The family's baby

Chapter 6

*Grace's P.O.V*

I did not take into account that I was a weakling and I would struggle with my luggage but it is too late for me to back out now so I just suffer as I drag my suitcase down the sidewalk. Thankfully it had wheels on it so I wasn't struggling that much. It still hurt when the suitcase hit the back of my ankles. It was like I was just torturing myself at this point.

My backpack is kind of heavy but I ignore the feeling as I walk down the street. I know some of the town but the closer I get to Zahira's house, the better I feel. I practically run down the sidewalk when I finally reach her street, slowing down as I reach her driveway. I walk slowly down the driveway, going under her carport and knocking on the side door.

"Hello?" Oliver says as he opens the door. I shush him, smiling excitedly. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't expected for a couple more days?" he asks a bit too loudly for my liking.

"I took a bus, I wanted to surprise Zahira and everyone else," I inform him. He narrows his eyes at me, inspectingly, before nodding as he steps back. That's why he was a good brother-in-law, he didn't ask too many questions.

"Zahira, it's for you," Oliver calls. It takes a little bit for her to come and that whole time I am waiting impatiently. I bounce on my tippy toes out of excitement as she comes to the door.

"What have I told you about yelling while Jazmin..." Zahira starts to whisper yell down the steps before I interrupt her.

"Hey Za," I say with a grin and I see her eyes widen. She practically throws herself down the steps as her arms wrap around me. Her hug is so tight that I almost can't breathe but I still let her just keep holding me as I return the hug.

"Grace!" She says and I can hear the excitement in her voice as she holds me. She's a little bit taller than me so her arms are around my neck so she's almost choking me with how tight she is holding me.

"How the hell did you get here? It wasn't mom or dad... I saw them just a few hours ago. Elena? Is that why she was so busy all of a sudden? Was she picking you up in secret?" Zahira asks as she loosens her hold to pull back and look at me.

"Nope. The bus," I say honestly and I see her eyes widen.

"A bus? Wait a minute....you said you were at a party....you lied?! To mom and all of us?!" Zahira says. I can see the confusion in her eyes as she goes through several different emotions. I nod hesitantly which makes her stop hugging me for a moment.

"Surprise," I say with a chuckle, nervously. Zahira smacks my arm which makes me jerk away. "Owie," I mutter as I rub my arm to get rid of the sting.

"You were on a bus all alone and you lied about it!? How could you do that?" Zahira exclaims.

"It was pretty easy. I just bought a ticket," I mutter, still rubbing my arm. Her smack really hurt.

"That is not what I meant and I think you know that so I would appreciate it if you dropped the sarcasm," Zahira huffs as she rolls her eyes.

"I wanted to surprise you and mom and dad and Elena," I inform her.

"You could have gotten kidnapped, Grace! Or murdered! Or whatever else," Zahira exclaims and I pout slightly.

"Well that didn't happen and I'm here now," I point out and I can see the annoyance in her eyes as she takes a deep breath.

"It could have though and you know that," Zahira points out.

"But it didn't! So you can just drop it," I mutter, frowning slightly when she narrows her eyes. She takes another deep breath before speaking again.

"Fine, I will drop it. Mom won't be happy with you though and she will not be dropping it any time soon," Zahira informs me and I suck in a breath through my teeth when she says that. She was absolutely right about that, mom was definitely going to be at least a little mad. Okay, very mad. Maybe I could have Zahira butter her up first though.

"I know. Where is my little niece? I want to see her," I say, trying my best to change the subject and not let on to my plans for her.

"Jazmin was just put down for a nap," Zahira informs me. That makes me pout, something I may be a little too old to do but I can't help it.

"Of course she is," I huff. "It's like everyone wants to ruin my plans of happiness," I mutter. Zahira rolls her eyes at that, shaking her head as she wraps me into another hug.

"I am happy to see you even if you are a brat," Zahira murmurs.

"Are you happy enough that you will take me to mom and dads house?" I question raising an eyebrow slightly. Zahira sighs as she closes her eyes for a moment before nodding her head.

"Fine. Do you want to go now?" Zahira asks. I nod my head, smiling slightly when she rolls her eyes but goes inside, coming back outside with her keys. "Go load up," she says.

"Fine, I guess I will watch Jazmin," Oliver says dramatically after a moment. That makes me giggle because I know he is more than happy to do it. He always likes to gripe that Jazmin preferred Zahira to him and how much of a mommy's girl she is so he loves every moment he can get alone with her. I can't blame Jazmin though, I was also a mommy's girl so we were on the same side.

I hurry up to go get in the car, opening the door to get in the passenger seat before I realize that I have to put my backpack and suitcase in the backseat. I groan dramatically as I open the backdoor, sling my backpack in and then shove my suitcase in there too.

"You better not damage my seats with your luggage by doing that!," Zahira says and I roll my eyes, mocking her griping with my hand. She acted like such a mom sometimes that it wasn't any fun to be around her. I mean it might even be more fun to talk to my mom because she would probably be a little less bossy. Well that wasn't totally true, mom would always be more bossy.

I buckle up, leaning back in my seat as I look out the window of the car. I know the route that she is going to take since she only ever takes the same one. A perk of living so close to our parents I suppose, especially if you run out of something and need to run and grab it. Zahira often made me bring stuff over to her house since I was already at mom and dad's and she didn't want to drive there. That had been a big perk of moving away to college, not being bossed around by my older sisters.

Zahira soon pulls down the street that our parents live on and I smile slightly as I look at the house that is quickly coming into view. It's a brick two-story house, not including the attic, with a white privacy fence around the back of it and a picket fence in the front. I can see my bedroom window already, the purple curtains practically calling my name. I had gone through a big purple phase when I was 14 and hadn't changed it since then.

"I can't wait to give mom a heart attack," I say, making Zahira laugh.

"I'm sure she'll be so happy to see you and then you'll be in so much trouble, I can't wait!" Zahira informs me as she pulls into the driveway. I unbuckle as soon as she is in the driveway and hop out of the car before it is fully stopped, paying her no mind. The only thing on my mind was I was finally home.