As Aunty walked into the departure gate, Glory seemed to understand the significance of it.
"Aunty Aiyah!" she called, voice breaking with emotions.
Aunty waved, wiping her tears away.
"Aunty Aiyah! Aunty Aiyah!" Glory cried, pointing for me to follow Aunty through the gate as well. Tears were flowing down her cheeks by now, but she wasn't bawling. Persistently she continued calling for Aunty - Aunty always answered, didn't she?
But not this time, she couldn't. The glass wall between Glory and Florencia was insurmountable this time, not like the safety-gate at the door of her room. And it was permanent, not like the games of hide-and-seek or Peekaboos.
I explained that we couldn't enter, as we weren't taking a plane.
"Aunty take airplane," Glory recited. "Go to Fee Peen Peen. Aunty go home."
We've been trying to prepare her, so we told her Aunty was taking airplane to Philippines, Aunty was going home, Aunty wants to see her own Babies.
My heart broke for Glory... i don't know how much of Goodbye she understood, much less Goodbye Forever. Aunty came into our home when Glory was 7 months old - still toothless, still unable to sit, unable to speak. Aunty took care of Glory when we were at work, Aunty came along for her healthchecks and jabs, Aunty fed her medicine, and bathed her. Aunty propped her up like a tripod to practice sitting, Aunty practiced walking with her when Mummy was too pregnant to, Aunty made milk for her and cooked for her. Aunty was so much a part of her daily routine, I don't think she can even remember life without Aunty.
As we left the airport, Glory was momentarily distracted by Ronald McDonald, birds and clouds, but she was silent the entire ride back home. As we reached home, she seemed to expect Aunty to be back at home. "Aunty Aiyah" she called, as if Aunty would open the door and greet her. When we said Aunty's going home, did she think Aunty was going back to our home?
Sigh.
Poor kid.
She hasn't gotten used to New Aunty yet.
I hope she does.
We're taking her to the zoo tomorrow to cheer her up, and also to get her better acquainted with New Aunty.
The painful thing is that even if she does grow to love New Aunty as well, one day she'll still have to say goodbye.
:(
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