31 Days with Ross

Day 10

Day 10 (Grace's POV)

It was hard to believe that the four days of staying here at Ross's ancestral house has come to a close. I've experienced a lot of things here that I get to keep for a long time. I looked at the view coming from the terrace and it somehow brought peace to me. I may have missed my parents a lot these last couple of days but Ross's made me feel like I was welcome. Just when I was about to get back inside, Ross was leaning the door frame leading to the house with his arms and crossed. He was smiling at me as I approached him.

"Loving what you see?" he asked cheekily. I just raised a brow at him and shook my head.

"A couple of seconds ago I was enjoying myself but now, I don't know what to say." I chuckled as I attempted to get past him by the door frame.He pulled me near him with his arm around my shoulder as he stood straight and looked at the green mountains from afar with the pond reflecting the hues of green and blue continued to flow. 

"Thanks for bringing me out here. It was quite an experience" I whispered as my gaze continued to wander at the scenery before us.

"I actually hoped that you would say that. They're hoping to see you again here with me soon."

I was happy to have known Ross's family. They welcomed me with open arms and they even treated me like their own. We stayed like that not til a voice came behind us.

"Hey, you two. Stop with the staring at the view will, you? You'll still have time to come back and enjoy it." We both turned around only to find out that it was Athena. She was with her fiance. They were both smiling at us. I knew for a fact that I found another sister in her.

"Do you mind if I steal Grace for a while?" she asked her brother with a playful smile and then turned to her fiance, "Babe could you leave us for a while?"

"Sure. Later, Grace." He gave a chaste kiss to his fiancee and headed out of the scene to join Ross. As the guys were totally out of our earshot, Athena raised both her eyebrows at me with a grin that spread across her face.

"Well, now that I finally get you alone, I just wanted to tell you that you're going to be part of my entourage. You'll be one of my bride's maids... and you can't say no." She was holding both of my hands now. I stood up agape but I know that I totally looked like a fool with a huge smile on my face.

"Of course! I'm ecstatic about the whole thing...wow! Thanks for this Athena!" We hugged each other and cried a little which would be typically normal for someone who's happy that they're going to be part of someone else's wedding - especially to a person that has grown close to their heart.

Minutes later, Ross and I said goodbye to the rest of the Matthews. I received the warmest welcome and also the warmest goodbye. I felt at home with them already even with his brothers. I hugged his mother, Athena and of course, his grandparents. Grandma Jane was the most difficult to let go of. She already became close to me in the span of just four days. 

"I am glad to meet you, my dear. Please do come visit us again" Grandma Jane whispered to me as we hugged. I hugged her tighter and nodded as I tried to stop the tears from coming out. Eventually they came out anyway. She tried to calm me down as she held my face between her hands to give me a peck on both cheeks. I smiled at what she did. 

I looked at Athena and she was now standing in front of Jonathan. She was holding his arms that were encircling her in her waist. She winked at me and I winked at her back. I smiled at all of them and watched as Ross exchanged some serious words with his brothers. He was now looking at me with a face that told me that he was worried why I was getting all teary-eyed over the farewell. I just smiled at him to reassure him that I'm fine. I didn't expect that I'd be this weepy in saying goodbye to his family. They were nice people who deserved to be treated nice in return. I never felt that I was excluded there from whatever they did. Deep down I know that this won't be the last time that I'll be meeting them. I'll be Athena's bride's maid anyway. As soon as Ross was finished with his goodbyes, he nodded at me and we went out to start our drive towards the airport.

It was going to be a long trip back to Manhattan but I realized that everything that happened in Wyoming was like a dream. I didn't want to leave the people behind and  wished that I could stay with them forever. The drive to the airport was quiet but I knew that Ross was just giving me some time for myself, to get some fresh air in to my system. Apart from Kat's family, they have been one of the few people that have been nice to me and accepted me for what I was unlike the families of my exes. 

We got to the airport before everybody else boarded on the plane. After an hour or so, we got on the plane with me sitting by the window. I stared out at the view from the window, I felt a tug on my hand. I noticed that it was Ross's hand holding mine. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. I blushed with how he was trying to show his affection to me little by little. I smiled at him and rested my head on his shoulder as we both felt the plane starting to take flight up the clouds. The 3,102 km journey would be the start on how our life would be after we've acknowledged how we felt about each other.