Ethel

Home Again.

The pilot announces for landing. I feel so happy to be back and then as we were getting off the plane, he hands me over a scarf.

"thanks but i don't really need it.it ain't sunny."i say, looking at Cris. he was wrapping one around his face in a way that now only his eyes were visible.

"you don't want to draw attention, do you? you are way too gorgeous...media will be tempted, babe!"he says, helping me wrap the scarf in the same way.

"you are right, handsome!"i say in the muffled voice. we laugh it off and exit . we were so into the crowd of the morning arrivals, media stood there waiting for nobody. they missed us. thankfully!

Spanish culture hits me in a wave as we ride past the markets. so colorful...it's so new to my eyes after Russia! I think about the clan . this is the first time we have been so apart for days. Charlie, as usual will cry. i can bet on it.

"I met your sister and Mother, Ethel."Cris says, as if reading my mind. how does he know what i think?

"and...they are here?"i ask.

"yeah. your sister...she looks so like you. i had promised her to get you back.she calls you moon. that's beautiful!"he says, handing me his phone."give it a try. call her. she'll be surprised! she will know that i fulfilled her promise."

i stare at the phone for a while. Haze. will i be able to explain her about Inger and Ian. she had always had something for Fermino brothers. well, before they did things.

i dialed after all. she needed to be alright. she needed to know that things could get better.

after a ring, she picked up."hello?" came her honey like voice from the other side.

"hey, it's me Haze. how are you doing?"i could hear her breath heavily and then she bursts into tears.she screams"Jesus!mom lord listened to our prayers!"

i could hear the running around in the house. the clan. mom.

"Moon! are you alright ?i missed you so!!i swear i would kill the Ferminos whenever i see them next!mom is crying, you know. she missed you so...and your cl-"she was cut as someone snatched the phone from her.mom, maybe.

"hey, mom!how are you?"

"it's me, Ethelwynn!"i heard the excited voice of Charlie that i so wanted to hear. in a rush , all the memories i tried to forget rushed back in my mind. all the times he had held my hand and i took it just as a polite gesture...it was his love-his voice came out broken because he missed me. because this is true. being back is a mistake. i will soon have to answer Charlie. i will have to break his heart.

"hii Charlieboy....how are you?"i asked, trying to hold back the tears.

"i have been miserable these days...i missed you so. promise me you will never leave my side ...like..Ever!"

Promise is a big word.it either makes something or breaks everything.

"i do. i..we can talk when i'm home. tell mom about this. alright?"i finally answer.

"sure! pancakes are already on their way!"he says in that same joyful tone as the phone went silent.

the rest of the journey was filled with talks about recent achievements of Real Madrid. Cris scored twice in Champions league final and they had won. the season was great. one of his best. if i would have been just a fan, i would have been soo happy....jumping around in school-telling the tail in detail to unknown passerby!

but now that he was so close, it seemed a part of me. maybe this is what it feels to be in love. connected forever.

it's exciting when you find parts of yourself in someone else.

"you missed me?"i asked Cris as we saw the area come close. we were home.

"i missed you so much."he says, his voice just a whisper and then wraps his arms around me. i shift closer and wrap mine around him too. listening to his rhythmic heartbeat, i ask him what i had in mind.

"and what did you so when you missed me?"

it took him a while to answer. and then when he did, i felt his tear on my cheek. he was crying.

"when i missed you,i read our old conversations  over and over again and smiled like an idiot all the time.someone asked me if i missed you but i didn't answer because the words wouldn't come out. I listened to songs that reminded me of you and then I.."he stopped.

"then you..."i said, wanting to know more of him. know more of us.

"then I missed you more."he said, thanking Jesus and kissing my face all over again.

and at that very moment I realized that i am addicted to the way i feel when i think of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Love is not something you look out for. love finds you, and when it does,Ready or Not, it will be the best thing to ever happen to you.

___________________________________________________________________

"oh my god! I love you so! you are safe!"Ashley rushed to me from the porch.

"oh..i missed you too,my love!"i said, giving her the hug back. she felt so warm.

"what about me?"Ansel came out running, Harper behind him."you went to visit Russia alone?"he said, hugging me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

"i must recommend, Ansel, that Russia is out of the world tour!"i say, hugging Harper. 

"you still smell of roses, Ethel. what's it with you and roses!"she says, rubbing her nose.

"it's just that i'm back home, maybe!where is Ch-"before i could finish my sentence, Marius jumped over me , pushing me on the ground and hugging me tightly. he was crying!

"don't miss me so much next time,Marius!"i said, getting off the ground. i heard mom giggling.

"mom!i missed you the most!where is Helen?"i said, giving her a kiss too.

"oh dear! a mother's heart is the most breakable one. Haze is inside, cooking with Charlie!"she says, picking up my stuff.

a hand came in between to pick the luggage." Ms.Chalmers, i'll take it."Cris said in that angel like voice.

"oh yes!mom you met him?"i said , placing my hand over Cris's shoulder.

"met him?I played X-Box at his place!i see this is your best choice so far!"she says, laughing hard. this was a rare sight. she rarely laughed after dad left.

everyone walked inside again. I went over to Cris's side.

"past choices, huh?"he says, a smirk on his face.

"umm...lets just say i had pretty amount of boyfriends in the past."

at that , he laughed. and i looked at him suspiciously.

"how many?"he finally spoke.

"6-7?"

"okay. i had gigantic amount. you are 40th. but forever."he said,  his arm around  my waist now.

this is life, Jesus. keep it safe.