In Another Life

1 - "Tell the World I'm Coming Home"

1 - "Tell the World I'm Coming Home"

The taxi braked rather dangerously as its passenger motioned for him to stop and the driver threw an apologetic glance back before jumping out to help with the bags.

Ava jumped out of the back seat and slung her backpack onto her shoulder. She was almost vibrating with excitement and couldn't wait to surprise her family, the feeling of excitement almost bubbling out of her. She passed a few bills over to her driver who nodded in thanks before speeding off. She was sure some road rules were being broken but she was too happy to care.

The sound of shouts and complaints reached her ears as she pushed the front gate open and she grinned on hearing her brother's voice.

"Ma said you should pack the car and I must get Aaron ready!" That would be Andrés, his voice cracking in the most embarrassing way at the ripe age of thirteen, whining as per usual.

"Why would Ma tell you to get Aaron ready? You'll only make him cry. Just go pack the car." There was another round of shouting as Fox, two years younger than her eighteen, stormed passed the hallway without even seeing her.

She would have been offended but in a house of five kids, one got used to being ignored at times. She pulled her luggage into the hallway and to the side before someone tripped on it and began rummaging in her bag for her charger. Her battery was about to die and she could not have that. She was in the middle of an important game of Candy Crush.

"Avaaaaa!" Something, or rather someone, slammed into her legs and her face split into a grin as she bent to pick her little brother up. Aaron's chubby cheeks split into a wide smile and his baby blue eyes sparkled with happiness. "Ava, Ava, why you didn't tell me you was coming? I was waiting and waiting!'

She smothered his face in kisses, making him giggle when she blew a raspberry into his sweet baby-scented neck before she adjusted his hearing aid that she'd joggled in her enthusiastic greeting. "Liar. You didn't even know I was coming."

Aaron's shout had drawn the household and Ava was hugged around the waist as the others joined them. She bent down to hug her sister, Isabella's eyes wide and joyful as she hugged her tighter, her curly hair jiggling as she jumped up to get her arms around Ava's neck, and waved over her small shoulder to her mum who was standing and watching with suspiciously wet eyes.

"Mi tesoro, why didn't you tell us you were coming? We would have picked you up from the airport."

Ava let go of her siblings and walked into her mother's arms, tears gathering in her own eyes at happiness filling her chest. "I wanted to surprise you guys."

Her mother laughed wetly. "Consider me surprised," she said, hugging her daughter tighter before lifting her head and shouting, "Andrés, I said you pack the car and Fox must change Aaron! Lord help me, you children never learn."

She began muttering in Spanish about disobedient children before remembering who was in front of her. She squeezed Ava's hand. "I'm glad you're already packed because we're leaving for your Uncle Frank's now and we're just getting ready to go."

Just then, her father walked into the hallway and on seeing the commotion, his face broke out into a big grin. "Mi Ava, de donde vienes? You just appeared out of nowhere. Come and give your Papa a hug."

Ava ran into her father's arms, his hug enveloping her before he dropped a kiss onto her forehead. Then he too turned and yelled, "We're leaving in five minutes! Whoever is not in the car, is staying behind." She was going to lose her hearing at this rate.

Andrés ran passed, waving hurriedly at her as their father shouted, "Vamos, vamos, vamos!"

Forty minutes, a bursting trunk and a toddler's excited shriek later, the Espín minivan finally reversed out of their driveway, Jordi Espín reigning her temper in as the requests for snacks already started.

* * *

Ava: You didn't tell me my family's coming to visit. I walked in to a war zone, nothing new, and didn't even get to truly surprise everyone :(

Ava sent a text to Mak and waited for her reply as she adjusted Aaron's car seat, pushing it so it stopped digging into her hip and allowed her to lean against it should she want to sleep.

A text popped up and she flicked it open, grinning at the GIF before reading the text.

Mak: I dint know if you'd make it home by then. I think? Did you send me your ticket? Plus, Mum only told me this morning. Gonna b a full house this weekend. Eep.

Ava: You suck. Worst friend ever. No sadness for my flopped surprise. Only worried about yourself.

She sent her own GIF before switching her phone off and getting comfortable. Car naps were the actual best and she needed her sleep. Knowing Mak, the two of them would be up until four, drinking hot chocolate and catching up on stories as if they hadn't been texting non-stop throughout her trip.

She closed her eyes and thought of the gap year she'd taken after school. Her parents had almost died of shock but she'd saved enough money for a plane ticket and cheap accommodation and the rest she'd worked for as she'd moved through the countries.

Her best friend, Nina, had joined her for the summer before leaving for college but by then she'd met a few good people, two of whom had joined her after Nina had left. It had been the best year of her life and she didn't regret it for a single second. She'd made some money off her unique video blogs, enough to get her through her travels, enough to save up for a year of college and enough to take her home. Okay, so maybe more than some. Who was counting?

When she'd decided it was time to come home, she didn't think to tell her parents. They'd been worried for so long, she just thought to surprise them. And of course, that hadn't been the best idea. It would have been horrifying to come home and find the house locked and empty but luck had been on her side for this too and here she was, on the way to her godfather and happy to be home.