A Glow Of Happiness

Chapter 9. Isa

Hey :) I won't be able to post until next week, so I decided to post two more chapters today! Therefore, I'll post chapters 9 & 10 today! Enjoy :)

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"Your singing is going to make my ears bleed," I shout over Aubrey's awful singing.

She sticks her tongue out at me as she keeps on singing at the top of our lungs while straightening her hair. It's Thanksgiving weekend and we are in my room at my house. We came home yesterday night and right now we are getting ready in my room as my father and Aubrey's parents are downstairs talking. I'm curling my hair as Aubrey keeps on singing and my ears keep on bleeding. I get up and turn off the music on Aubrey's phone and send her a small smile.

"Enough of your awful singing," I say honestly.

"Nick loves my singing," she shrugs.

"Trust me, he doesn't. He's just totally whipped over you," I laugh.

"I wish he was here with us," she admits. "My parents know about him, but they haven't even met him yet."

"I know Sunshine, but he has a family too, you know. It's normal that he went to see his family," I give her a side hug.

She hugs me back as she finishes her hair and gives me a small smile.

"You could have invited William," she says.

"Yeah right, I don't even know what he's doing this weekend. When I talked about it with him over the phone yesterday morning he hung up on me and he hasn't called me back since," I explain.

"This guy should come with an instruction book," Aubrey laughs.

"Tell me about it," I sigh.

"How do you feel about it though?" she asks. "It must be hard for you to deal with him."

"We are just friends; it's not like I'm his girlfriend or anything. I just let him be and give him some space," I answer.

"Isa I'm not blind, clearly you like him more than just a friend," she smirks.

"It doesn't really matter though; we've already talked about this. He doesn't do relationship and you know it," I whisper.

"That's not how he seems to feel about you; by the way he looks at you," she shrugs.

I pretend as if I didn't hear her as I finish to get ready and run downstairs without another word. I hear Aubrey following me and we make our way to the kitchen where our parents are making dinner. Aubrey walks to my dad who gives her a big smile.

"Hey Brian!" she exclaims as she gives a big hug to my dad.

"Hey Sunshine," he hugs her back. "I saw you running upstairs when you came in without even saying hello to me, it was quite rude," my father says playfully.

Aubrey laughs and starts helping with the dessert. I make my way to her parents and give them a hug.

"Hey Jane and Dan," I smile.

My parents knew Aubrey's parents before either of us were even born. We were meant to be best friends from the start. Jane, Aubrey's mother, is the closest thing I've ever had to a mother. She's always been there for me and I couldn't be happier to have her in my life as a maternal figure.

"How is school?" Dan asks me.

"It's great dad," Aubrey answers while putting the cake in the oven.

"I was asking Isa," he laughs.

"It's good," I smile and stick my tongue out at Aubrey who puts her hand on her heart as if she was hurt.

We keep on making dinner all together. Joy and laughter are filling the room and it hits me just how much I have missed home during these couple of weeks we were away. I have missed being with my family because that's what we are. A strange family, that's for sure, but I never saw Aubrey and her parents as anything else than my family. They are all I ever knew. My mother's parents both died when I was young and my father's parents live far away which means we only see them at Christmas and I'm not really close to them. When it's finally time to eat everyone sits down at our table and my father makes a toast.

"I'm happy to be with all of you tonight. Happy Thanksgiving to you, and to Margaret," he says as he looks down at me.

My mother's name makes me smile and I nod.

"Happy Thanksgiving mom," I whisper to myself.

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I wake up to the sound of my father making breakfast downstairs. It's Sunday morning and Aubrey and I are already going back to our campus today. I get out of my bed and make my way to the kitchen.

"Good morning Pumpkin!" my father cheers.

"Good morning dad," I yawn.

"Your breakfast is ready. Go sit at the table I'm coming with it."

I sit down and soon my father sits beside me with our food. It looks delicious and I can hear my stomach make an enormous sound. We start to eat in silence when I feel my father's eyes on me.

"She would be so proud of you," he whispers.

I look back at him and give him a small smile.

"I miss her," I say. "I miss someone I have never met as though I've known her all my life until now."

"She's your mother. It's normal for you to miss her even though you didn't have the time to get to know her," he explains.

"I'm sorry..." I trail off.

"You shouldn't be sorry for something that is not your fault. We've talked about it already."

"But she died because of me... She died giving birth to me," I whisper.

"Pumpkin... You have to stop blaming yourself. I never blamed you, so why do you?" he asks.

"Because I took the love of your life away from you," I admit.

He turns himself towards me and hugs me tight.

"You are the love of my life now," he whispers in my ear.