Falling For A Man Of The City

THIRTY-TWO

In all I did, I aimed to implement the lessons my parents taught me.

They were the kind of people who believed that being genuine was best over blindly following the ways of the world. My mother in particular took care of the flowers blooming in my mind by telling me within my skin was gold and that I give parts of who I was to those who earned it.

I had been apprehensive from the time I stepped on Nicky's plane already trying to conjure up excuses to avoid leaving. Truth was I was afraid my parents would be disappointed. However, I had to do it, I owed them that much to tell them they'd be grandparents.

When I caught sight of my father waiting for me once I landed I was excited to be back to the very place my life began. As we caught up in the car ride I couldn't help keeping my eyes glued on the buildings from which I gained the first real peek of life.

It was when the car entered the driveway that I grew nervous once again. I had done my best to appear normal to my father who happily chattered off telling me about his business. He even told me about his plans to take my mother on a cruise for their wedding anniversary. They had already been together for thirty years. Though their marriage wasn't perfect I truly hoped Nicky and I would get to that point in our relationship.

At the thought I placed a gentle hand discreetly on my belly hidden by the sweater as the door to my childhood home opened only to be bombarded with the smell of fried chicken wafting towards me. It caused my tongue to lick my lips in anticipation.

"I hope you bought your appetite," my father joked walking up the stairs to place my luggage in my old room.

As he moved away I couldn't help but think, "Yep my kid and I certainly did."

Scurrying off to the kitchen I found my mother moving around dancing to the song on the radio. For a second I was transported to a time when I was a little girl watching her in awe of the beauty that oozed out of her. I was truly convinced she was a manifestation of the princesses I read in books.

It was when I felt my hands being grabbed that I snapped out of my daydream to see her smiling up at me bumping my hips with hers in time with the beat. Giggling I joined her swaying to the song making exaggerated facial expressions that made her chuckle. It was always entertaining being my mother's assistant in the kitchen that often ended in us singing to the music. Such that it was a miracle the meals were ever completed in adequate time with how goofy we both were.

"It always makes me happy seeing my girls like this," beamed my father who stood by the entrance that led to the dining room. The smile he wore prompted one of my own as I went up to give him a hug.

"Don't get all mushy on me," I teased.

"If your father had it his way you'd remain a little girl forever, I swear," my mother stated grabbing the chicken she had prepared and walked past us to place it on the table.

I followed suit turning a deaf ear to his excuses to justify me needing to remain a child and helped her set up the table where we settled to dig in to the meal. I chuckled under my breath when I noticed my mother smack my father's hand away when he tried to reach for the wine only to pour a glass of water for him.

He frowned, the expression evoking no pity from my mother who was set on keeping him healthy.

"As you can see your father is still as stubborn as ever," she huffed talking directly to me.

"I hope for your sake Nicholas is more conscious of his health," she continued making me laugh. Although he kept himself in shape Nicky never missed an opportunity to consume a good steak nor pass up the chance to appreciate a sip of hard liquor every now and then. I had been lenient on his cigar habit but fortunately he hardly smoked it in front of me.