𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧

42. Homecoming

Thursday/November 26, 1992/Hilton Head Island, SC

Something pulled me out of the dream, possibly the cold air rushing out of the car vents. It wasn't even a smoldering day in South Carolina. The air felt perfect when I stepped off the jet so I don't know why this driver had the A.C. on HI. But I decided not to complain because if I did, Prince would've probably made the guy pull over so he could kick him out and take over the wheel. So I stayed put, both legs thrown over my Gemini's lap and just cuddled up to him tighter.

The ride from the Hilton Head Island Airport to my family's home was only 15 minutes or so I was told, yet I was just waking up from a 30-minute snooze. Prince had me waiting in the car for some time after we landed. He stayed back on the plane to reprimand the pilot about God knows what.

There had been a lot of that lately...people getting yelled at, dismissed and all the fiery stuff in between. It was the label; it was Ada moving on; it was the trespassing fly in our bedroom. Every little thing ticked him off. So now not only did I have to deal with my mother calling me every other hour but I had become his staff's middleman, like I was some magical telephone. Call up Aívy. It'll sound better coming out of her mouth.

"How much longer?" I asked the guy up front.

"About three minutes."

Three minutes wasn't enough time. I still wasn't ready for this. "Can we get lost?"

He laughed.

"I'm serious. For like 10 minutes."

"If you say so." The car made the next left.

Brushing my fingertips against Prince's beard, I sat up a little to examine if he was just resting his eyes or knocked out. It was an easy read though with the way his brows tightened. "Babe?"

"Hm?"

"Why you frowning like that?" I laughed, tapping his forehead to smooth out the wrinkles. "Cheer up, Charlie. We can't both be dreading this."

He looked at me. "Baby, if you're dreading it then why are we here?"

"I put it off long enough."

It was just a few weeks ago that I met my parents and sister. After running off from the hotel, I called and spoke with my mother later that night. I was honest and said I wasn't ready to go to South Carolina to meet everyone else. I just wanted to get to know them a little more first. So I had been spending time with her and Aleia mostly.

Though I've never said it out loud, I think I loved them. But the idea that they were my flesh and blood hadn't really sunk in yet. And when I say "them" I strictly mean my mother and sister. Getting comfortable with Clyde was an obstacle. The awkwardness was mutual though. He skipped out on a lot of outings.

They told me our family was huge and that they were all planning to meet me in South Carolina when I was ready. "But they're growing impatient, Amira," my mother said. "They've been praying a long time for this."

Ten minutes was winding down fast. "Two minutes," the driver warned back on track.

Pressing my cheek on the seat, I fell into one of those long gazes with Prince, the kind you see in musicals before the lovers break out into song. "So much for running off to Mars."

Smiling, the back of his hand caressed my cold cheek. "Someday."

"Somewhere," I replied in a whisper, head falling away dramatically.