Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!
And… I hit a wall today. Aww.
I was just tired all day. I didn’t feel like doing anything. I just wanted to sleep. So… I did. Sabby didn’t mind, she knows that the vacation took a lot out of us. And it’s so hot outside, just unendingly hot.
I don’t think I ever left my pajamas today.
Crystal’s mother called me today and asked me why Crystal seems… different. So I told her. Everything. She just listened and when she spoke, her voice was breaking.
“Thank you for giving me my little girl back”, she said.
I didn’t… know what to say. I wasn’t trying to give her a little girl back. I was just… trying to be a good big sister. But maybe that’s what good big sisters do… right? I asked her to let her wear her kimono when she wants and to maybe see if she can find a peaceful place for her to zone out. She said she’d see what she could do.
Crystal’s parents did fail her. I can’t sugar-coat that. They did. But they weren’t trying to. They didn’t set out one day and say “We want to mess up our daughter, muahahaaha” and twirl their mustaches like some cartoon villain. They did the best they could and it ended up severely damaging their daughter. That’s just how life is, I guess. Maybe my adopted parents before Sabby were the same.. The Rittenhouses? I don’t remember. Maybe they just found themselves in a situation that they couldn’t easily get out of, and… Crystal was hurt.
They really do want what’s best for Crystal.
I hope they help her hold on to the peace she found in Japan.
Peace is fleeting. It really is.
Anyway, the group chat is really hopping right now. Everyone’s talking about the trip or how their parents and siblings liked their presents or picking on me about being onee-chan (sigh)… and Ai’s friends English isn’t that good but they’re asking all sorts of questions about America. They want to go to a Buc-ees. Big surprise there. Everyone seems to want to go to a Buc-ees.
And Britni’s dropped all pretense and is now trying to figure out how to be herself without making everyone else feel stupid. She’s been acting stupid for so long she’s forgotten how to be smart. And Rebecca and friends are already planning on how to use their anime uniforms for fun and profit… or at least to play a huge prank on their school when it starts.
The Aidols are tentatively planning to come to the US for Christmas. That’ll be fun.
Oh well. I’m going to bed. Lots to do tomorrow – every day can’t be a lazy day.