The Power of Destiny

Chapter Seven

“It’s the perfect Christmas, ’cause I’m with you.” – Diana K.

Lorna was returning home today for the Christmas celebration and Ollie was so excited. Alice Crane had told her few days back and she had started preparing. She told her dad who took her to a Christmas shop so she could buy her gifts for Lorna.
She was sure Lorna would not put on so much weight so she bought a gown exactly her size. The plain mini gown had several pink flowery designs. It had no sleeves and came with a blue jacket that had long sleeves up to the elbow. She also bought a blue flat shoe with pink jewelries. She hoped Lorna would love her gift.
Then, she bought gifts for her sisters and her dad. She had them wrapped up in colourful wrappers. She also bought little things for Daisy and Darrell, and also for Kay and Sid.
When she got home, she arranged all the gifts in her wardrobe. She had not wrapped Lorna’s own at the shop as she wanted to do it herself. She folded the dress and the jacket neatly, arranged the pearl necklace and pink earrings, and put the shoe in the centre, on top of a painting she had drawn of Lorna, all in a large pink box. Then, she wrapped it and put it in the wardrobe.

LORNA WAS GOING today and leaving Basil and Izzy. Basil was not happy that she was leaving but when she had promised she would come back after the Christmas with his gifts, he agreed to let her go. Izzy also made her promise to return and with her gifts too.
Early that morning, Lorna woke up and started preparing. She was happy and also sad that she was going. She had loved Izzy and Basil’s company so much. Their fights, heated arguments were not supposed to be done but she still found them interesting and amusing. And also, whenever they were together, she always remembered home. She was sad she was leaving them.
And now she was going home. Home, at last! She had missed home so much. Her dad, her mum, brothers and sister, and also she was not forgetting Brinnie, Sam, and Ciara not to talk of… Ollie! She’d missed her so much. She didn’t even have time to talk with her most times. She did not have a phone so it was only when her aunt called her mum that she had time to talk to Ollie. And it also had to be when Ollie was at their house. It was so unbearable!
Staying all these days and months and just hearing Ollie’s voice for about twelve times only. It didn’t matter anymore now, though, she was going home, and she would see Ollie. She had packaged her gifts and she hoped Ollie would love her own.
She got ready and Izzy and Basil accompanied her together with their mum and dad to the airport. They said their goodbyes there and Izzy, Basil and Uncle Chris went back home, promising to come for a Christmas visit during Uncle Chris’ leave.
        

AFTER A TIRING journey which had seemed very long to Lorna, they arrived at their house. Adrian had been the only one to come and pick up Aunt Lucy and Lorna from the airport. Alice remained at home with Nanny Eunice, Ryan, Daisy, Darrell, Ollie, Sam, Ciara, and Brinnie. Ollie had also brought Sally along.
As Adrian got nearer to the house, Lorna got more and more excited. Her excitement grew as they neared the house. She couldn’t wait to see her mum, her siblings, Sam, Ciara, Brinnie and Ollie.
Fortunately, they got home in no time and they met the awaiting party. Everyone was outside on the porch and Adrian drove in and parked in the garage.
As Lorna quickly got out of the car, Ollie rushed to meet her. They got to each other and hugged tightly.
“Gee! I missed you,” Lorna said.
“I missed you more,” Ollie also said, and they stayed like that, not wanting to separate yet.
Then, they could hear Adrian’s chuckling as he came close to them.
“Wow!” he finally said.
Lucy also laughed a little and said, “What else do you expect? They’re best friends.”
Alice drew closer and the rest of them followed. Ollie and Lorna had already separated and were just holding hands.
Daisy giggled as she came closer. “If you both weren’t girls, the both of you would’ve gotten married.”
Then, everyone laughed.
Adrian moved towards Alice and kissed her before whispering into her ears, “Be calm, she still loves you.”
Alice smiled and replied, “I am, and I know.”
“But I love you more,” he added, looking at her now.
She playfully punched his stomach and said, “Silly.”
Brinnie had rushed to Lorna who removed her hand from Ollie’s and embraced her. She embraced Lorna for long and when Lorna wanted to drop her, she refused.
“Okay Brinnie, you can let go now,” Lorna said and expected her to come down. Instead, she tightened her hold. “Okay I get it, I missed you too.”
Brinnie then came down and Lorna hugged Sam and Ciara. Then, she hugged Daisy and Darrell.
“I missed you, Lorna,” Daisy said.
“Me, too,” Darrell said.
Lorna smiled and stroked their faces, “I also missed you both.” Then, she hugged Ryan who smiled at her without saying anything.
She moved towards Alice who now removed her hand from Adrian and opened them wide for Lorna.
“How are you, dear?” Alice asked warmly.
“I’m fine, mum,” she replied, still in her arms. “I missed you badly,” she said and Alice smiled, closing her eyes and refusing to give in to her emotions. “I love you, mum.”
Now, a tear which had been threatening to come out ran down her cheek, and she dabbed at it quickly.
“I love you, too,” she replied and she disengaged from their embrace. “And I did miss you.”
Then, they smiled at each other.
“Okay, everybody, help me get these load out,” Adrian said, cutting the magical moments.
Everybody started going towards the car. Adrian moved to it and opened the boot, and then resting on the door of the driver’s seat. Alice looked at him, smiled, and came towards the car.
As she made to open the back door when he leaned into her ear and whispered, “I saw that silver lining that ran down your cheek.”
Alice looked at him with a grin on her face. The look on his face showed that there was more he wanted to say. She continued looking at him until he gave in.
“And… I’m… no, she’s our daughter,” he said, removing his face.
Alice put her hand on her waist and said, “Blow it, spud.”
Adrian looked at her and said, “I’m… I can’t believe it, but… I was jealous.”
Alice chuckled and pasted a kiss on his cheek, which made him tense. He cocked his head towards her and said, “That was nice,” with a wide grin on his face.
Then, he moved to the boot to help them get the luggages out.
“Hey, Daisy and Darrell, both of you come here,” Eunice said from the porch. “And you too, Brinnie.”
Daisy obediently started going back to the house while Darrell and Brinnie made faces. Daisy stopped and looked back at them.
“Come on, Brinnie, you could get hurt. Darrell, this is not a time to show your super hero stuff. Let’s go inside,” Daisy said.
Brinnie and Darrell started moving towards her, slowly.
“Come on, stop making those faces,” Eunice said as they all came towards her. “Okay, you can help me make the cookies.”
Immediately, their faces brightened up.
“Yea!” Darrell exclaimed as he jumped up.
“Whoa!” Daisy joined.
“Yippee!” Brinnie exclaimed too and they all joined their hands. “When are we making them?” Brinnie asked.
“Now,” Eunice replied and reached out to hold Daisy and Darrell, while Brinnie danced into the house.