I yawned once again to try to pop my ears. I hated the almost numb feeling and the clouded hearing that came from the change in altitude.
Niall directed me to the luggage claim so that we could get our bags and be out of here. I wanted to get home before everyone was asleep, even though I knew that they would wait for me. Especially being that it was a Saturday night.
"Is that one yours?" Niall asked for what had to be the 5th time.
"No, I'll get it when I see it," I told him. It seemed as if he was more anxious to get out of here than I was.
"Okay," he said.
"Are you okay?" I asked. Niall turned to me, he was obviously confused why I was asking him if he was okay.
"Yes, why?"
"You seem nervous," I said spotting my bag and reaching for it. Niall stopped me and removed the bag from the carousel himself and we went to wait for a bus to the car rental place.
"I'm not nervous," he said after a while.
"Is something bothering you?" I asked.
"No," he said. Maybe I was just overreacting. Maybe it was me who was anxious.
The trolley pulled up and stopped with a screech. Niall and I loaded our bags onto the trolley and took our seats.
"Do you want to go home first or to the hotel?" Niall asked.
"Home," I said. He nodded as if he knew that I would choose home first.
"I don't know why I even asked," he chuckled to himself.
"Me either," I said making us both laugh.
~~~
"That one," I said pointing to the second to last house on the street of my crowded neighborhood. "Oh my god I can't believe we're here!" I said.
As soon as the car was off, I jumped out and made my way to the door, leaving Niall to catch up behind me.
Three knocks later, I was pleased by the familiar sight of my mother standing in the doorway. Her eyes were watering just as they were the day of my departure for Ireland.
"Mum!" I exclaimed hurling myself into her arms.
"Jules, it's been so long," she said, her voice cracked at the end signaling that she was about to cry. I looked up and saw my dad standing right behind my mum waiting for his turn to hug me.
"It's nice to finally see you again," my dad said. My dad was never an emotional person and he hardly ever showed his feelings about anything.
"It's good to see you again too," I said giving him a short squeeze before introducing Niall. "Mum and dad, this is Niall," I said.
"Hello," My parents said in unison. My dad held out a firm hand for Niall to shake and my mum gave him a hug.
"It's nice too finally meet you both," Niall said. My dad gave a small smile of approval.
"Where's little G and Anna?" I asked referring to my brother, Gavin and my little sister. I called Gavin little G and he called me little J. It had nothing to do with my age but more so my height.
"In the back, waiting for you," my mum told me.
I found my brother in the family room with Anna nowhere to be seen.
"Hey," I said casually, knocking on the small wooden frame of the door.
"Jules! I didn't think you'd get here today," he said immediately getting up to meet me at the door.
