Reunion

Hearing the door open, the woman turned around abruptly, her face showing a hint of surprise and wariness.

When her gaze fell upon the tall, travel-worn figure at the doorway, she froze, the wooden spoon in her hand falling to the ground with a clatter.

"Tom... Tommy? My child? Is that you?" The woman's voice trembled, almost unable to believe her eyes.

She was Tommy's mother. In just six months, she looked much older, with sunken cheeks, deep wrinkles around her eyes, and large patches of white hair. But her wide eyes suddenly burst with unbelievable surprise and excitement.

"Mom! It's me! I'm back!" Tommy's voice was choked with emotion as he quickly walked into the house.

The mother staggered forward and grabbed Tommy's hand; her fingers were rough and cold, yet they carried immense strength.

She didn't hug her son immediately. Instead, she anxiously and almost frantically looked Tommy up and down, her hands trembling as she stroked his arms and shoulders. She then knelt down to check his legs and feet, repeatedly muttering, "Good... good, his arms and legs are all there, nothing's missing... thank goodness he's not seriously injured... Goddess, Goddess, please protect him!"

Only after confirming that her son's limbs were intact and he had no disabilities did she suddenly stand up and hug Tommy tightly with all her might. The worry, fear, and longing that had been suppressed for half a year burst forth, turning into a sob that broke down in tears. "My child! You're finally back safe and sound!"

Tommy hugged his mother's thin, trembling body tightly, his eyes also welling up with tears.

He gently patted his mother's back, comforting her, "Mom, I'm okay, I'm fine, don't cry."

It took a while for the mother to calm down a little.

Tommy looked around the even more dilapidated house and asked anxiously, "Mom, where's my sister? Where's Sarah?"

The mother wiped her tears with her sleeve and quickly said, "Sarah... Sarah went to the stream at the east end of the village to wash clothes for John's family next door to earn money to supplement their income. Yes, yes, I'll go and call her back!" As she spoke, she started to walk out.

"Mom, I'll go with you!" Tommy quickly helped his mother up, and the two of them walked out of the house hand in hand.

They walked eastward along the muddy path in the village and soon heard the sound of flowing water.

Upon arriving at the riverbank, I saw several women squatting on the rocks beside the icy water, vigorously pounding their soaked clothes.

Among them was a particularly thin figure, with her back to them, struggling to wring out a heavy, coarse cloth garment; the icy river water had soaked her trouser legs and thin shoes.

"Sarah!" her mother called out.

The small, thin figure turned around at the sound; it was Tommy's sister, Sarah.

She looked even thinner than she had six months ago, with a pale face and slightly purple lips, clearly from being soaked in cold water for too long.

When she saw Tommy next to her mother, she was stunned for a moment, then her dirty little face lit up with an unbelievable and huge surprise. She dropped the clothes she was holding and ran over like a little bird!

"Brother! Brother!" Sarah buried her face in Tommy's chest, hugging him tightly around the waist, her voice trembling with tears and boundless joy. "You're back! You're really back! Mom and I have been thinking about you every single day!"

Tommy bent down and hugged his little sister's cold body tightly, stroking her dry, yellow hair with heartache. "Sarah, your brother is back. I'm sorry for making you and Mom suffer."

The mother also came over, stretched out her arms, and hugged her two children tightly.

The three embraced on the cold riverbank, weeping with joy.

The mother's tears were a mixture of relief and lingering fear; Sarah's tears were a mixture of grievance and joy; while Tommy's tears were filled with guilt, heartache, and a complex emotion of finally returning home.

Some villagers who witnessed this scene cast sympathetic glances, while others silently walked away.

At this moment, all the hardships and difficulties seemed to be temporarily dispelled by this warm reunion.

For Tommy, nothing was more important than seeing his mother and sister alive and able to embrace each other like this.

The three embraced, and after their tears of joy subsided slightly, Tommy gently patted his sister Sarah's thin shoulder, then took his mother's arm and said, "Okay, let's go home first, it's cold outside."

Sarah hesitated for a moment, then looked back at the pile of unfinished clothes by the river and whispered, "Brother, I... I promised John's family I would wash these clothes. If I don't finish, I won't get the two copper coins I promised..." Her thin face showed a hint of reluctance and responsibility.

Tommy looked at his sister's little hands, red from the cold water, and her thin clothes, and his heart ached. He said firmly, "No need to wash them, Sarah. Your brother is back. You don't need to do these hard chores anymore."

He patted the heavy-looking backpack on his back. "Brother has money now."

Sarah blinked her big eyes, still seemingly a little uneasy, and muttered softly, "But... I promised someone..."

Tommy didn't hesitate any longer. He let go of his sister and quickly walked to another middle-aged woman by the river who was beating clothes.

When the woman saw Tommy approaching, she stopped what she was doing and looked at him somewhat awkwardly.

Tommy took a small cloth bag from his pocket, counted out ten shiny copper coins, and handed them to the woman, saying sincerely, "Auntie, could you please help me wash these remaining clothes for my sister Sarah? This money is for your payment, is that alright?"

The woman's eyes widened when she saw the ten copper coins in Tommy's hand!

She could earn at most one or two copper coins by washing clothes for a whole day, this was simply a windfall!

She quickly wiped her wet hands on her clothes, practically snatched the copper coin, and said repeatedly, "Okay! Okay! No problem! Tommy, don't worry! I'll take care of Sarah's clothes, I'll wash them clean! You guys go home, it's cold here!"

Her face was beaming with smiles, as if afraid Tommy would change his mind.

Sarah saw this and seemed about to say something, but she felt that her brother had gone to too much trouble.

But Tommy had already put his arm around her thin shoulders without saying a word, and with undeniable force turned her around, while his other hand firmly supported his mother's arm.

"Let's go, Mom, Sarah, let's go home." Tommy's voice was gentle but firm.

Looking at her son's composed profile and actions, the mother's eyes revealed a mixture of relief and complex emotions. She nodded and let her son support her.

Sarah was also pulled along by her brother's strong arms. She looked back at the pile of clothes and the smiling washerwoman every few steps, but finally she obediently followed her brother and mother, leaving the cold riverbank and heading towards the home that, although dilapidated, was full of warm memories.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the three people, merging them together, as if foreshadowing a glimmer of new hope for this family that had endured so much hardship.