Cliff Jumping is Prescribed

07| Changed

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"Hey there good looking," I looked up at the random woman and arched an eyebrow at how she looked me up and down while I stood there waiting for my bag to come back through the conveyor belt.

"Randy!" Before I could respond to the woman I turned on my toe and saw the tuft of black hair running towards me at full speed. I took a step forward and prepared myself as I caught her in my arms and smiled at the warm feeling.

"My baby!" She cooed and I pulled back with watery eyes to see my mother crying. We've seen each other many times, but I've only been back home once six years ago for Zelda's graduation and I left the same day.

"Every time I see you you look more like your father," she said as I let her back on the ground. She held the sides of my face and gave me a huge smile that I couldn't help but return. "Look how handsome," she gushed as she squeezed my cheeks and another body came barreling my way as I stumbled to the right.

"Randy!" The voice screeched and I held on to Lynne tightly on one side while Athena took my other side. Mom took a step back as tears rolled down her eyes as she fanned her face and I held my sisters tightly.

"I missed you you big freak," Lynne said and I smiled down at my sixteen year old sister.

"Yeah what the hell is this?" Athena, now seventeen, asked squeezing my bicep and I chuckled.

"Filled out with age I suppose." My mom kept comparing me to how my dad looked like when they first met. She said I lost the swimmers body over the years and bulked up, but I think it's just the fact that I'm not a teenager anymore.

"C'mon Randall, your father hasn't shut up once about your return and he's going to go crazy if he doesn't see you in the next hour," Mom said and I nodded my head as I turned around to grab my bags, realizing the woman from earlier was standing a few feet away now. She gave me a stare down as if the three women here who I didn't really resemble were anything but family.

It didn't take long until we got to the restaraunt where my dad was sitting at a table with Alex, his wife, and my niece and nephew. He was staring at his phone in anticipation while 8 year old Mandy droned out a story to him.

"Missed me that much?" I joked and the sight of the man lighting up like a christmas tree made me laugh as he hopped up and practically tackled me.

"Hey kiddo," he laughed "I fricken missed that smile." He piulled back and pat my cheek a few times while his eyes glistened like mom's did before.

"Little brother! Let me at him Pops!" Alex said, shoving Dad as he pulled me in a hug. "7 years and FaceTime didn't even help I fucking missed you dude." He pulled back and held my shoulders. "Holy shit what are you lifting cows or something?" He chuckled and shook me a little.

"I filled out," I shrugged. Based on this being the second time I've heard it today, I suppose this is a crazy difference from high school.

"That's an understatement. I think you're your fathers size when I met him and he was in his thirties."

"I was 31 but I'm still in my prime," dad said from the seat he took back at the table while he and Mom pretended to fight over getting to hug Mandy.

"Hi Uncle Rand," I turned around to see Timmy and my eyes widened. Woah! Puberty hit Timmy hard.

"I know. He's tall and lanky," Alex mumbled to me as I hugged my nephew with a chuckle.

After saying hello to everyone else we finally sat down and I wrapped an arm around the back of Athena's chair as I looked to my other side where Alex shook his head.