wander

6|inside the gates

As we roll in, my gaze drags towards the orchard surrounding a large, beautiful house. Flowers, lake, apple trees. It's gorgeous. It's the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. I had never expected to see something this beautiful. It looks like something straight from a movie. I can't believe this is my new reality. It's everything.

The car comes to a halt and I take a deep breath. Time to meet my father. I begin to worry again. Worry about my mother. Worry about everyone from back home. Back there. I correct myself. This was home.

The driver opened my door and took my hand to help me out of the seat. Jesus. Was everyoje this kind in Italy. Back in Louisiana the driver just stopped and expected you to get out and continue with your day. They didn't care. No one ever did.

I thank the driver and give him a polite smile. He returns one too. He gives a nod to Rose. Then turns his head to the male figure out by the porch. I guess he did know my family. Family? Can I even call them that yet?

The tall, slim man walks toward me and greets me. He didn't seem young but not old either. I guess he was just in his 40s like Mom but he did look younger, that's to say. He seemed like an active man, quite youthful yet older in his years.

He looked at me. Up and down.
"Oh my god Chi, you're so grown up. Last time I saw you was when you were 4. Now you're what? 19?"
"Eighteen." I correct him. But he just smiles. I guess he was just kidding around. Rose told me that he was sarcastic at times. Oh god. Rose. I almost forgot she was here.

My Dad looks over to her and gives a little hug. Just a friendly hug. I presume they've know each other for a while, guessing from the way she knew a lot about him from when we spoke earlier.

"I'll go sort some food out for Chiara!" Rose chirped, leaving us to be alone. We all exchanged smiles and my Father gave my luggage to a younger man behind him. Not that I had much on me anyways.
"To her room." He tells him. The younger man nods and marches off quickly so my Dad and I were alone on the porch still.

He lead me inside the beautiful Italian house. It was gorgeous. Breathtaking if I can say so. My eyes loomed around the interior. I loved the look of everything. Especially the art of the heart on the worded paper. It was different. But I loved it. It was definitely something straight out of a dream.

We sat in the lounge room and spoke freely. He asked me about school which I had just finished. Thank god. It was a nightmare. It wasn't that there was something wrong with the school, it was just that I wanted to be alone. I wasn't planning on becoming popular but it would have been nice to have one or two friends through high school. It would have been so much easier.

My hand covered my yawning mouth but my Father didn't let it go unnoticed.
"I think it's time for you to get some sleep. You'll have a big day tomorrow. Rose and I will show you around. You'll love it." He says with a grin. I give him a nod, knowing when my head hit that pillow I'd be gone in a matter of seconds.

My dad lead me to a room. My room. My beautiful room. It was quite bare but I liked it. Tomorrow I would maybe get some stuff to add to it. I found a vase filled with flowers as a welcoming gift and it reminded me of the vase I had bought in the airport.

I quickly grabbed it and wandered around the house until I stumbled against my father again. "Sorry I forgot about this. I bought it for you. Sorry if you don't like it, I just wanted to give something back since I'm being spoilt over here."
He smiled and pulled me in for a hug. A hug. Something my mother never would have done. God how my parents were polar opposites. I wonder what happened between them.

"You can call me Dad, you know?" I hear him mumble. I laughed knowing I had been awkward about the whole Dad name thing.

I replied, "I know, thanks Dad."

And with that, I skipped off back to bed.