Capítulo 16: At the end of the day
-Julia-
"Hey, it's the end of the night. Did you guys miss your stop?" said an older man's voice.
"Hm? Ah, shoot!" Jayden said.
I was still feeling hazy from the nap.
The man sighed and asked in a monotone voice," What's your stop? I'll drop you guys off."
"Really?" Jayden asked in an enthusiastic tone.
"Yes, yes, so tell me already," said the man.
"Thanks, Sir!" Jayden said.
The bus driver groaned,"Uh-huh, yeah. You're just lucky I finished early. Tsk, tsk, kids these days. I know you guys wanna be all lovey dovey and all, but at the very least get off at your stop."
That was all I could hear as I continued to sleep until I felt something cold poke my cheek.
"Mm.. ow, ow, owwww! What?!" I was irritated from being awoken from the warm comfort of the chair.
"We gotta go, dummy," Jayden told me," Also, you got a little something." He smiled and laughed as he pointed at the wet spot on his shoulder.
Ahhhh! So embarrassing! I drooled on his shoulder! I hurriedly wiped my mouth as we got off the bus.
What time is it? I stared at the blinking bar of black. Jayden elbowed me and showed his screen.
"Woah, it's this late!?" I shouted as I looked at the glowing numbers displayed on the glassy case in his hands.
"Let's get a quick snack before heading home," he said and rushed to the nearby store. It was a cute little vintage sweets shop flowered in lavendar blossoms. The air was as cool as outside.
"Jayden, my little baby!" an older woman called out.
"Hi, Granny," he greeted her with a hug.
"Oh, sweetie, what're you doing out so late at night- Ah! Why isn't it the rumored wife!" the old woman sing sang.
"Uh, wha- who me?" I asked, pointing myself.
The woman scrambled to me and held both my hands in hers. She simply smiled and kissed my cheek. "Welcome to the family," she said," Here my love, your favorite! Enjoy them with your sweetheart!"
We walked out and waved goodbye to the woman.
"Are you surprised she knew," Jayden said," Though the journalists that came to our home are from Yurah, some of the family friends here watch me and my mom in our family business on TV. And the best way for them to see us is by ordering a private line of channels on Yurah. So, no one at school knows yet. Maybe not until it hits international news."
"So... you and your mom are big deal celebrities from Yurah..?" I asked as we walked closer to the mansion.
"Hmm.. I suppose you could say that. We are pretty famous, I guess."
"But how come I've never properly heard about this..?"
"Well, I was mostly studying in Yurah and its a very private country so not much news flows out from it, except its international matters like trade or famous films like Regia. Though, Regia is still a small profit, it might become pretty famous once it spreads internationally."
"I guess that makes sense why not many people know of Regia. It's because Regia is produced in a secluded country like Yurah. Hmm.. then how did I know about Regia or even come to watch it?" I asked.
"Hehe, because it was thanks to me!" chimed a familiar voice.
"Mom! You're here? Why are you here in the dark? I missed you so much!" I ran to her arms and hugged her tight.
"It's only been a week, silly. Come on in. We were starting to get worried why you guys hadn't arrived yet, but it seems you guys were just on a late night stroll?" Mom looked at Jayden.
"Ah, yes, but nevermind that. Isn't there something you wanted to show Julia," Jayden tried his best to brush off our absence.
"Right! Come, come!" Mom held my hand and slowly walked deeper into the pitch blackness of the house.
"Happy birthday to you-" the voices sang as Dad brought the cake closer for me to blow.
"Everyone's here," I smiled.
"Of course they are. Happy birthday honey," Mom said.
"I kinda thought you guys forgot. Cause you married your daughter off within one night and left her with a man!" I jokingly said and started to cry.
"What! Haha, we left you with a man we trust. Now blow out your candles! They'll melt all over the cake by the time you stop crying."
I blew at the candles and Sarah helped wipe my snot," Seventeen and you're still a baby. Oh, Julia."
"I can't help it," I sniffled and mumbled," You guys just left me y'know. It was so sudden and shocking y'know."
"If you missed us so much, you could've just come visit us," Sarah patted my head.
"But.. I couldn't. Mom said if I did, I'd probably never come back to be a 'wife'."
"Really? I think you'd definitely come back."
"Huh? What, really? Why?" I asked her.
"Because, you really do love this place," Sarah sighed.
"Hm???? What do you mean?" I asked.
"One day you'll get it," she said.
"Huh??? You've confused me. Is this one of your prophetic powers or something?" I joked.
"Alright, movie night!" Helian shouted.
"Pfttt.. Everynight is movie night," Sarah laughed.
"Yup, I mean if you guys wanna play games, I also brought the 360 TS console and gamechips!" Helian yelled out.
"I also have the Dawn of Monsters and other TS games if you guys want to play," Jayden announced.
"What. Bring em out, orange brain!" Helian jumps out to his room.
