A Matter of Perspective

Chapter 7 - Rina

"Come on Mark, these bags won't lift themselves," Rina chided her husband, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement despite the looming jetlag hanging over her head from the overwhelming time difference between home in Bunbury, Australia and where they'd just landed in London, England.

"Joe's gonna be carrying the lot, I'm too old for this," Mark grumbled to himself as he dragged the suitcases out of Customs and toward the passenger pick-up location.

"Don't you dare make Joe carry our bags," Rina murmured, her eyes scanning the crowd. "He's probably pissing himself anyway. Meeting his girlfriend's parents for the first time...letting them stay at his house...the poor boy has to be on edge."

"Good," Mark grinned.

Rina smiled at her husband's smirk, knowing that deep down inside he was just as excited as she was to be seeing their daughter and her new boyfriend. He talked a big game as an overly protective father, but she knew he already respected Joe more than any other boyfriend of Dianne's, just by observing the two of them over FaceTime. She was sure he'd transform into the big softie he was inside within a few minutes.

"Mum! Dad!" a loud voice echoed through the crowds, and Rina turned just in time to see a flash of red barreling toward her before she was being swept up into a massive hug.

"Oh, Dot!" she managed to gasp out, clutching her daughter tightly against her. "We're here! We're finally here!"

Dianne finally released her, turning to give her dad the same bone-crushing hug, allowing Rina to take a breath and look around, wondering if Dianne had left poor Joe in the car. Before she could ask, her eyes landed on the floppy haired man she had grown to recognize from her television, standing a few feet away, a small smile on his face and his hands clasped awkwardly behind his back.

"Joseph!" Rina shouted, "Come give me a hug!"

Dianne pulled away from her dad, shooting Rina an appreciative look as Joe cautiously approached, the smile growing on his face as Rina reached in and pulled him into a giant hug of his own. "The Buswell's are huggers my dear," she laughed as she finally released him, letting her hands run from his shoulders down the sides of his arms, taking in the sight of him. "Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize," Joe laughed, his voice sounding softer in person than it did on YouTube. "Suggs are too."

"Joseph, how do you do." Mark's gruff voice came from beside her, and Rina had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. She watched as Mark extended a hand, Joe solemnly shaking it, his face transforming from joy to fear in a split second.

"I'm just kidding," Mark laughed, pulling Joe into another tight hug. "Buswell's are huggers."

Rina laughed, wrapping her arm around Dianne's waist and holding her close, taking in everything about her. She hadn't seen her since Christmas...six long months. She was pleased to see that she looked well - perhaps even better than she had been over the holidays. Her skin seemed to be glowing, her eyes and smile brighter than normal as she watched Joe and Mark interact in person for the first time. Rina ran a quick hand through her daughter's bright red hair as Dianne laid her head on her shoulder, noticing that the normal scent of her perfume and shampoo was now mixed with the unique scent of Joe she had just caught a whiff of during their hug.

"I missed you Mummy," Dianne whispered, her childhood vocabulary slipping out, which it always seemed to do during their reunions. Rina blinked hard to ensure no tears escaped her eyes, although this sudden rush of emotion wasn't unexpected. There was something about holding your baby girl, even when she was 30 years old, that brought out the feelings.