Life Like Reality

13 - Tell the world I'm coming home

Nika pov:
"Eeehhhhwww..." I screamed out as I came into the kitchen seeing Jesse and Sophia kissing. They immediately separated in shock but I laughed at their reaction. "Nika, don't scare us like that!" Jesse said with a relived laugh. I went to the counter and poured myself another glass of lemonade. Together we went back out but I stopped on the patio looking up to the stars. Jesse stood by my side and put his arm around my shoulders. Sophia snuggeld against his other side. We just stared at the stars and admired the presence of each other. And for the first time I really felt like... Like I was at home. It's not this house what I called home. It's the feeling I got. The feeling of being at home. To finally found my place to stay. A place where I felt safe. With people I loved and who me respected as the person I was with all my flaws and inperfections. That felt like home. I remembered what my parents said and the idea  I had back then. "What if I stay?" I whispered. Jesse looked at me surprised. "When I was in that coma I saw my parents. They asked me to choose life. For them and for you. What if I stay in Chicago? What if... We become a little, imperfect family?" I asked him calmly. My brother looked me deep in my eyes. "I would love that."

*7 months later*

Nika pov:
Ever since I decided to stay in Chicago, so much had changed. Together with Jesse and Sophia I flew back to Austria to move all my stuff and tell everyone. My godparents were really sad but they understood that it was necessary. We took the chance and I showed my brother and Soph my hometown, the mountains and my parents grave. Finally I was able to tell them goodbye and move on.
When we came back to Chicago my brother enlisted me to a local High School. There were only six weeks left until summer break but I wanted to find some friends and I nearly immediately did. At the beginning of summer break we went to the west coast of the United States. We visited LA, San Francisco and some places in Colorado. After being back in Chicago again Jesse made a huge decision. Three weeks of planning later he proposed to Sophia at my birthday party. Sophia was so surprised that she said "I'm pregnant." Instead of 'yes'. Of course she added a "Yes" some moments later but the secret was out. Unfortunately Sophia quit working at Chicago PD for several reasons but she was happier now.

Speaking of right now... I'm now stuck at home with a six months pregnant Sophia and a brother who is probably as pregnant as her. At least we say it like that in Austria when the father is totally crazy and nervous about the pregnancy. I never imagined Jesse as a person who seems to loose control about anything and yet he absolutely looked like he did. Not in a bad way. In a chaotic, entertaining and cute way and I never doubt that he will make an amazing father. At least he did for me. He and Sophia couldn't replace my parents but they were more than just siblings. They became the most important people in my life and I owe them so much. After my parents died I couldn't imagine a future and the epilepsy attack with the paralysis didn't help at all but my brother and his future wife gave me back two things I nearly lost. My home and my life. And because I won these two things back I found a third thing that I didn't even know I had lost. I found hope.