Silence

Rushing.
Tension.
Frantic motions.
Entirely unnecessary.
No one really cares.
It's just family.
They came to see you, not your house.
Which is good,
        because it's a mess.

Children all around.
screaming,
laughing,
crying,
asking,
talking...

So much noise.
Everywhere.
An entire range of emotions
continue to cycle throughout the day.
Excitement,
Shame,
Fear,
Anger,
Annoyance,
Fun,
Love,
Happiness.

Family:
everyone you love
even if you don't know it.

Then, the inevitable end begins to come.
First one sister--gone with her new husband.
Then another, back home.
       Gone is that family.
Then a brother and his wife and children.

A few days later...
Another sister. Gone.
Then the last one to leave...a brother.

As he says goodbye and takes his kids,
the house is once again, empty.

Now it's just you.
Like it seems to be so often.

So many siblings.
So many in-laws.
So many nieces.
So many nephews.

Yet
Secretly,
You're an only child.
And silence wraps itself around you.