Big news

One afternoon Dawn sat at the kitchen table, doing some of her coursework, though her heart wasn't into it. Her eyes kept going to the picture of her big brother that stood on a side table against the wall. She sighed, got up, then walked over to it.

"I miss you, big brother" she said, touching the framed picture. "It's just not the same without you."

"Dawn, honey" her mom said.

"Oh...hi mom" Dawn replied, turning around.

"I miss him too, honey" Maria said, wrapping her arms around her youngest.

"I hope...I hope he didn't suffer" Dawn told her mother, swallowing hard before bursting out in tears.

"Don't think about that, sweetheart" Maria said, "I'm sure it was quick." She tried to stay strong for her daughter, but she was feeling the pain too. Her only boy, lost to a planecrash. Sighing heavily, she held Dawn close to her chest. When the phone suddenly rang both of them jumped a little. "I need to get this" she said. Letting go of her lastborn, Maria went over to the phone. "Hello, Maria Doe speaking."

Dawn sighed, looked at her brother's picture a little longer, then turned around to walk back to the table. Just then she heard a loud crash. "Mom?!" she exclaimed as she saw her mother laying on the floor. She ran over to Maria, kneeling next to her.

"Hello? Hello?" went the voice on the other end.

Rebecca raced home after she got a message from her baby sister. Something had happened but the text had been full of typos, something very much unlike her sister, so that told the firstborn of the family all that she needed to know. When she got there, she saw her uncle's motorcycle standing there while her aunt's convertible was just coming from down the street.

"What happened?" she asked as she got inside.

"Rebecca..." Dawn said, hugging her close.

"What? Is mom okay?" Rebecca asked.

"She fainted" Dawn told her, "but there's something else."

"Rebecca" their uncle interrupted them, hugging the both of them at the same time. "I just heard."

"Head what?" Rebecca asked, getting annoyed nobody was telling her anything.

"They found a bunch of survivors, Rebecca" uncle Abram said. "Your brother and his girlfriend are among them."

The brunette could only stare at her uncle.

"How do I look?" Rose asked. She was looking at herself in an airport bathroom, awaiting the press conference.

"Beautiful" you said, smiling at her, reaching out to take her in your arms.

"Bloated" she said, gesturing at her swollen stomach.

"I told you, you're beautiful" you said, kissing her forehead. "Everybody's going to be so stoked to see us again. Plus, that we're bringing one extra." Rose giggled as you told her this, smiling at you.

"I bet" she said, but then frowned. "I can't believe they didn't let us talk to our families beforehand."

"Yeah, I know. I guess we became a PR case for the airline" you said, sighing. Together you went back outside in the waiting hall that was completely devoid of people except for Cora and Claire, and now the two of you. A side door opened just as you returned from the bathroom and you saw the same person that had let you in. Some corporate stooge

who was both obnoxious and subservient. He was in charge of getting you to the podium in time. The guy had told you very little, other than that there would be a televised reunion.

"You're going to go out in five minutes. The CEO is just now giving a speech" he told you now.

Five minutes later you got the go ahead and you went out. You had heard there was a crowd but just how big it was didn't sink in until you saw it. In front of you was the CEO of the company who you recognised from all the commercials. Your eyes went over the crowd but with all the cheering faces you couldn't see anything familiar. Then there was a voice over the speakers. "Here they are, the recently rescued survivors!" it shouted.

"And here are their relatives!"

You looked up and from another door came a bunch of people. First a man about Cora's age, you figured he was her husband, then there was a man you recognised as Claire's brother from a picture she'd kept on her, then Rose's parents, Gary and Aimee, as well as her sister Violet. Lastly there was your own family. Rebecca, Dawn, your mom. Taking Rose's hand you walked over to your family, who rushed forward to embrace you.

"You're alive" your mom said, allowing her tears to flow freely.

"Yeah" you simply said, holding her tight.

"Oh, John"Dawn said, joining the fray. You smiled at your baby sister and were about to speak again when Rebecca also joined in. Trying your best to look for Rose through the press, you only saw her hands as she was also in an embrace with her own family.

"Hey baby brother" Rebecca said, squeezing your arm.

"Hey sis" you said, voice starting to crack with emotion.

The cheering was so loud you almost couldn't hear your own family, so instead someone put a hand on your shoulder.

"I think we need to talk, huh?" Gary said.

"I guess we do, sir" you told him.

After an interview you were convinced was only for the good of the airline and not about you, the stooge brought you back into the room, but this time with your families in tow. You hadn't even realised it, but your uncle Abram, as well as his and your mom's sister Kimberly were there too. Even Jessica was there. The three of them also got in a round of hugs and smiles before they let you go.

"You look good, you know that?" your uncle said.

"Is it the beard?" you asked.

"Did you really have nothing to shave with?" your mom chimed in.

"I did, I just didn't want to that often" you replied. "Rose liked it."

"You look like a biker or something" your mom said. "And since when do you listen to your girlfriend more than your mother?"

"Ever since she was the only woman around me that I cared for" you said. "You know, with you being at home and all."

Your mom smiled, squeezing your hand. "I guess that makes sense. I'm just glad you're alive. So glad. And I see you made another Doe too."

"I was wondering when you were going to bring that up" Rebecca said.

Just then Rose's father over to you. "Can we talk in private?" Gary asked.

"Of course" you said. "If you'll excuse me" you told your family, getting up.

"Your mother too, if you don't mind" Gary told you.

Nodding, your mother joined you and Rose as well as her parents.

"John, Rose, I know that you've been through a lot together" Aimee said as you sat well apart from the others. "But with Rose being pregnant, I would like to know if you two are serious."

"We are" you said, smiling and taking her hand. "In fact, I already proposed to her. With this thing, here." You took Harold from your pocket, which was a thin, flat stone with a face drawn on it.

"What's that?" Aimee asked.

"That's Harold, mom. Our pet rock" Rose said, smiling as she took the rock from you.

"It wasn't a joke?" Gary asked.

"No, never" you said.

"So you're serious about this?" he pushed.

"As serious as I've ever been about anything" you told him, resolute. Gary first looked at Rose then at your mother.

"Would you give a wedding your blessing, then?" he asked.

"Yes" your mother said, smiling broadly. "Without a second thought."

"That's good enough for me, honey" Aimee said.

"So you'll let us marry?" Rose asked.

Gary took another long look at you then nodded. "Yes. You have my blessing, too."