Gerden Ibrahim

A child changes everything.

Everywhere.

Even more so in Milton.

Fiona's parents were happy for us.

They would have time to see their grandchild for years before their youngest child had one of their own.

My mother and father were crying tears of joy at first.

It was all they ever wanted.

They had been looking forward to the day they'd be moved to Sector B all their lives.

until they laid eyes on their granddaughter and they knew they could never leave her voluntarily.

If a child changes everything, so does a grandchild.

The traditions were swiftly thrown overboard, and the tears of joy turned into tears of fear.

My parents were picked up on a Monday in a van driven by Thomas Miller, who went to the same school as I did.

He was one of the few chosen to work for the town committee at a young age.

Thomas had lost his parents as a young child.

They died in an accident.

When we were little, he was almost like a brother to me.

My mom made two lunches for me to bring to school for years, one for each of us.

As we grew older and Thomas was chosen to work for the committee, we lost touch.

Thomas stayed behind when the two officers got out of the car and made their way to our front door.

Ours, as in Fiona and I, would now own the house.