Chapter 26: Recovery and Entrance
Clay's POV
After opening the presents, i heard a knock on the door. Wondering who could it be, I got downstairs. Who would be visiting here on Christmas Day? I then grabbed the knob and open the door. "Merry Christmas!" shouted an old lady on her mid 80's seating in a wheel chair, beaming. Her radiant smile affecting my heart so hard that I was left in shock. It was my Grand Mother. I felt joy and excitement. It was years since I last saw her, and she looked like what I remembered. She gestured her two arms for a hug which I accepted with delight. "merry Christmas Gran!" I replied. My joy has quickly melted when I broke the hug and saw who's beside her, Dad. Dressed with a corporate looking attired of black coat and white polo inside. This time his hair was gelled and shiny. He did not bring her mistress this time, that kind of maintained my sour mood with him. At the very least, I won't be extra pissed with his presence.
He then looked at me with a forced smile of shame. I averted my gaze to my Grandma then said "Come in!" with a positive tone ignoring my Dad. "I haven't seen you for like a couple of years now, I'm glad you're here" I said once they sat down the couch. The house looks neat though, but is completely empty of Christmas decoration. If only I knew that they will visit, or at least my Gran, I would have considered having decorations. A Christmas tree would really look nice, now I have someone to spend my Christmas with. "Merry Christmas" he greeted me with a smile I couldn't distinguish the kind. I think he's nervous or feeling an awkward vibe. He then gave me a box which my gran took and topped her box before she gave it to me. She knew that I wouldn't accept it as is. I then hesitantly forced a smile then accepted the gift. "you should have said that you're coming, I didn't even prepared gifts for you" I said which she responded "Oh no dear, don't bother yourself, besides I'm too old for gifts" with a smile on her face. I smiled back. "I'll just going to put this inside my room, I'll be back" I said which she responded with a nod, then I stood up and climbed up my room. I don't know what to feel exactly. I'm glad that my grand mother is here, but with Dad? He's a grunch. He ruined not just my Christmas but my childhood.
I then put my Dad's box inside the cabinet under my bed side table. I don't intend to open it. I placed gran's at the top of the table so I can open it later this day. I don't want to keep my gran waiting for too long. If it was just dad, I wouldn't have a reason to leave my room, I will let him rot there waiting for me, just like what he did with me when I was little. Now that I have my own mind, I realized how soft I am when I was a kid. Expecting my Dad to come up each and every morning I wake up. Every day I waited for a father to come back but not even a hair of him came. I got down the stairs then I heard Dad said "do you mind if we see your mom?" the audacity of him to say that. Before I could open my mouth to respond, Gran nodded in agreement. I then sighed in surrender and led them to my mom's room. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't let him near my mom. I opened the door and let them enter first, Dad pushing Gran in the wheelchair inside reluctant to look at my eyes. "Oh my dear Kath" I heard gran. I then entered the room and saw gran rummaging my mom's hands. Tears streaming down her wrinkled and aged face. I then turned my gaze to dad who has a peculiar look to stare at his 'ex-partner'. He stared with confusion or rather staring at the air and like thinking of something else. It looks like he's talking to his own thoughts, if you know what I mean.
"Merry Christmas Kath my dear" my gran said, kissing her fore palm when an unexpected event happened. Mom squeezed gran's hand, not just once, but twice. I felt so excited with shock that I have left my mouth opened. Gran then exclaimed a surprised small laugh. "did you see that? She squeezed my hands!" she said, looking at me with a smile. I was still in shock, it only happened to me once yesterday last night, but not that hard kind of squeeze. I then called the doctor and told him what happened. I told him about my mom squeezing my Gran's hand twice, squeezed hard. "honey, it's me, Mom" my gran said and in yet another surprise, she squeezed her hand again. "I'm here sweetie, I came here with Matthew" she added. For the first time after several years I felt the joy of hearing my Dad's name, not because of the thought that he came here to be with mom but, because with that word mom squeezed my gran again. I then let out a cry of excitement. After several minutes of joy, the doctor then came in an ambulance. They asked me what happened and inquired if we think it's just an involuntary movement of muscles, like what could happen most of the time. We then showed Mom's locomotive hands while gran said words and muttered questions answerable by yes or no. the doctor then, with a couple of nurses asked us to leave while they do medications and things that only they could understand.
