The End of War

After six years of hostile war we were excited that we could be reunited with our brother. He had written a letter to let us know that he would be home in roughly two weeks. We had eagerly waited for that day when we could be with him again. Sam had asked if it was really our brother that was coming. “Yes!” I answered. It felt so good to say that. Mama said that we had all changed so much in the past years and I wondered what my brother looked like with all that he had been through these past months of tragedy and loss. What stories would he have? And what terrible memories did he have? I could not possibly think of the things that he had seen.

I knew that Papa was so excited to have another hand around the farm to help with the chores. He was constantly talking about it. I thought Mama was excited though she hardly talked about it. Why didn’t she just say something? She never said more than a few words at a time. She had so much locked in her heart. I wanted her to let it out. It would be so much better for her. Whenever I asked her something about how excited she was that he was coming back she just said, “Isn’t there something you need to do? Why don’t you do some homework?” Wasn’t she happy? What would make her happy? She still had that lonely look in her eyes. I knew that something was wrong. I wanted to ask Papa.

“Papa? Why isn’t Mama happy about him coming home?” I asked. “Well, there’s something we haven’t told you yet because we thought you were too young, but I suppose that you are old enough now. When Mama and I first got married we wanted to have a child. But when he was 2 years old he died from a cholera epidemic. Mama was so grieved from the loss of her little boy that she wanted to adopt a child. Your brother doesn’t know that he really isn’t ours. We thought that joining the war might help him feel like a real person. The reason Mama is so sad is that she doesn’t want to tell him that news because he might want to run away. But she loves him too much. So there it is and don’t tell anyone else what I just told you.” Papa finished. This news astounded me at first but it all made sense now.

The day came when he was going to come home and everyone was getting things ready. Mama had made up his bed and got his room all ready for him. Sam and Sandy were looking out the window waiting for him to come up the lane. “He’s coming!” They yelled and ran outside. I was anxious to see him but I didn’t run since Mama said that it wasn’t good for girls to run. I went to the porch and looked down the lane. I barely recognized the figure that coming towards us. He walked so slowly that I thought several times that he would fall down. Was that my brother?  His clothes were tattered and his face was ghostlike. But what was the most astonishing thing, was that where his left arm should have been there was only a stub. I looked at Papa and saw the look of disappointment and grief. When someone was missing an arm or a leg he/she was considered worthless and may as well just die. Papa knew that Joseph could never help him with the necessary chores on the farm. Mama looked at Joseph and then looked away. Even Sam and Sandy backed away. I felt bad for Joseph so I ran up and gave him a great big hug.  It was like that Christmas when he came to visit. Except now he would stay. And we could go pick flowers and fish. But then I remembered. He would never be able to do that. But the best thing regardless of that, was that we were able to welcome him back to his home and give him the best love he could ask for. And that’s what we did. Because that’s what family is for.  No matter what.

                                        The End