When I sat inside the car, I looked out of the car window; everything looked the same but simultaneously different. My brother was sitting beside me, holding my hand as he checked my condition.
"Lin'er, what happened at the airport?" he asked cautiously; as long as I could remember, he was always like this, considerate and loving towards me.
"just some criminals running amock" As I did not want to worry him further, I put my head on his shoulder. My brother's broad shoulder was warm and safe; I especially liked to hug him when we were younger; I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Yes, this was what home felt like, and I felt exhausted. "I missed you", I slowly mumbled, and he squeezed my shoulder gently. As he was ten years older than me, he was the responsible type when we, the younger siblings, made the mess, but he would always stay by our side and support us with his presence. Just his company was enough to give us more confidence and reassurance. Just like now, I slowly closed my eyes and felt myself relaxing; on the outside, I would be highly cautious and won't rest my nerves even when I was sleeping. But in my eldest brother's familiar embrace, I slept like a baby for the first time in the last five years. I only opened my eyes after we arrived at our house; he was trying to lift me without waking me up, but how could I lose my face as a Major from the army like this? My pride won over me, and I slipped out of the car on my own two legs, but when I entered the house, I immediately forgot my pride and plunged into the familiar embrace of my family.
My mother was crying and clutching onto me tightly, she was always so elegant and classy, but at this moment, her eyes were red, and my father started to try to calm her down. My father also hugged me tightly, put his rough hand on my head, and gently kissed my forehead. Like when I was younger, nothing has changed in this house, my home.
"Now, now, dear, calm down; our daughter must be tired; let her come in", my father said to my still-crying mother and helped her to sit down on the sofa.
"the youngest went to the school; he has military training, so he cannot come back for now; your second brother is filming abroad; no idea where he is"my father sighed and wiped my mother's face with a clean handkerchief.
"No need to worry, I'm planning to stay for some time, Father" I smiled softly to my father. I can see tiny wrinkles and white hair on him.
"Lin'er, you ungrateful daughter, how dare you not return for five years. Do you know how worried I was?" my mother clutched my hand and started complaining.
"but mom, I called you by phone, right?" I stroked my mother's hand
"How can that be the same? How would I know if you were fine or not? In that dangerous place, I couldn't even sleep peacefully after my only daughter went to the army full of men."
"Mom, look at me; I'm fine, right? Your daughter came back to you, so please don't worry" I tried to calm her down when I saw her eyes brimming with tears again.
"Lin'er, look at your hand full of calluses and look at your black face, just like a charcoal; look at your brother. He looks more like a woman than you" I did not know whether to laugh or cry for my mother nagging. I can be considered a beauty in the mirror, but when I'm placed next to my brother, I admit my skin tone is slightly dark, but charcoal is too much.
My brother laughed out loud at my mother's words and consoled her.
"Okay, she must be tired. Let her rest, and we can talk later", my father said caringly, and I went upstairs to enter my room. Nothing changed in my room; not even the pen that I placed on the table changed the location; the room was tidy and clean, and my heart felt warm when I thought there was someplace that belonged to me and there were people who waited for me.
I lay on my bed and smelled the soft detergent from the sheets. My favourite smell was the smell I missed while sleeping in the humid forest during the special mission. I closed my eyes and fell asleep without even changing my clothes.