Nervous!
I never thought the day would come where I would see Dad so out of it; his sweaty hands kept clenching on the steering wheels. Not that I blamed him; I was freaking out too. You ever get that feeling where you seriously need to go? , Like if you don't, you'd pee your pants, but you can't because you're on the front line with two people ahead of you trying to order their food at McDonald's. So it's either patient or release.
It's been 6 years since we last saw mom. After the divorce, she went off to pursue her dreams. It was super hard because she left when I was just so young. And no, I know you're thinking—she's a bad mother, but she's totally the opposite. She contributed greatly to my education, feeding, and everything that had to do with my well-being. Of course, Dad was there too, doing his best.
Mom had become so famous after her first hit in the music industry after 3 years, she switched into real estate, and now she's one of those multimillionaires.
"Would you stop gulping like Momo." My elder brother scolded me. Momo was actually our golden fish back home; he always gulped like he was drinking water or something.
"Let me be James; it's not like it's your first time seeing mom."
"I wasn't peeing my pants out; you look like you're about to jump a cliff." He snorted with laughter.
"Hey, knock it off. Stop taunting your sister. Be nice, James."
"Sure, Dad, whatever you say." James responded with a sigh before looking outside the window.
I know it's been hard for James; he could put on an act or two, but he's not fooling me; he's been struggling, he misses mom just as I do. Two years ago, I recalled, he went to visit mom, came back all sad and gloomy,he said he had a great time, but he never understood why Dad divorced mom, and after that, he just changed. He was no longer the happy, bright Jamie I used to know.
I sighed, stressed by the whole situation.
"Dad?."
"Yes, my melody." He never calls me by my actual name; it's always Melody or my baby girl. It makes me happy most times.
"Would you ever get back with mom? I know you miss her just like we do."
Dad was always so calculative and calm; you rarely saw his mask crack, but I knew my question did something to him because he actually looked hurt.
"Melody, it's not that simple; yes, I miss your mom so much, but..."
"Yeah, excuses, Dad, if you wanted to get back with her, you'd have a long time ago" James fires back as he lazily traces patterns on the Windows screen.
"Dad, James is right. We need Mom. You need mom, so what's keeping you from bringing her home?."
We never really talked about mom and dad's separation that much since it's always a painful topic, and I wonder why mom never really mentioned it though? Sometimes I wonder if she never wanted to come back; as far as I know, Dad still loved Mom. We won't be on this road trip going to visit her as soon as she asks us to.
It was silent throughout the drives till we got to mom's house. You would think that since she was a millionaire she'd be living like one, but the house was nothing like that; instead, it had a homey look attached to it, just like a two-story building like ours back home. Just then the door opened, revealing the most beautiful person in the world.
"Mommy!." I jumped on her so excitedly that you wouldn't have believed I was sad awhile ago.
"Oh my goodness, Lily, you're so big." Mom wrapped her hand around me so tightly in a motherly way.
"I thought I would never see you again." The tears just came running; I couldn't stop them even if I wanted to.
"Nonsense, I would have booked the first flight tomorrow if you guys didn't show up." Mom's tears were running like an ocean as she kissed every part of my face.
"I m-missed you so m-much, mommy; why didn't you come to see me?" I was a sobbing mess, and I could feel James hugging me. Funny, if I wasn't crying my eyes out, I'd laugh so much till I fainted... James was crying so much that he looked more like Momo when we didn't give him his meals on time.
"I would have come if it was that easy, my melody; I never abandoned you, I promise."
And there was Dad standing, tears rolling down his face, with a very guilty look on his face. After we had finished crying and hugging, it wasn't like it was enough because James was going through another phase of tears. I won't blame him; we had stayed so long apart from mom that it felt like it was a dream holding her right now.
"Hey Andrew."
"Hey Leah."
"It's been awhile, right? How has it been?, You know, you and the kids."
"It's been crazy if I'm being honest with you; trying to tame James' down wasn't so ideal, and Lily, she takes after you so much that it's hard not to think of y-you." Only in my next life would I have thought I would ever see Dad stutter; he looks so nervous and pale; it's like Mom broke into his mask so easily.
"So you thought of me, why?" Mom had that black widow kind of smirk on her lips.
If I was shocked at James' reaction when he hugged Mom, then I'm out of my mind riding a pony to Jupiter watching this. It was like seeing the younger version of Mom and Dad.
"I am so sorry. Leah, I know I have been selfish and a coward. I let you and the kids suffer from my ego, and I am deeply sorry. But just know that there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't miss you. I miss you so much. I know this is too much to ask, but please come home."
"And why should I, Andrew?" Hitches of breath echoed at the same time.
"You don't have to; I know I messed up, and it took Lily and Jame's words to see that after six long years, I shouldn't."
"The wedding cake should be bigger than the last one."
"Have you shown my face? Wait, wedding cake!?"
"Andrew, I'm coming back home."
I thought I was done crying. I was on an emotional rollercoaster, releasing the air I never knew I was holding. If I was a crying mess, James was 10 times worse than I was as he rushed to embrace Mom and Dad together. Suddenly, I felt like the weight on my chest was gone. I felt less frightened as I was hugged by both Mom and Dad. I felt like everything I thought was missing was in place right now.
"I missed you so much." Dad said, but his eyes were doing most of the talking emotionally.
"And I missed you, Andy, more than you could imagine." Mom pressed a kiss on Dad's lips.
"Ewwww!!!" I and James shouted in unison. Mom's laughter was so soft and contagious that we all started to laugh.
"Common, you guys, it's getting dark; let's get inside, and let me get you something to eat, okay?"
"Yes, and plan a damn wedding!" James shouted so loudly that I thought my ears had moved on without me. But I couldn't complain because, for the first time in a long time, Dad wore no mask. His eyes had so many emotions, but mostly I recognized happiness. And James was back to being bright and loud, not sarcastic. While Mom wore the most beautiful smile.
And I knew that I wouldn't go back to those days of missing her. Never
