Re-Imagined (Editing)

Chapter 15

She'll be so happy to see you..
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Lance sat in the passenger seat of his sister's car, looking out at the city bathed in a soft orange glow.
It was almost night.. He thought to himself.

He looked to his sister who had a scowl plastered to her soft features. It had been nearly 6 years since he's seen her in person, even though he'd kept in contact with his nieces and nephews, it was only recently they'd reconnected.

"Hey Lance?" Jasmine asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah?"

"Do you regret what you did..?" she looked at him from the corner of her eye, only to see him sigh tiredly

"No...I regret what happened with mamí and all of you, but not what I did.." Lance smiles at his sister, his eyes shining and his skin glowing in the dim dusk light. "Besides...I'm happy now."

Jasmine blinked then, surprised at the pure radiance of the grin her brother had shot her. She smiled to herself, He really is happy...I hope Mamí sees it too.

"I'm so happy that you're ok..." she whispered a few minutes later, looking to her brother to see he'd fallen asleep where he sat. She sighed. "Get some rest little brother.." she spoke softly

______

Jasmine pulled her mother's family van into the narrow driveway of the two story home. The windows were dark on the second floor but there was light streaming out from the kitchen window. It looked like Sofia and Marcus were waiting up.

Jasmine sighed softly and rested her head on the steering wheel for a second, tilting her head to look at Lance who was still sleeping peacefully, curled into a comfy ball in the passenger seat. She smiles at him, taking in his calm expression and letting it wash over her, reassure her that everything would actually be alright. Still that lingering thought at the back of her head wondered if she's lied to Lance...what if Mami didn't want to accept him?

She shook her head to clear that nasty thought, because it's too late for those now.

Jasmine nudged Lance gently with her hand, getting a small whine from him as he opened one eye to glare at her.

"We're here..." she whispered to him, giving him a reassuring smile before getting out of the car.

Lance sat up slowly in his seat and watches as his sister crept towards the front door to wait for him to follow. Lance took a deep breath, taking a second to rub the sleep from his eyes before he got out of the car.

"This is it," Jasmine whispered to Lance as he got to the door and stood next to her. "Are you ready?"

"Never," he muttered back, looking her sternly in the eye. "But this is close enough." Jasmine chuckled lightly and rasped her knuckles against the door.

"You haven't changed at all..." she grinned warmly at Lance as the door was swung open, and a tall man with short curly hair and bright hazel eyes that gleamed when they met Jasmine's.

"You're back!" the man exclaimed and wrapped his wife in a tight hug. Marcus looked at Lance for a moment before recognition lit in his eyes-"You go by Lance now right?" he asks him.

Lance averted his gaze to the floor, caught off guard at his brother-in-laws such blunt question. "I- yeah...its good to see you Marcus.."The man smiled at Lance kindly.

"Yeah, it's been too long. And look at you! You've changed so much!" he exclaimed, getting a chuckle from Jasmine and a bewildered look from Lance.

Before either could say another word Jasmine ushered the both of them inside.

Lance walked in as slowly as he could, hesitantly taking in every feature of the familiar home. It was exactly the same yet...entirely new. Lance breathed in the smell of breakfast pancakes and bacon that seemed to stain the house, it was so comforting yet discouraging when all the bad memories were put into play.