two small, lantern-like charms from her pack, their bases shaped like tiny coins. Shielding the flames from the wind, she lit them one by one, explaining softly, "They're meant to light the way, to bring peace. You set one for her, and I'll set one for her too."
As they knelt together, Selena finally noticed Tara's pack, bulging with supplies. She hadn't thought much of it until now. "What on earth do you have in there? Weren't you tired of carrying it all this way?"
Selena reached to see inside, but Tara quickly stopped her with a laugh, her eyes warm but a little evasive. "Oh, just a few things—mostly for you. I couldn't leave it out where your family might find it."
Selena nodded, satisfied with this, and they stood together. Tara held out her hand, her voice low, full of warmth. "Ready, Sister?"
Selena's lips curved into a small smile as she took Tara's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up into Tara's warm embrace. Just as she stood, she felt a feather-light kiss touch her forehead.
"Don't worry," Tara whispered, her voice barely more than a breath, "I'll always be here, as long as you want me to be."