Tomboy Tanya

Meet Up

I tightened the strap of my bag before shutting the door behind me. I pulled the coat closer around me.

True to my words, I did not speak to him for a month now. For the past two weeks I had my exams so I had no trouble ignoring him. What was more surprising was the fact that he didn't try anything at all to coerce me while I waited for him to sweep me off the floor.

Winter holidays started from yesterday. And tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which mom made sure that I attended. She threatened me that she will take me out of college if I refused to. I mean I know that she won't do such thing but you never know when she will do what.

I flagged down a taxi and told him the address. It was still some time before noon and the coolness was nothing less. It took a lot of struggle to get up from the bed today morning, explaining why I was late. On the other hand, Liam was yet to wake up.

He doesn't even know that I was leaving today. For all he might know, he would be thinking that I was still sleeping.

Twenty five minutes later, I finally reached the destination. I paid for the taxi and got down with my bag. Few months back, if I was told to spend my money hailing a cab, I would have refused. But now, I got money. So I can spend it. And it was damn cold out there for me to wait for a bus.

I rang the bell and waited for someone to open it.

Five minutes later, there was still no response. I knocked on the door once. Finally, I gave up and picked my mobile.

I gave dad a call and waited for him to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, dad. Can you open the door already? It's freezing out here.", I said as my teeth started chattering.

"What do you mean? Shit. I'm so sorry dear. We are outside. We will be back in ten minutes. I will drive there immediately.", he said making me momentarily pause.

"What about the spare key? Why isn't it there either?", I asked after checking for the key under the mat and under the flowerpot.

"Well, we changed the lock last month so we took off that key. And we haven't made a spare key for the new one. Give us ten minutes. I have started the car.", he said hanging up the call.

"Just great.", I murmured placing back my mobile inside my coat pocket and rubbing my hands to keep them warm.

Fifteen minutes later, the car finally entered the driveway. I stood up and waited for them to open the door.

"I thought I had to pull you out of college. Here, hold this.", she said passing me the grocery bag while she leisurely took the house key from her purse.

The moment she opened the door, I pushed past her, dropped the bag on the shoe rack, removed my boots and rushed to the couch.

The warmth from the cushions brought back life to my frozen fingers.

"What exactly was that? Why did you drop the grocery there? And why is your bag thrown on the ground? And why exactly did you push me out there?", mom asked eyeing my actions.

"Well, I would have come in like a normal human if you had not made me wait for twenty minutes out there in the cold.", I said rubbing my hands together.

"Well, I would have come earlier if you had given a call before you started.", she said crossing her arms.

"Yeah, okay. You win. Now will you give me some food? I'm starving.", I said just as my stomach growled.

"Go freshen up. I will heat the lunch.", she said shaking her head.

She removed her coat and put it on the stand before going to the kitchen.

I went and hanged mine too when dad entered.

"Sorry for having you wait. There was traffic on the way.", he said while taking off his coat.

"Never mind. I am going to freshen up, see you later.", I said going up the stairs to my room after picking up my bag on the way.

Ten minutes later, I came down in warmer clothes to see the steamy lunch waiting for me to devour.

Both of them were waiting for me to join, so I sat down in my chair and started eating quickly.

The rest of the day, as usual, I spent surfing through the TV channels while mom made preparations for tomorrow and dad had work to do.

The next day morning I got ready in warmer clothes than the previous day, as the climate seemed to have grown colder. Just as I was tightening the coat around me, a car honked outside at the moment when my mobile rang.

"Get your ass down here.", Seb shouted before hanging up.

The honking continued before I lost it and opened the window and showed them the finger.

"I am leaving.", I said to mom.

"Come before six. Or else I won't mind repeating what happened yesterday.", she warned before I left.

"When you tell it like that, I feel like you did it knowingly.", I muttered.

"What was that?", she called from the kitchen.

"Nothing, I am leaving.", I rushing out of the house.

"When will you ever come early?", he asked as soon as I locked my seatbelt.

"Stop the talking, get working.", I said slapping his shoulder.

"Why is it that I am made to wait outside every time?", Sam asked as soon as he climbed in.

"Increase the temperature.", he said shivering a little.

Fifteen minutes later, Seb stopped in front of his house. This time around the shapes were different and seemed to Christmas themed.

I didn't wait for Seb to join, instead went ahead inside to meet Roselyn.

"Hi, Roselyn. Long time no see.", I said entering the dining room where she was arranging the table.

"Hi, Tan. You promised to call but you didn't. And neither did you come and visit me. It's been a year since then. You seem to have gained some weight.", she said looking over at me.

"I told you, you got fatter. But did you believe me? See.", Sam said when he came in too.

"Nothing like that, you look more beautiful like this.", she said putting an arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah, after she came, you don't care about me at all.", he pouted and sat on the chair.

"Nothing of that sort. She is my daughter and you are my son.", she said hugging him.

"And me? Your lost son?", Seb asked entering.

"Oh you? I picked you from the streets."

"Burn.", Sam and I said at that same time. We high-fived each other while sticking out our tongues at him.

"I hardly doubt it from the way you treat me.", he stuck out his tongue at her before rushing to his room.

"This boy. I don't know what to do with him.", she said before turning to us.

"I will go get the main dish.", she said going inside the kitchen to get it.

We made faces at each other and teased while Roselyn took her time. Seb joined us at the table and took it on himself to tease us both, in turn making us both gang up on him as usual.

After Roselyn brought the food, we ate it in silence and answered only if she asked anything.

We were damn hungry to talk.