Forever and Ever

FIVE-5-FIVE

"Riley! Get your butt down here! We have guests!"

"Coming coming!" I yelled back through the door. I get that they were old friends of his but seriously, did he have to embarrass me in front of them like that?

45 minutes ago...
"Ding dong bell, ding dong bell," The doorbell rang repeatedly as I struggled to zip up my dress.

"Riley get the door,"Dad called from the kitchen.

"I'm trying to!" I gritted my teeth in frustration. Seven years of not exercising really had its ups and downs. Wait, there were no 'ups', only 'downs' and one of them was not being able to fit into my mother's dress.

"How the heck did she fit in this? This is like a size 1?" I muttered to myself as I tried to pull up the zip.

"Ding dong bell, ding dong bell..."Arghhh!! Would it hurt for our guests to be a little more patient? And dad should have never bought the 'buy 1 get 1 free' nursery package from the 'I<3Babies' store, the nursery rhyming doorbells are starting to get on my nerves. Frankly, if I had to choose between this or the 'Hokey Pokey', I 'd rather choose this.

"Riley, how many times must I tell you to answer the door?" My father asked, storming out of the kitchen to open the door to let our guests in. As he was about to turn the knob to let them in, I cried out.

"Dad! Wait, you have to help me first!"

"What is more important then welcoming out guests? I don't have time for this, we don't have-"

"Dad, just help me zip this thing up!" I cried out desperately as the ringing of the doorbell turned into knocking.

"Alright alright, I must say, I didn't think you would fit into this." He said as he helped me zip up the back of the dress.

"Gee thanks dad," I grumbled. He ignored my remark and opened the door.

"Smile," he whispered before smiling at our guests himself. "Gregory! Great to see you! How have you been old pal?" He asked, patting his friend on the back.

"I've been great Johnny, my son's still at the car getting some stuff done so he'll be here any moment. Now what news do you have for me?" He turned to look at me and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, she's gorgeous but don't you think she's a little young? I mean Grace would be livid if she-" he abruptly stopped when my dad placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"This is my daughter Riley. Riley this is Uncle Greg remember? Gregory, this is my daughter Riley."

"I'm sorry what?" Was the reply I got. "Is this some joke Johnny? Riley is in a coma, I don't-" "It's not a joke, it's a miracle." My father replied, giving me a side hug.

Dad's friend slowly turned his head towards me, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"Holy moly, Riley? Are you really Riley Mason?" He asked. I almost wanted to slap him from acting so stupid; I mean have you never seen a person who was in a coma for seven years suddenly wake up perfectly fine except with a slight case of retrograde amnesia?

"Yes Uncle Greg, it's me, Riley," I replied sweetly while politely curtsying.

"This is great! We should call the others!" Uncle Greg excitedly said," TYLER! COME ON QUICK!" He shouted out the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." A boy said as he walked into the house. "Just clearing up some stuff. Oh hey uncle Johnny, have you lost some weight?" He casually greeted my father and poked him in the belly.

"Gregory, your son definitely takes after you. Guess the saying: like father like son really applies here. How you doing Tyler?" My father chuckles.