Annika nods faintly, still processing everything in real time.
Nadia motions for her daughter and then guides her daughter forward. “This is Mila,” Nadia says.
Her name settles gently between them. Mila looks at Annika with open curiosity. The same expression I’ve seen on Annika’s face, especially in college, curious about everything.
Mila’s head angles to one side. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Annika says, her throat working hard to swallow.
Mila smiles and asks, rocking gently on her blade covers, “You skate?”
Annika blinks, caught off guard by how normal the question feels.
“I… I used to, but I’m a little rusty.”
“I’m learning,” Mila says proudly. “Mama says I’m fast.”
Nadia huffs out a laugh. “You are fast.”
Annika’s lips twitch. A film of tears sitting on the edge of her lids.
“Can you spin?” Mila asks.
“Yeah, I can spin but so can Parker. He used to play hockey too.”
“Will you show me?” she asks between us.
There’s a pause. Annika has a choice as she so often reminds me.
“Yeah, I’ll show you.”
Mila beams, removing her blade covers.
But before they move, Nadia and Annika exchange a glance.
“Mila,” Nadia says gently, “There’s something we need to tell you.”
Mila shrugs, curious but calm, already the spitting image of her sister but not just in looks in her personality too. “Okay, tell me so I can spin.”
Just get to the point so the girl can have fun and have a sister.
Annika has taught me that sometimes the wait makes it sweeter. But just rip the bandage off already.
Nadia reaches for Mila’s hand and gives Annika the head nod, giving her space to say it.
Annika presses her lips together, blinks her eyes closed for a half second then fiddles with Mila’s hair. “I’ve always wanted a sister, and I just found out I have one. Have you ever wanted a sister?”
“Yes but Mama says she’s not having more babies. Just me.”
Annika lets a half-chuckle loose. “Well, I just found out that we’re sisters and I couldn’t wait to meet you and get to know you.”
Mila’s eyes go wide as she looks up at her mom for confirmation.
“Half-sister,” Nadia explains. “Which means you share a parent. You share the paternal parent.”
That’s a big word for a child but I can tell that even mentioning the man who molested her causes an internal reaction.
Mila looks back at Annika, studying her like she’sfiguring out a brain teaser. “You’re my… sister? My very own sister?”