Five Years Later

10 | A familiar embrace

🎞2027 🎞

"Aubree, wait let me help you with that." I heard Calvin saying right behind me while I was at the counter picking up my order after my name was called by one of the employees.

"Thank you, Calvin, you are so nice." I thanked him, handing them one of the drink's trays and one of the food bags.

"No problem, I like to help, Aubree." Calvin told me, taking the bag and tray from my hands. "While growing up my mother always taught my sister and I to be nice to anyone that came into our lives."

I picked up the remaining drink tray and the bag from the counter. "Thank you, have a great day." I thanked the worker, showing her a small smile which she returned before Calvin and I started to walk away from the counter heading towards the exit.

"Calvin, you must know how amazing your mother is." I said, starting a new conservation with Calvin as we were greeted by the sunlight.

"Yeah, I know, I am so grateful that my sister and I have a mother just like her." Calvin spoke as I spotted a wide smile appearing on his lips. "Where is your car, Aubree?"

"Back in high school, I remember every time I would come over your mother didn't fail to treat me like a second daughter and thanks for that I never felt left out." I shared my experience with his mom. "My car is over there, please follow me." I answered his question, started making my way towards my car.

"Aubree, please lead the way!" I heard Calvin saying behind me, soon after I heard the found of his footsteps once again.

After I had reached my car, I placed the drink tray and food bag on the roof of my car. I reached into my purse, getting my car's keys and I unlocked my car by clicking on my key remote.

Calvin placed the drink tray and the food bag on the roof of my car next to the other ones. "My mother treated you like that back then because she loved you and cared about you. I know my mother would be super happy to see you again when you are ready to do so."

"I will let you know when I feel ready to see your family again." I told him as I opened the driver's door and began placing the first set of drinks on the cup holders in the center console.

"Take the time you need, there is no rush." Calvin said, handing me the food bags.

"Thank you for respecting my feelings and my boundaries." I told him, taking the food bags from his hands and I placed them on the passenger seat."

There is a part of me that is glad to see that Calvin being away from here to study in the university of his dreams didn't change about who is and his personality. Being in the same vicinity as him brought back the feeling of a safe and familiar embrace that only came from Calvin, is still the same at the time we were dating and the time we are no longer currently dating. During the time we were dating in high school, Calvin did treat me with love, care and respect.

The way I was treated by him made me feel loved, every girl in the world deserves to be treated the same way that Calvin made me feel. I know that I was lucky to find a boy who treated me like I deserved for a short period of time. Unfortunately, forever there is going to be part of me that will grieve not being able to experience or see what it would be to have a long distance relationship with the boy who used to be my first love.

"Yeah, of course, you're welcome." Calvin told me as I closed the driver's door.

"Do you still know how to get to my mother's bookstore?" I asked him, changing the topic of conservation as I lean my back against my car.

"Yeah, I still remember how to get to your mother's bookstore." He answered my question, standing next to me.

"Okay, that's good. Calvin, can you take the second tray of drinks with you? I don't have enough cup holders for all of them." I asked him, pointing at the second set of drinks on the roof of my car.

"I don't mind at all, I will be happy to help in any way that I can." Calvin answered my question, reaching for the second drink tray from the roof of my car.

"Calvin, I will see you at my mother's bookstore." I told him, reopening the driver's door.

"See you soon, Aubree." Those were Calvin's words before he walked in direction to his car.

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For the millionth time, I looked at the rear view mirror checking to see if Calvin was still behind me. I turned on the right blinker, turned right onto a familiar street. I entered the parking lot, seeing my mother's bookstore meters away from me. It didn't take me a long time to find an empty parking spot near the entrance. I parked my car, turned off my car, retrieved my car's keys from the ignition and hopped down from my car.

I transferred the drinks from the cup holders into the drink tray then I placed the drink tray on the roof of my car. I reached for my purse and the food bags on the passenger's seat. I adjusted my purse over my shoulder, then I closed the driver's door and I locked my car.

That's when I noticed how Calvin had parked his car beside mine and he had already gotten down from his car. He was standing near my car, holding the drinks tray I gave him earlier.

"Ready to go inside, Calvin?" I asked him, placing my car's keys inside of my purse.

"Yes, I am, Aubree." Calvin asked my question, showing me a quick smile.

"Great, let's go." I said, turning around then began walking to the entrance of my mother's bookstore. In a matter of seconds, Calvin had already caught up to my speed.

I pushed open one of the doors with my left hand, I headed inside of the bookstore and I didn't close the door until Calvin had walked inside.

"Thank you, Aubree." Calvin thanked me, not walking further into the bookstore and began taking in our surroundings.

"You're welcome, Calvin." I said, smiling once I saw my mother standing behind the front counter writing something on her notebook.

I was still smiling, I walked towards my mother and said. "Hey mom, look who is here with me."

I saw my mother looking up from her notebook when she heard my voice, her eyes landed on Calvin and I. "Hey honey." My mother greeted me, smiling brightly. "Calvin Greyson, my daughter had mentioned that you were back in California."

"Hello Mrs. Emerson, yes I am back, I am going to be here permanently." Calvin greeted my mother, joining our conversation, he was standing right beside me.

"Mom, here are the drinks and the food you had requested for yourself and the employees." I spoke, setting down the drinks tray and the food bags down on the counter next to her notebook.

"Thank you, honey coming from myself and my employees." My mother thanked me, before she looked at Calvin. "Welcome back to California, Calvin. Your parents must be so happy to have you back."

"Thank you for welcoming me back home, Mrs. Emerson. My whole family is so excited that I have moved here after graduating from university." Calvin told my mother, setting down the drink tray next to the other one.

"Please, can you tell your family that I say hi?" My mother asked him as she picked up one of the drinks from the counter. "It was nice having a quick chat with you Calvin. I should get these drinks delivered to my employees before they aren't cold anymore."

"It was lovely seeing you again and talking to you, Mrs. Emerson. I will pass on the greeting to my family, they will be glad to have heard from you." Calvin said to my mother before she walked away and disappeared further into the store.

"Calvin, would like a new tour of my mother's bookstore?"

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Present Aubree and Calvin had their first conversation that was needed.