Lies
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"Is it here?"
I hadn't even finished closing the front door all the way when Elizabeth nervously asked me the question I was oh so melancholic about. Before I could even muster up the courage to speak, her face fell in a way that meant she knew the mailbox was empty. It was almost as if her expectancy grew with each passing day as mine diminished.
"I'm sorry," I muttered.
My younger sister looked into my eyes with one last ray of hope. "Do you think our relatives will ever send us clothes and food?"
I smiled wearily and patted Elizabeth on the head. "One day, we'll be rich with closets of clothes from here to the North Pole. Don't worry, my girl."
Her smile grew; it was almost a grin, but not quite. She nodded at my words and embraced me.
"Come," I whispered as I hugged her back. "Let's eat the leftover bread."
She looked up into my green orbs. "But the bread is hard, Venice."
I forced a smile to reassure her. "We can dip it in our milk. Don't worry. It will be alright..."
I took her warm hand in my frigid one as we disappeared into the darkness of our kitchen.
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