Love, me.

Apart

Rae

Buckling my safety belt, I leaned back on the headrest as I gazed out of the window, knowing that George would be on her way to the carpark after bidding me farewell at the departure gates. It was harder for me to go home and be apart from her, and I wished she could have made this trip home with me, but sadly she had to sit for an exam as part of her training. Barely a year ago I had hardly known her, and all I could do was admire her secretly as I had a boyfriend myself, and she seemed like she could not care much for socialising. Now I knew that it was because she had just come out of a controlling relationship and was not in a rush to get into another.

Flashbacks of her staring at me from between my legs as she pleasured me with her tongue and fingers on the night we celebrated my birthday was enough to make me squirm in my seat as I tried to focus on something else apart from that. Eyeing the bracelet she gave me for my birthday, I felt warmth settling in my heart, knowing that G + R was engraved on it. At least a part of her was coming along with me, I thought gladly, as I felt myself drifting off to sleep.

A hard bump woke me up as I realised that the plane had touched down. Despite the sadness I felt when George and I parted, I could not wait to see my twin nieces again. I felt a vibration in my pocket and saw a text from George, which immediately drew a smile on my face.

Welcome home my love, have a great time with your family and I'm hoping to join you for your next trip back home x

"Raquel!" A screech brought me out of my daydream as I left the arrival gates, as I felt two tiny bodies cling onto my legs. I felt my heart skip as I saw how much Gabi and Marti had grown in barely three months. This is why I needed to come home, I could not bear to miss their growing years as they are only young once. The thought filled me with dread but before I could start to spiral, my sister pulled me into a hug as I felt a sense of home and familiarity wash through me.

The journey back to my family home was filled with incessant chatter and bickering from the twins at the backseat as Sandra and I tried to catch up on everything that we missed since Christmas.

"How did she take it?" Sandra asked tentatively, while I told her about how George had accidentally found out about my plans to come back home for good before I could discuss it with her.

"It's not great, we haven't really spoken about it." I sighed as I looked out at the familiar landscape we zoomed past. Motherhood has not slowed my sister down, or so it seems as she blared her horn in annoyance at the driver who squeezed in between her and the car that was in front of her.

"You should really speak about it to her so you can plan your futures together. You can't just ignore it forever you know." Sandra chided me lightly.

I nodded impatiently as my childhood home came into view, and I saw my parents waiting my the porch.

"Mama, Papi!" My heart filled with longing as I saw them looking slightly older than the last time I saw them, heck, I could even see the start of the silver haired era on my parents!

After I settled into my childhood room, I video called George and we chatted till I had to join my parents for dinner. It felt great to see her and hear her voice again as I spied her on the hospital corridor before heading into the unit. Wishing her luck for her round of nights, we hung up and I went into the dining room to join my family for dinner.

I stopped in my tracks as a familiar figure came into my line of vision.

"Erik?" I stammered. He was definitely the last person I had wanted to see, especially now.

He broke out into a tentative smile as he walked towards me, pulling me into a hug I once felt familiar in, but now so foreign. After what felt like an awkward period of time, we parted as I looked at him questioningly, wondering what he was doing at my parents'.

"Your parents invited me." He shrugged sheepishly; it was as if he read my mind.

"How have you been?" I asked, studying his face. He looked different, but I could not tell what has changed.

We caught up, filling in each other on what we had been doing since we last saw each other which felt like the old times again, before we were a couple. We skirted the topic of how we ended things between us, keeping it light and friendly.

Very soon, we gathered around the family and had dinner together just like the old times, which felt a little strange as I had someone else I desperately wished was here with me. And yet, here was Erik, who slipped right back into something that felt so familiar, yet something had changed within him.

Not long after, we bade farewell to Erik as he thanked my parents for the invitation which my parents waved off and instructed him to join us for another dinner by the cider house for the weekend. My heart dropped with the thought of having to spend another dinner with him.

"Mama, Papi. Do you have a moment?" I asked, hoping to tell them that I actually have someone else I loved.

"What is it cariña?"

"I broke up with Erik last year..." I started, wanting to tell them about George.

"We know, but you need to fix it. He's a good man and he's great for you." My father cut me off, a little perturbed as he spoke.

"But Papi, we don't fit well together, we are better off as friends." I argued, annoyed that my father could not see that we had no romantic feelings for each other.

"Nonsense, he's a great man and he's good enough for my daughter." With that, he waved me away, whilst my mum looked at me wistfully.

"Honey, you need to do what's right for you. Ignore your Papi if you feel that this is not for you. I just want you to be happy." My mum consoled me seeing how upset I was.

Not being able to tell my parents about George upset me, and I had not wanted to do it over the phone, and hoped to be able to do it when I got home this time around. Seems like it is going to be a tough one, if my father continues being hardheaded like he was tonight.