[Aeon]

Sorry for the looong delay in finishing my story. I haven't felt much inspired lately, but I hope to have this story wrapped up soon.

Time passed slowly, as it tends to when laden with a heavy heart. Yulia went thru the routine of school but the light faded from her eyes. Her life, it seemed, had become nothing more than going through the motions of waking, walking from class to class, home again to an uneasy environment and the same again the next day. Food was tasteless, and she ate only enough to keep her mother from nagging, she was looking pale and thin.

"Hey Yulia! Wait up!" Her thoughts on Lena she didn't hear Cecilia calling her. Her friend's touch on her arm brought her back to reality. Even Cecilia's overpowering perfume hadn't yet registered with her olfactory senses, which were usually pretty sensitive. "Hello, earth to Yulia! Come in Yulia!" "Huh? Oh.... hi Cecilia."
"What's going on with you Yuli? you've been acting like a zombie ever since that girl left with her parents. You'd think someone died or something!"
"Her name's Lena. Yeah..I guess I really miss her." Yuli tryed to keep the irritation from showing in her voice. After all its not like she or anyone really understood the relationship she had with Lena.
"Yeah...Lena", she said as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, its not like you're never gonna see her again. Anyway, I'm still here you know, not that you seem to notice anymore." Cecilia pouted and then came up with an idea.
"Hey.. since it's the weekend, why not come over to my place? We'll have a sleepover like we used to do and make lots of popcorn, watch some movies and stay up talking all night?"
Not really feeling like spending time with anybody Yulia hesitated. On the other hand another weekend cooped up in her room avoiding her parents didn't seem any more appealing.
"Um..ok. Let me check with my parents, it should be okay tho."
Cecilia burst into a smile.
"Great! It'll be just like old times, I've missed spending time with my best friend you know". She enthusiastically thru her arms around Yulia's neck and gripped her in a quick hug.
"Okay, I'll see you later tonight", she squealed as she turned the corner to her street where she lived.

Lena wrote every day to Yulia. Yet she only received one letter from Yulia, and it worried her that she hadn't heard more from her.

Dear Lena
I think of you every day and miss you more than words can say. I'm sorry I haven't written before now, every time I started to write I felt so many overwelming feelings and couldn't put them down on paper. I understand that you felt you had to go with your parents, yet I'm still very hurt that you left me. How could you leave when you mean more to me than i could ever say?
As tears started to fall on the paper she was writing, she crumpled up the paper and tossed it into the basket. "Damn, I can't make her fell bad by sending her something like that."
She started again.
Dearest Lena,
Of course you're in my thoughts always. I took a walk through the park where we picnicked that one time and sat under the same tree for a while. It made me feel a little closer to you somehow. Maybe that sounds a bit mushy, but it's true. I hope all is well with you and the time we're apart will go by fast. It seems so agonizingly slow for me, but I am doing the best I can. I haven't done much outside of going to school. But Cecilia invited me to spend time with her at her place this weekend. Although I don't feel much like going, I will go just to get out of my parents house for a while. I'm sure I'll be thinking of you the whole time. Please take good care of yourself Lenochka.
Love Always,
Yulia



Yulia's mother was more than happy to see that her daughter had made some plans to spend time with one of her friends, so Yulia had no trouble getting permission to go stay over at Cecilia's. Her friend was thrilled to see Yulia at the door. She couldn't stop chattering away but most of the words didn't settle on Yulia's ears but she did her best to nod every once in a while and seem interested in the girl's never ending gossip. Staying up late watching movies in her friends bedroom, they finally turned off the television set and settled under the covers to doze off. Yulia found Cecilia's hand in her own and heard her say, "Yulia..I've really missed these stay overs with you, it's really nice spending time together again, isn't it?"
"Uh huh...yeah", Yulia managed though she mostly was thinking how she wanted her chattering friend to finally be quiet so she could get some sleep. Before she knew it the other girl was on top of her suffocating her mouth with kisses. Pushing the girl off she struggled to sit up. "Wait, wait, wait!..what is this Cecilia? I thought you didn't even like girls like that!"
"Well I don't...not usually anyway. But I like you that way...don't you like me Yuli...?"
"As a friend yes...anyway I'm already involved with someone.."
"Oh you mean that redhead that broke your heart and left town with mommie and daddy?" As soon as the words spilled out and the hard look she received from Yulia, the rejected girl knew she should probably have kept her mouth shut.
"I think I should go home", Yulia started to rise, but the blonde girl grabbed her in a tight embrace.
"Oh I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that! Please Yuli..please don't go. We don't have to do anything, let's just sleep. Okay?"
"Yulia too tired to argue only said, "yeah, okay. I just want to sleep all right?"
"Yes, all right Yuli."
Quietly both girls settled back down under the covers. After a long uneasy silence they eventually drifted into sleep.

While Yulia was away staying with her friend, her mother finally came to a decision. With trembling fingers Larissa dials the phone, "Hello Stacia..it's your sister Larissa..Yes..I know it's been a long time sis, but I've been thinking about you and hoped we could start talking with one another again. We have so much to catch up on and discuss.."

Coming through the door after another long day of school Yulia was surprised to see her mother laughing over a family photo album with a woman she didn't recognize, yet looked strangely familiar. She looked much like her mother, but with a brighter, healthier glow about her, as if she hadn't been wieghed down by the alcohol and worry that had plagued her mother all the recent months.
"Yuli honey..this is my sister..your aunt Stacia." The slightly older woman smiled in a friendly manner, "oh my, you look even prettier than your pictures." Standing up she went over to her niece and gave her a warm, gentle hug.
"Oh..thank you. Nice to meet you..um..auntie." Yulia blinked at her aunt as they pulled out of the embrace.
"I haven't seen you since you were a little baby. Now look how you've grown! It seems like only yesterday.."

"Yuli, your aunt and I haven't spoken since you were a baby. It's a long story, but we've started talking again and I wanted you to know your aunt. Come, let's go into the kitchen and we can all talk while we get dinner ready."

Yulia listened as both the older women talked about old times and filling each other in on some of the more recent events. She learned the reason why they hadn't spoken in so long was that Stacia had been ostracized by the family for her "sinful" ways, mainly referring to her relationships with other women.
"I was usually referred to as the "daughter of shame" by our parents", said Stacia as she smiled at her niece.
"At least when they acknowledged my presence", she sighed.
Yulia looked over at her mother, who merely nodded with a sad look on her face.
"Yes, and I'm afraid that I followed in their footsteps for so long. I'm very sorry for that sis."
Larissa reached across the table and took her younger sister's hand in hers.
"Its all in the past. Let's mend our relationship. I'm just glad we're speaking again and I now have a chance to get to know my beautiful neice."
Yulia decided she really liked her long lost aunt, and maybe there was at least one person who might understand what she's been going through. For the first time since Lena left she felt a glimmer of hope.
Dinner was ready by the time her father arrived. As usual he didn't speak much, mostly chewed and slurped his food, but her mother and aunt kept the dinner conversation flowing. Of course there was no more mention of Stacia's more personal life, mostly just small talk. Before her aunt left after dinner she turned to Yulia and told her, "I'd really love to have you visit me at my house sometime. It's time we spend some time together and for us to get to know one another. We are family and we shouldn't be stranger's any longer."
"I'd really like that auntie", smiled Yulia.
She sincerely did hope she'd get to visit her aunt soon. Like an oasis in the desert, she saw a glimmer of life preserving understanding and empathy, she only realized for the first time how she'd been so lacking in her life!

TBC...