Growing Up Nelson: Book 3

Chapter 5

I dreamed of seeing my mom for the first time. She was just as gorgeous as I imagined. Her smile was bright and warm. I couldn't stop looking at her. She had eyes as big and as brown as mine and we were the same height. All this time I thought deep down in my heart I hated her when I never hated her at all! She loved me and she was determined to find me even if it meant losing her life. She sacrificed her life to find me. She must have really been heartbroken. She wasn't with my father and she had just lost her first baby. Now we're standing face to face for the first time in 16 years. I took off into her arms and squeezed her tightly. I've been dreaming of hugging my mom forever and to finally happening! Just as I was taking her in the warmth I was feeling was beginning to fade away. I looked up at her as she was still smiling but she was leaving.

  "No! Mama wait! Don't go!"

It was too late. She was gone. My eyes popped open to see the bright Christmas sun shining through the windshield. Th engine silently hummed as I sat up in the front seat and liked around.

  "Regan?"

She wasn't in the car so I turned to look out the back window. The smile that was plastered on my face to find I'm looking back at the storage unit that is

  "PAISLEY PARK! I'M HOME!"

My excitement was so strong that it took me what seemed to be forever to open the car door and fall out of the car in a full sprint to the doors of Paisley. Running inside I screamed at the top of my lungs.

  "Dad! Joey! I'm back!"

Standing dead center of the lobby on the love symbol I waited for someone to come out and meet me. The sudden sound of little feet was coming my way. My little blond haired blue eyed brother sadly shuffled his way to the lobby.

  "Hey sprout!" I said trying to pull his focus from the floor.

Joey slowly lifted his head and his once sad and lonely face was now full of happiness.

  "CARLY!!!!!" He said as he ran and leaped into my arms.

He's never hugged me this tight before! That must mean he really missed me.

  "We were so worried about you! We saw the bad guys take you and Tony tried to stop them!" He said in his high squeaky voice.

  "Well you do t have to worry about that because I'm home now." I told him as he hugged me around my neck again.

While in the middle of hugging my brother I heard my dad calling him.

  "Joey. Where are you buddy? You can't just get up and leave the table you're food is-"

I put Joey down on the floor as my dad and I locked eyes for the first time in the last 24 hours.

  "Carlyn?" He said in a near whisper.

  "Heey......daddy....."

I can tell my dad was about to burst into tears of joy and I can't lie I was too. I missed him so much and I'm sure he missed me even more.

  "Well don't just stand there come hug your old man." He laughed.

  "You're not old your just cool." I giggled back and raced to his arms. The impact of me running into him took us both to the floor.

  "Oh my god daddy! Are you ok? Did I hurt you?" I asked.

  "Now that your safe and sound I'm fine!"

He hugged me tighter than he's ever hugged me before. I missed him terribly and I was glad to be back with family. As we were hugging the front door opened as we both looked up to see who was coming inside. Joey was really excited to see Regan walking through the door.

  "I remember you! Your Tony's friend from yesterday!" He said as he jumped up and down.

  "I remember you too cutie! Merry Christmas! I got something for you but you gotta wait until later ok? I have to make sure it's ok with your dad if you and your sister can have them."

  "What is it?"

  "It's a surprise! Where's your daddy?"

Joey pointed in our direction and Regan smiled at me and my dad being down on the floor. She laughed a little and shook her head.

  "That's a good place for you nerd." She said through her laughter.

I looked at my dads face and it was the same look he had when his second ex wife showed up unannounced.

  "Don't look so surprised to see me troll!" She giggled.

  "Daddy? Are you alright? I asked him as we sat on the floor.

He didn't say anything he just sat there and looked at her. It was almost like he was falling in love with her. Geez my father's weird.

  "Well daddy this is who got me home. This is-"

  "Regan." Was all he said.

It's about time he acknowledged her presence.

  "Good to see you too Nelson." She said still smiling at him.

These two are like two teenagers afraid to make the first move! Just find a room and get it on already for all that! It's like watching a reality show that literally has no type of script! My dad finally stood up from the floor as he stared her down.

  "Still the same height I see." Regan joked as she waved a finger up and down at him.

  "Still got jokes huh?" He said to her shaking his head.

Looking at them stare at each other it came to me.

  "Aaaaahhh it makes sense now!" I said with a grin crossing my arms and looking at my love sick father.

  "What? What makes sense?" He asked me confused.

  "She's your one that got away!"

He looked at me and then quickly looked at her then back to me.

  "No! We just.....she....."

  "So she does know about me!" Regan said.

  "Not really. He still won't tell me anything." I replied disappointed.

  "Let's go to my office and talk Mouse." He said to her as he put his hand out.

  "After you Skipper." She giggled putting her hand in his.

Me and Joey watched as they went to the second floor to his office. We looked at each other with the same mischievous look on our faces.

  "You wanna?" I asked Joey.

  "Secret agents!" He said as we high fived each other. The two of us bolted for the office at top speed.