My heart beat quickened as my eyes scanned the pick up area of the airport.
I hadn’t seen my cousin Barbara since I was 10
When we visited Brazil for summer vacation.
My memory of that place exhilarates my senses,
And my image of her would be the epitome of that vibrant nation-
Her hair would be tousled and long,
Her eyes would be bright and flashing-
As though they were lights of wonder.
Her smile, the biggest you’d ever seen,
And her skin would be the color of warm morning coffee.
Her clothes would be a bright conglomeration,
And the click in her accent rich,
Like that of a morning bird’s surprising song carried on the wind.
She would be jumping with all the places she had experienced.

I wrung my hands, how long had it really been…

A shriek.
A curly-headed city girl sauntered towards our car in her padded tennis shoes,
A grateful grin on her tired face,
Backpack strapped over her shoulders.
And I can’t remember being so happy than when I heard-
“Priscilla, oh I am so happy to see you again after all these years…”
She hugged me tight.
She smelled of Brazil and all it reminded me of,
And I hopped that moment would never flee…