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name right now.” 
    Ryleigh smiled and replied with a slight grin,” That sounds so amazing.  I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like this before.”  Ryleigh stopped for a moment before reaching for the food in front of her.  Looking at Vera, “Would you mind…terribly…if maybe we said some kind of…something?  For my Mom and Dad.” 
    Vera’s face went blank and then softened.  “Yes,” Vera cleared her throat, “We could do that.” 
    Ryleigh grabbed Vera’s hand and closed her eyes hoping her parents were in a happier place.  She wasn’t quite sure what to do or say; only that she hoped there was something beyond…this. 
                “I am sure that your Mom and Dad would have appreciated that.” 
    Ryleigh smiled at her Aunt Vera and her voracious appetite kicked in.  She consumed her meal as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. 
    Vera chuckled, “Slow down dear, trust me; this is not going to go anywhere.”
    Ryleigh grinned and took another bite of potato, “It’s delicious.  I am so hungry right now I could eat an entire cow.  The hospital food left something to be desired.”  Vera laughed and they continued to enjoy their first meal together.
                After dinner Vera took Ryleigh into the drawing room.  A roaring fire cast light into the darkness.  The drawing room was also as ornately decorated as the rest of the house.  Ryleigh was not surprised by this as every room that she entered followed the same extravagant pattern and color scheme.
                Vera became very serious and asked Ryleigh, “What do you know about your family, my dear?”  Ryleigh looked at Vera puzzled for a moment, “What do you mean?”
                “I mean, what do you know about your family?  Your mother, your father, your grandparents...”
                Taking a deep breath, Ryleigh explained, “I don’t know a whole lot.  My mom and dad both said that their parents were dead, and they were only children which is what got them talking and together anyway.  The amount of things they had in common.  Because I was the only child, not that they didn’t try for more, we did a lot as a family.  I didn’t really have a whole lot of friends growing up because we moved around a lot, but we were very close.”  Ryleigh could feel the sobs threatening to come back up her throat and she swallowed – hard. 
                Vera nodded in understanding.  “Why did you move so much?”  Ryleigh answered, “Because of Dad’s work.  We would move for his promotions.  One time we moved from Texas to Canada.  That was an adjustment.”  Ryleigh laughed at the memories that came flooding back from that move.  Her Dad started saying “eh” a lot during the transition and bought skis so they could learn “how-to” as a family.
                Vera then asked, “Did you know that you have grandparents on both sides and your mother has a brother.  And,” Vera hesitated.  “…you have an uncle.”  
    Ryleigh looked up from her finger playing.  “I have an uncle?” 
                “Yes, and he will be here tomorrow,” Vera said self-assuredly.  “His name is Finar, Fin as he likes to be called, and he will be arriving early in the morning.  We are to prepare for his visit.” 
                “Um…okay?”
                “By prepare, I mean, we need to ensure we are up early and ready for his arrival.  He is a little more “old school” and expects things to be done a certain way.  So, we shall do them that way.  And now, it is late, you need sleep.”
                Ryleigh hadn’t been told to go to bed at a certain time since she was ten-years old.  To hear it again was foreign but, this wasn’t her home yet.  Not really.  “Yes, of course, I am tired.  But, um, Aunt Vera?”
                “Yes, darling?”