Breaking All the Rules

Four

In her pink cashmere sweater and black leather pants, Mum was really hard to miss. Unlike the rest of the desperate crowd, she was not pushing towards the barrier of the arrivals lounge or waving a placard crazily to get anyone's attention. She was just standing there with her handbag clutched under her arm, a confident smile hanging loosely on her pretty face as she stared towards the arrivals expectantly.

I pulled my sunshades over my blonde curls to get a better view of her. I could not have been standing there for more than five seconds when her golden eyes slowly drifted to mine.

"Jordan!" She yelled excitedly, gesticulating for me to come over.

I smiled, pulling my traveling bag behind me as I advanced towards her, walking into her outstretched arms.

"Is it really you, baby? You look like one of those movie stars or something. How long has it been, uh?" Mum asked all in one breath, pulling me into another embrace.

"Mum." It was all I could do not to cry on her shoulders. Even though she was standing right before me, I still found myself missing Mum so much. I had almost forgotten how nice it felt to be held by her.

"What now? No talk about how much you missed me?" She asked in mock disappointment and then sighing, "I guess you are all grown up now, then."

I smiled at her joke as we made our way out through the revolving doors of the local airport.

"Your hair looks so blond, Jordan... you had it dyed?" Mum asked, twirling locks of my hair between her fingers.

"Does it?" I asked, stalling. I could not exactly tell Mum that the last time I had been in a salon was three months ago now, could I? Even Nicole would throw tantrums if she knew.

"Where's Dad? In the car?"

"You know your father..." Mum shrugged. "The men are holding him down at JESS'"

"You mean he let you drive all the way here on your own, Mum?" I asked, my eyes widening in horror. Mum really sucked at driving.

"No. I've still not passed my driving test" She took my arm. "Come, Greg is waiting in the car."

"Greg? Why is he here?" I nudged Mum, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. I mean, I had been okay chatting with him on phone but the thought of seeing him in person after such a long time again was giving me this weird vibe.

"Oh, be nice to him, Jordan." Mum muttered under her breath. "I told him I was going to meet you at the airport and he volunteered to drive my car."

"I am always nice to him,Mum." I tried not to sound overly dramatic as she led the way towards the parking lot. The sight of Mum's blue sedan made me giggle. It looked as beat-up as I remembered. "Mum, you did not fix your car after all this time?"

She shrugged guiltily, "I don't really use it anymore."

Greg tooted the horn to signal for us to wait where we were standing. He brought the car over to meet us.

"Greg." I said, forcing a smile, as he stepped out of the sedan to take my luggage.

"Jordan." He said, his face split by a grin. That grin again! Although I must admit, something seemed maturer about his grin now. It was not a 'I-have-a-crush-on-you, Nicole' grin, it seemed more impenetrable, like you could not really read the feeling behind it. "You look amazing!"

I  smiled, baring my teeth this time. Amazing? I was thinking of how Nicole would have rolled her eyes if she had heard him. I thought of saying "You too" but that would have sounded encouraging. "Thanks."