I waited outside the room with gran and Dad. I completely forgot that dad was also there, in fact, I didn't even saw his reaction. I paced back and forth the door. "she's going to be fine now Dear" my gran said. I then smiled and hugged her and by the moment I broke the hug, I saw dad looking at my eyes. He looks so pleading, and before my anger for him dominates, I hugged him too. Tears I felt in my cheeks starting to foster. For the first time in many years, I felt Dad's hug. It was so tight and I couldn't bring my self to not hug him with equal force. I broke into real tears and I felt dad's hand rubbing my back.
Lynn's POV
Smile marked on my face and I got to my shower. I turned on the faucet and put a fragrance in the water of my tub. I decided for a quick shower instead of marinating myself with a milk bath. I still put an essential oil, that I couldn't get out of me easily. After several minutes of my fast shower, I got out with a bath rode before dressing up. I dried my hair and curled it a bit. I put on my simplistic Christmas dress of white and blue. I then tried to put the scent Jean gave me. It sorts of fits on my outfit. I love it now. I then got down the main stair and felt so like a princess. At the bottom of it waits my Dad with a radiant smile. "there's my queen" he said. He then made a ridiculous courtesy which I battled with a very a little lift from the side of my dress. We then sat in the table and I was surprised with what I saw. Winston is seating at the seat next to the seat where I always set, the middle part. I then shouted his name with excitement and before he could even stand up, I was running in his direction to give him a hug. Winston is my cousin and my best friend when I was a kid. We used to do things together, even in school. We just got away from each other when he became obsessed with being a baseball player and got accepted to a university of his dream, which is for your information on the other country. "I'm really glad you're here! I've never seen you since we were elementary! You haven't changed a bit!" I talked to him so fast. Gosh my excitement. He then laughed. "what do you mean I haven't changed a bit? Can't you see me now? I'm so built as fuck" he joked. He really did have quite a built body but for me he's still the funny and enthusiastic Winston I know.
He gave me a gold wrapped box. I was shocked. I don't like fancy things to be gifted for me, to be honest, not because I hate them but I just love a well-reasoned gift. Like how my friends have gave me, they give me things I really appreciate them thinking about. They really have thought about what to give me, but I like gifts in general. Who would not? "Oh, you should've told me you'd be spending your Christmas here! I didn't even prepare a gift for you!" I said to him with a punch on his shoulder. I sat down next to him then he responded. "what? So I could ruin my surprise arrival here for you? Hell no" he joked. We then started eating. I gave Dad my gift, which is a hand made bookmark. I noticed he really need one. I will not be giving him something expensive, that's ridiculous. I don't want to spend his own money so I can have something to give him, he doesn't like it that way too. When we're done eating, I helped Winston get his stuffs from the lobby to his room. Most of the maids are on a day off since it's Christmas day, and those who voluntarily chose to stay are in the kitchen, I wouldn't want to disturb them for something we could do.
I showed Winston his room and helped him put out his things. "you have a lot of stuff for a several days of stay" I initiated. "who said about several days of stay?" he replied with a smirk. I'm confused. "what do you mean? It's just a Christmas break and you have to go back t you school after this" I said. Then he smiled again. "I sort of had an offer for a professional baseball team, which incidentally happen to be a 30-minute drive from here. Compared to where I used to live outside the country, this is way nearer" he replied with pleasure coming out from his every word. "you're joking!" I barked which he replied with a smile and said "Of course not!' "Woah! You'll be in a legit baseball team? That's so cool!" I exclaimed. "I know, right?" he replied with a laugh.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone