The Grace of a Thousand Stars (PREQUEL)

Chapter 35- A Dream & A Nightmare

--Alaric POV--

"Cuánto te debo?"

"13 euros, señor." Handing him the required amount with a large tip, I nodded gratefully before exiting the taxi, holding the door open for Ines as she slipped out, an excited look on her face that hasn't faded from the moment we got onboard the plane.

Seeing this excitement of hers is the only thing pushing me to continue with the trip, but either way, it's too late to back out now since we've just arrived at our destination.

My eyes took in the familiar sight of my childhood home, and both the good and bad memories came flooding in. When was the last time I visited this place? I can't even remember.

"Is this the childhood home you told me about?" She asked, standing beside me as my eyes turned to look at her, but she was so entranced by the sight that beheld her that she didn't notice my gaze. Holding her hand in mine, my own eyes went back to looking at the house.

It was a large house, being more like a mansion than an actual house. Expensive red bricks with French windows, and if I recall correctly, the inside was just as pretty, but all I could properly remember was how noisy it always was. Three families lived in this house; my father and his two brothers, and my paternal grandparents who have both passed away,

My father was the oldest brother with me being his only child, but I didn't live here anymore. The middle brother, my uncle Tonio was a single father to an annoying teenage daughter since his wife passed away quite a while ago. And then the youngest brother, my uncle Pedro, got married and had three kinds all within five years.

"Yeah, and it looks just as I remember it," I sighed, already wanting to go back to our home in Miami. Now that I've had a real taste of what it's like to have a home, this place isn't that important to me anymore.

Before I could even ring the doorbell to signal them of my arrival, the large gates were pulled open, and I spied the figure of a familiar cousin throwing the front door open and running towards me, a grin on his face.

"It's Ricky!" Diego, my youngest cousin, being six years old, shouted, elated by my presence as he crashed into my legs with his short height.

"Hey, little man. You've grown since the last time I saw you." I chuckled, leaning down as I picked him up in my arms, throwing him into the air before putting him back down as he laughed, but the laughter was quickly cut short when he noticed Ines's presence.

"Who's this, Ricky?" Diego asked, curiously looking at her.

"This is Ines. She's going to be my wife." I explained. "Isn't she beautiful?" I pulled her forward a little as she smiled, almost nervously, at the child who was quite clearly awestruck by her said beauty, and without hesitation, he nodded his head.

"Yeah, she's even prettier than mama!" His mama won't be happy to hear that.

"Diego! What did I say about opening the door for strangers, you'll worry your mother into an early grave- Oh... Alaric?" His said mother stumbled over her words as she came storming out into the front garden, grabbing hold of Diego who was complaining.

"Hello, Aunt Lucy, how have you been?" I smiled politely.

I didn't have a problem with my whole extended family. The only reason I avoided coming to this place was because of the two people that called themselves my parents. And those two people are still nowhere to be seen even though they were the ones begging me to visit.

"Oh my gosh! You're finally here, sure took your time, didn't you!?" She squealed; If the family weren't aware of my arrival a moment ago, I can be sure that they're aware now.