Let's Just Fall In Love Again (ch. 4)

Chapter 4: Home

Daniel gazed around him. He was standing in the middle of his room. He remembered the ride home. Rico filled him about all the events that happened while he was in America. He said it all, from the day he went and the day before he called.

Daniel was jealous. He felt left out and before he could say something, he was stopped by Rico.

“Hey, I’m sorry if I’m irritating. I thought you wanted to know.” Rico said sympathetically while his gaze was still on the road. They were near his house now.

“It’s okay and you’re right, I wanted to know it all.” He flashed him a grin.

He can already see his grandmother’s house now. It was still the same. Actually, the neighborhood was still the same, he realized. Except for a few houses, you can really see that it didn’t changed.

Adrenaline rushed to his system and he felt like he was five years old again, running to the house and hugging his grandmother and aunt who had been living with his grandmother since she didn’t marry until now. Ever since they moved away, his grandmother and his aunt lived in their house. Now looking back at the house, while adrenaline was still pumping through him, he neither did the things he did when he was still a child, instead he took a deep breath and went out of the car. Rico was already pulling out his trunks from his car.

“Here you go.” Rico handed his trunk and carried the other trunk. They went to the front porch and Daniel knocked the door thrice. He heard her aunt voice calling out, “Wait a minute!”

The door burst open to reveal his aunt, wearing a blue laced apron wrapped around her hips. His aunt had her hair pulled in a messy ponytail with a few tendrils falling to her face. At 40, you’d still think she’s 35.

“DANIEL!!” His aunt shrieked and the next thing he knew, he was engulfed in her tight hug and had his eardrums shattered by he aunt’s screaming to rush his grandmother to come.

“Daniel!” Her aunt pulled her arms and stepped aside. His was thanking the interruption when his gaze fell on the plump woman standing directly in front of him with tears in the corners of her eyes. She walked slowly and hugged him. He slipped his arms in her waist and hugged his grandmother back.

When at last she pulled back, she asked, “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming here for vacation?”

“Well first of all, I wanted to surprise and second, I’m not just spending my vacation here but I’m finishing my studies here if my mother won’t come here and drag me back to America.” He couldn’t help but grin at the sight of his grandmother and aunt. They had their mouth hanged open when he said the second reason why he was here. Even Rico had his mouth hanged open too. He didn’t expect him to say it.

“Hey, why all the faces? You don’t want me to be here?” He asked, trying his best to look hurt but the amusement in his voice betrayed him. The astonished looks were completely replaced by happiness.

“I can’t wait to tell everybody about this,” Rico said. He shook his head amusingly and pulled out his cell phone and sat himself comfortably in the sofa. He instantly knew that he was informing everyone and he was on his way to grab Rico’s phone when her grandmother’s hand stopped him and made him sit on the sofa beside her.

“Tell me everything while you’re in America. Are your parents alright? Was your school good?……. “He answered all his grandmother, aunt and Rico’s question until it was time for Rico to go home. His grandmother later excused herself telling them she had to clean the garden. His aunt first excused herself. She had to go to the mall and shop for some things lacking in the house.

Now, standing alone in the middle in his room, he started putting the contents of his trunks to the cabinets and afterward sat on the foot of his bed. His thoughts wandered back to Emma. He wondered if she was still the Emma he knew.

~~~~

"Keeps your fingers crossed", Emma whispered at Vanessa as they sat beside each other. They sat opposite to Mr. and Mrs. Summer. When they started eating, Mrs. Summer noticed the two of her daughters glancing at each other and caught the glancing at her too.

"Is there something you want to say to me", Mrs. Summer asked the two girls. Since Vanessa’s been living with the, she didn’t think of her as one of Emma’s friend but as her daughter. She was rewarded by the guilty looks of the girls.

"Mum, dad, you know how Nicole always celebrates her birthday…”, Emma was fidgeting in her chair.

“Then?” Mr. Summer urged her daughter. He was rather enjoying her discomfort. He glanced at his wife who was smiling.

Vanessa nudged her to urge her. “Well, she confirmed it on Saturday that her parents agreed that it will be held in their resort. You know, Jacobe Spring. She said that we can spend the whole vacation there…” Emma let the sentence hung and looked at Vanessa, begging for help.

“And we’re asking you if you will allow us to go there and well, as Emma said, spend the whole vacation there.” Vanessa gave them an innocent look that never failed before.

“Well, this morning, Nicole’s mum called me and explained the whole situation to me. I told her I’ll think it over and I have thought it over. Since we were the reasons why Nicole didn’t have her birthday celebration in St. Albans, I’ll make it up to her. I will not ruin her plans again by disallowing you two to go. There’s just one condition.” Mrs. Summer explained and allowed herself to enjoy the satisfaction that crossed the beautiful features of he daughters. “Just don’t let yourself be hurt and be careful.” Her husband pulled her to his side and grinned at her.

 

"I can? We can? Yey! Thanks mum! Thanks dad", she said as she stood up and kissed her parents in the cheeks. Vanessa too squealed her pleasure, thanked Emma’s parents who had been her parents too and kissed them each.

 "Well, you have to start packing your things now", Mrs. Summer said as she went to the sink to put her empty dish.

Emma and Vanessa brought out each a trunk and out all the comfortable dresses, shorts, tee-shirts, and skinny jeans that were enough for them to wear in a vacation trip.

"I’m so excited about tomorrow", Vanessa said excitedly.

“Me too.” Emma was still pondering about her parents’ decision. They weren’t like the protective ones but they didn’t allow her on a trip like this before. Trips that meant that she will be leaving home for a long time. “First time.”

“Yeah.” Vanessa agreed. They were in the middle of the room, sitting on the floor and were busy folding their clothes when their cell took turns in ringing. They grabbed their cell phones which are perched on Emma’s bed. The screens showed Rico’s name, indicating that the message was from him. They both pressed enter and the message read…..

“DANIEL’S BACK!!!! HE’S STAYING HERE FOR GOOD!”