Chasing Dreams

Chapter 19

Reyhan
The vacations went by quickly as we were busy setting up the shop. Ash came to help in when we were placing in the furniture.

A week was left for the vacation to end. Nat used to video call every day saying she can't wait to see the shop and be my mum's loyal customer making her laugh.

I made the striped painting and 3 more and then selling it off to Mr. Jones who was mesmerized by the striped painting.

A week was left for school to reopen and few months left for the competition. As the months pass by, the anxiety builds up more inside me. What if I don't win? What if someone's better out there?

"Let's go Ray," my sister calls me. It's the opening of the shop today. My mum's shop. Her dream which is now a reality.

She named the shop "Be Scentful, Be You." It sounds very chic. I liked it.

As we arrived to the shop, some of my mum's friends from the hospital, Sally and Dean were there. She cuts the bow and we all clap for her while Isaac and Dean whistles. We enter the shop and everyone is gawking at the interiors.

"This is lovely."

"I have never seen something like this before."

"Look at the walls, My god. It's brilliant."

I hear everyone whispering and congratulating my mum. My mum is so happy. Her smile never leaves her face but I see something else as well. The tears of happiness.

Isaac, Inanna and I had ordered a surprise cake for my mum which arrives just in time. I take the cake inside making my mum's face turn in surprise. She smiles at the 3 of us, hugging us before taking our hands in her and making us cut the cake with her.

"Well as you all are here; I would like to be grateful for this moment and thank my children for being the wonderful supporters the entire time.

I would like to thank you all for coming here and making this moment memorable for me." She says with happiness radiating of her.

"As my children think, they are the only ones who can surprise me, well they are wrong." She says making everyone laugh but us 3 confused. "There is a surprise I have planned for my kids," she says looking at us dearly.

She goes around the counter bringing out a big wrapped up rectangle thing. She calls us to her and makes us open it up. What's inside makes us gape.

I look at my mum and again at the frame of us all.

It was a collaged frame of us family. Different moments we shared with papa and her. I give her. I give her a big hug and a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, mum. This is amazing," I say tears brimming down my eyes. Isaac and Inanna continue to shower my mum with love.

We decided to hang this picture on the wall of the shop. It looked beautiful. I look up on the ceiling saying to myself, "Papa, are you watching all this? I love you."

After everyone is gone, my mum starts her day in the shop. In the afternoon, she gets her first customer. She beams with joy and welcomes them in.

They but 2 fruity scents and a woody scent from my mum. I watch her talk with excitement and joy while packing their order and handing it to them.

The day goes pretty smoothly while we get few more customers before we decide to close it. "I did not expect these many customers today," my mum says locking the shop.

"You will get more than this mum," I say encouraging her.

"Yes, by the grace of Allah, we will." She says while we drive back to home.

Zachary
The rest of the days goes by, with us trying different adventure but most of the time we spend at the waterfall area.

We did kayaking a few days. We went for cliff diving in the lake. Tried cooking different dishes and more.

Chase kept pulling pranks on Brooke making the trip more amazing. We were planning to head back home today as these people had a flight to catch and school was opening in 2 days.

"The next time, you guys are flying to us." Chase says while we were driving home. My brother laughs before promising a yes.

We stop at the diner to have food before continuing the ride. We all were exhausted by the time we reached home.

The reality crashes as I enter my house. Mama's house brought me peace and away from everything. Reyhan was on my mind constantly. If I ever get chance to bring her here, I would love to. She would love here I know.

School was starting on Monday. I knew this semester everyone would be engrossed in their practice of competition while I would be acting like I don't care.

I thought about giving one last try on asking my father about singing. I knew I would get his wrath but I wanted to try this one more time again.

After having the dinner with my family, I decided to call it a day. I was about to doze off when I heard a knock on my door. "Hey, can I come in?" Brooke asks.

"Yes sure," I say sitting on my bed.

She sits beside my bed and hand me a folded paper in my hand. "I know I shouldn't have read it, but when we were cleaning the house, I found this under your bed, so I thought I should check it once before throwing it away."

I open it up to see that it was written on the night after the carnival. It was about Reyhan and I' s moment. It might've slipped off my diary.

"Zach, tell her. She deserves to know that someone loves her so dearly. Take the risk. It's her loss if she rejects you, at least you won't live in the regret of nottelling her." she says before bidding me goodnight and leaving my room.