Holding On to Silence Until; You Came Along

23 | Wedding Eve

"I won't be able to, I know what I'm capable of and what not." Emily whined from beside me.

"No harm in trying, Emily." Ryan forced himself to call her Emily as his father was watching. "Watch me and Hanna." He turned to look at his sister standing some 20 feet away from him. "You ready, sis?"

"Yeah, are you?" She asked, he gave her a thumbs up and turned his back to her opening his arms wide.

She came running towards him and jumped up with her hands on his shoulders. She clung to his back and it looked so adorable.

Why did this remind me of Koalas? They don't carry their babies on their backs, do they? Can an Opossum be a good example? Or maybe the giant Anteater? Good, but not cute, so I'll stick with the Koala thing even though it's not an appropriate example.

"Come on Emma, see how easily Han did it." I called out.

"She's an athlete and so is her brother! Though you're one, I'm not!" She exclaimed, pointing the obvious.

"It's enough that I'm one. Come on, I've got you." I assured.

"All right, but I cannot jump like how she did, so you go sit on the bed and I climb on your back, sounds good?"

"Sounds good, but boring. There's no fun in that!" I complained.

"Then I'm not doing that," She said, crossing her arms over her chest making all of us laugh.

This morning after breakfast Han and Ryan got into their usual bickering and she began chasing him all around the dining room. Then she'd pounced on him from the back like how she'd on me when I was trying to convince her to act in that play on the Christmas Eve.

Dad, who was laughing as usual on seeing his children teasing each other had commented something about wanting to have a picture of Han on Ryan's back and my best friend had this ingenious idea of fulfilling his father's wish by dragging me and Emily into the frame.

"Fine," I got inside the room with Emily and walked out with her on my back.

"Let's get to the backyard," Hanna suggested.

We all got to their backyard and posed for the picture as dad clicked it. Hanna had bent to her side, kissing Ryan's cheek and ruffling his hair with her left hand. While all Emily did was to make sure she doesn't fall while trying to pose.

"You should really ease up, Emily." Ryan teased his girlfriend.

"I've got an idea." Hanna smiled at Emily. "Ryan, move close to them." Ryan moved towards us as I walked us to them. "Emma, wrap your arm around my shoulders." Emily draped her right arm around Hanna and I think Hanna's left went to rest on Emily's waist. "There, now rest your chin over your brother's head and say cheese!"

"CHEEEESE!" I and Ryan locked arms and we all yelled as dad clicked another picture.

The girls got off of our backs and we stretched to relax our muscles.

"I wasn't that heavy now, brother." Emily said. Hanna laughed at that. "What? I'm not heavy," She repeated.

"It's not about your weight Emma, trust me. It's important to stretch after you stay in a position for longer than usual, or keep lifting something for a long time." Hanna said, then added. "Muscle strain is horrible, believe me."

"Oh," Emily blinked at the information.

Clearly not an athlete, or someone who works out. I couldn't help, but snort at her reaction. My cousin narrowed her eyes at me causing me to raise my hands beside me in surrender.

After the photoshoot we went to our rooms and decided studying for a while. We were on study holidays as our exams were scheduled on the first week of March, which is next month. It was too much of a work managing studies and wedding preparations, especially for Hanna. But the girl never complained.