"Isn't it a little weird for a sister in law to go to her sister's husbands room?" I asked.
"What do you mean? It's also your room, so technically, it's a sister who is going into her married sister's room. Hm, I guess that kinda still sounds weird. Okay Julia, go with your sister to your guy's room. I'm not really worried about something happening between 'em, but Helian does tend to go overboard. You know how your sister is," Sarah says pushing me upstairs to the room.
Boom!
We both rushed to the room.
Helian laid horizonatally on top of Jayden's belly and Jayden was on his back holding up the boxes that almost toppled over them.
"Helian, you need to calm down when your in someone else's home." Sarah helped push back the boxes and pulled Helian up.
Helian didn't say anything and took the album of game chips downstairs.
"And you, you need to hurry up and deal with these boxes of yours. I'm not really sure what you put in them, but you gotta clear out some space and put away stuff. Boxes can be a safety hazard too you know," Sarah scolded.
"Sorry, I'll deal with them," Jayden said.
Did we miss something? Was the accident a little too awkward for them? They both seemed a little out of it that evening, but Helian returned to her feisty gamer self and Jayden stayed quiet for the rest of the night.
Bing pong!
Hm? Who could it be during this hour? I opened the door to see who rang the bell and Jayden followed behind.
"Ashton! What're you doing here?" I asked excitedly," I thought you were leaving back to Yurah last weekend?"
"We were, but then we didn't want to miss the opportunity to celebrate your birthday since we were already here," Ashton said as he pulled the hand behind him. Leah blushed and shoved a wrapped box into my arms.
"For you," she said," Happy birthday."
I just smiled and welcomed them in.
"Come on in!" I said," We already did the candles, but now we're eating and gaming."
Ashton picked up the other boxes next to him on the floor," We brought drinks, too! You're of age now. It's nothing much and it isn't that strong, so-"
"Let me help with that,"Jayden picked up the rest on the floor and we all headed to where everyone was.
"Lia! You promised you'd sit with us! Where are you?" Julian yelled out.
"One sec, I'll be there!" I yelled back to him.
I couldn't help but wonder what happened between Helian and Jayden during those few minutes upstairs alone together.
I found him in the kitchen. I slapped a bandaid on his neck.
"Gah! Hey!" He glared at me.
"You were bleeding dummy," I said as he felt his neck,"You probably got it from saving Helian."
"Thanks... and I'm sorry if my siblings become too much for you in the future."
"Don't be. Family is family. Conflict is natural. Whatever happens, happens. And no matter what does happen, nothing will change my feelings," he said.
My heart was panging with curiousity,"Just how.. can you be so sure-"
"Ready?" Ashton asked Jayden.
"Yeah, just finished putting the rest away."
After the party, everyone left home.
"Mama! Come see me soon again, okay?" I cried as she left.
Mom sighed," Yes, yes. Jayden please take care of her haha."
"I will," he answered.
"Thanks.." she pat my face then pulled my cheeks," and you can call me Mom too. We're family now."
Jayden blushed and bowed,"Ah, right. Have a safe night Mom, Dad."
Mom laughed," You have some rest too. I didn't expect you guys to drink so much tonight."
I was wobbly and fell to my knees, waving at Mom as she left to her car with Dad, each carrying a child on their back and in their arms.
My breathing was slightly heavy and my heart was still beating fast from the alcohol.
I felt warm, happy, and relaxed. I kinda remember this feeling during the house warming party.
The wall... it feels so nice and cool.
"Hey, go to bed dummy." I heard Jayden say.
I felt his cool embrace as my mind floated elsewhere.
-Jayden-
She's a little heavy. Was she this heavy last time? Ah geez, the alcohol is hitting me. I'm so tired. Thankfully Sarah and Marie cleaned up the kitchen for us. I thought everyone was going to sleep over, but after we showered and cleaned up for the night, they already packed up ready to leave.
And this kid... She really is a handful. She kept laughing and crying like last time.
But I'm glad... this isn't a dream.
She really is here with me now.
I'm so happy.
"C'mere boy. Where's Mom?" the man said.
Ah... I'm so sick of this. Seeing his prickly unshaved face and hearing his half serious voice.
It was always difficult to tell if he was joking or if he was serious.
"I guess, it's going to be another long night with just you and me, Arron." the man enhaled the smokey mist and chuckled.
My body tightened in the icy corner. It had been about a few weeks since Mom left on her business trip. This man had been coming by every day, waiting for 'Mom' to show up.
"But I...my name isn't Arron" I whispered under my breath as snot and tears ran down my face.
"Jayden, what's wrong?" her warm voice woke me.
"Agh! My head..." I gasped and massaged the sides of my head.
"Jayden... I know I don't really know you or remember anything of the past, but... I've noticed you know. You.. cry almost every night. If it would help.. would you tell me what's wrong?" Julia asked me.
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