Journey of Life.

Chapter 39.

But suddenly, he smiles and hits, "The judge whom I'm friend with was happy to share your name to us."

"I know." I say trying to keep contact with him but I fail, I just smile and watch Daniel having fun decorating the stairs with balloons. "He's a great friend of my father."

"Yeah, he told me." He responds kindly. "From what I've heard, you are a salvation for our little monsters! Nancy has named you as her oldest sister."

"Really?"

"You doubt that?" He asks laughing silently. "You seem to have had experience with kids, any siblings?"

"No, I'm an only child." I respond half-smiling. "And, also, no, I never had experience with kids before. Oops, will I be kicked out?"

I realized that appearance is really deceiving. Thomas is surprisingly very humble. "Nancy and Daniel wouldn't like that."

His laugh doesn't match with his seriousness though. "Alright. I'll have to make a call, I'll let you finish what you have to do here."

I shake his hand again the moment he adds, "But it was nice meeting you Iris, welcome to the family!"

I happily restart decorating the living room and the garden, obviously with the help of Jamie and the legendary dancer, Daniel. After a few hours, I sit with difficulty. I've never felt so tired in my life before, I can't stop sweating, because all I was doing was moving the furniture back and forth.

As soon as I notice Merlyn coming towards me, I position myself gracefully. I see her sitting next to me.

"You know, I spoke a little bit with James last night." She looks down and with a hidden smile, she adds, "I think the presence of a new person in his life is doing him good."

I honestly don't know what to reply. But she has shiny eyes. So I decide to touch her shoulder and whisper, "Are you okay?"

With a surprise face, she responds, "Oh, yeah, I'm okay. It's just, I don't know, I'm just tired, but I'm so glad to be here with my kids especially to have met you."

I nod. "I better go back home and change."

"Why don't you follow me Iris?" She asks all of a sudden. "Nancy is about to be here, I don't want you to miss that. She probably wants to see you first."

I remain sitting on the sofa. "C'mon, you won't regret it, I promise."

I end up in their room again, hoping Nancy didn't tell them I've been there already. I see her opening a large walk-in closet, where inside there is a row of various elegant clothes and shoes. Even jewels of various kinds. Her side is located on the right, while her husband's on the left. So for education I don't go in, I stay waiting for her outside.

She approaches me with a sigh, she's holding a white dress neither too short nor too long. "It's beautiful, Merlyn."

"I know, it was one of my favorites. I wore it when I met Thomas for the first time." She says stroking the fabric of that dress. "At the beginning I was not very convinced. But I understood that if I had not been myself, he probably wouldn't have seen me, for who I was."

Smiling, I reply, "My mom has always reminded me that being different is an advantage, it's what makes us rare and unique. Although it is often not accepted, what really counts is being conscious of who we are and know what's best for us."

"I like your mother's mindset." She whispers handing me that dress. "Here, why don't you try it?"

"Oh, no. I can't, Merlyn, I can't accept-"

Touching my shoulder, she responds, "Iris, it's okay, please."

Holding that dress, I whisper, "Thank you, you're too kind."

At that point she sits on the bed, and says instead, "I don't think to be a good mom for them. I feel that I haven't done enough, you know, like, being there when they probably needed me the most."

I see her wiping a tear. "They've had a bad and stressful time as they have grown up, in particular James."

In that instant she looks straight in my eyes. "He grew up too fast. I mean he had to. And I think with the thought of never being loved. In the past-"

"Honey, where did you put my briefcase?" Thomas asks from downstairs. "It's not in my car nor in yours, did you leave it in my office by any chance?"

She gets up and sighing she says, "Oh my, I better find those documents before he loses his mind."

And approaching me, she adds, "We will talk about it, when we get the chance."

She's hugging me, this time I don't reciprocate. "I know it's all my fault. But again, Iris, I'm glad you could guide him to be a better person. That means a lot to me, to us."

As soon as I am alone, I immediately change expression. All I do is think about what she said. I look towards the shelf. I see various photos, including James as a child. Unlike his little siblings, he never smiled. The only thing remained the same is this cold look of his.

"What happened to make you grow up with the idea, that love cannot be something special?" I whisper touching his face.

The moment I put the frame in its place, Daniel shouts, "Nancy will be here in less than ten minutes! Iris, are you ready? What do I have to do, where should I put the gifts? Should I open to the guests already or should I let them outside til-"

"What, the guests are outside?! Daniel, what are you waiting for? Let them in." Jamie says cleaning the floor a little bit more.

Tonight as theme is simplicity. So I leave my hair as straight as it is, putting on make-up only with mascara. And finally, a touch to the lips with the orchid pink lipstick. All wrapped in my almond scent. After that, I stare at myself in the mirror. Seeing me with that simplicity makes me smile with joy. Because it's really my theme.

Okay, now that her parents are hidden behind the table, where gifts and cake in the shape of books lay, I better hurry up and find myself at the entrance. I'm so nervous, I've never organized somebody's birthday before, I hope I did well.

"Iris! Look I've bought for you." She says as she gets off the service car. "This is mine and this is yours, what you think?"

I see a mini bears bracelet. "Oh, it's so cute. Thank you but shouldn't I be the one who has to make presents here?"

I stroke her hair. "Happy birthday my little cupcake."

"Aren't they really coming, are they?" Her face is sad. "It's not a real birthday without mom and dad."

"I know." I respond taking her hand. "Why don't we go inside?"

She is amazed to see small lights, hanging from the ceiling that make her seem to be in the universe. We end up in the kitchen, and there are this time, candles on the floor. She looks around and sees other lights on the ceiling. Immediately afterwards, she faces towards the table, where her parents suddenly appear shouting, "SURPRISE!!"

I hear her crying as she starts to run in the direction of her mother. She hugs her tightly, and then also her father with Daniel in his arms. The Harrison family is almost complete, the only one missing is James. Who knows where he is. The idea of ​​his absence on Nancy's birthday disappoints me.