Chapter 5

As soon as the plane landed at the airport Mr. Hayes called a taxi for me to go home even though Siobhan protested that I should go home with them. We actually share a room in her parents' house. It had been an oversized princess-styled bedroom before until she got her parents to renovate half of the room for me. So now instead of just pink walls, pink wardrobes, pink closets, and everything, one half of the room was done in pink, that was her side of the room while the other side was purple, that’s my side. I had my own bed in her room, my closet, and everything. Even the bathroom now had half of it done in pink and the other purple. It’s an understatement to say that Siobhan’s parents' house is a home away from home for me. Although in my parents' humble home, we couldn't do all those restructuring and renovations since we are not so rich so when Siobhan comes around we enjoy sleeping on the floor while pretending to be camping in a forest.

“Siobhan honey,” her mom said gently. “I’m sure Bianca’s parents have missed her. She’s been gone for weeks.”

And to be honest, even though I love Siobhan and her parents I have missed my own dear mom and dad so I agreed with what Mrs. Hayes said.

“Alright fine!” Siobhan said with a scowl. She stuck her bottom lip out. “But we’ll go back to school together promise me! And we must go shopping tomorrow together for our school supplies!”

“I promise,” I declared with my pinky on my chest, our promise sign.

That seemed to placate her. She hugged me. The taxi driver put my things in the car trunk. As I got into the car I waved at them.

“Bye. Thanks, dad,” I said to Siobhan’s dad. “And thanks mom, I had the most wonderful vacation.”

“You’re welcome, darling.” They waved me off before getting into Mr. Hayes’s official car.

My taxi drove off into the afternoon traffic. The buildings at the sides of the road were huge, modern, and beautiful, reminders of the kind of business-oriented place Hudson was. Even though dad works for Mr. Hayes, Siobhan’s dad, he can’t make enough for us to move to the more wealthy parts of the city. Don’t get me wrong, I love dad and I wouldn’t wish for another dad. And believe me, I’m not complaining because I understand that if you take out the taxes dad has to pay he doesn’t have much of his salary left and mom doesn’t work – well she is an artist and her art doesn’t pay well. But whenever I find myself in the rich parts of Hudson I am reminded of why I want to become rich. I want to make mom and dad comfortable, I want to take care of them when they are grey and old.

The driver took the 4th road exit to Lines Street where I live. Here the houses are more modest, occupied by middle-class families some of whom struggle to make ends meet. We don’t struggle but yes we are middle class.

A few minutes later the taxi stopped in front of the house. Even before the driver cut the engine mom burst through the door like she had been watching for me by the window.

“Bianca!” she shrieked and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back inhaling my mom’s sweet homey smell and like I suspected she smelled like fresh bread and honey and paints and chemicals.

The taxi driver, smiling pleasantly, dropped my bags and boxes on the steps before going back to his car. With a tip of his cap, he drove off. Mom took one look at the extra boxes, I had taken just one bag and one box but brought back two extras.

“Let me guess,” she laughed. “Siobhan insisted on shopping again?”

“You know how she is mom. She still wants us to shop tomorrow for our resumption.”

Mom laughed. “Oh that child, she will be the death of her parents someday.” She picked some of the bags and I picked the others. Mom’s cat, Fiona, rubbed herself against my leg as I walked in. I breathed the lovely smell of home. Dad wasn’t home because as expected he was at work but I know he would be buying my favorite pizza to celebrate my homecoming.

I entered my room and set about arranging my bed and clothes. My closet was nearly bursting with the new clothes I bought. I made a mental note to select the clothes I wouldn’t be wearing anymore and donate them before going back to school.

When I finished arranging my room, I was about to go downstairs to give mom the highlights of my vacation when my phone beeped. It was Siobhan.

I called her up. She picked on the first ring.

“Bestie! Have you gotten home?”

“Yup and I put my things away already.”

“Sounds boring. Is mom there?”

“She’s in the kitchen. I was about to join her there to prepare dinner when you beeped.”

“I’ll talk to her when I come tomorrow. Don’t forget we are going shopping for school stuff, okay?”

“Right right,” I rolled my eyes with a long suffering sigh even though I was looking forward to seeing her again. Although shopping with Siobhan is like taking a new career, you never know when she’s going to stop. “Anyways have you gotten home yet?”

“Almost. Mom and dad are discussing something and ignoring me as usual.”

I could just imagine her rolling her eyes. I know her parents are busy but for as long as I’ve known her they never pay much attention to her for too long. What they lack in parental care they made up for in money though.

“I’m sure they are talking business,” I said to calm her. Fiona came into my room and climbed into my lap.

“Yeah right, that’s all they ever talk about.” Her voice dropped conspiratorially. “And guess what Andre and I have been talking about?” she sounded excited.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes skyward. Okay, I just have to accept the fact that for the next two weeks, the only name I’ll be hearing is Andre Rios' and I am not happy about it. I guess I should be grateful he’s too far away to break my best friend’s heart.

“Sex?” I asked.

“Oh silly, not that! Well yes that and the fact that he wants to see me.”

“Yeah right, how is he going to manage that? We are going back to school on Sunday unless he plans to arrive tomorrow or Saturday I don’t see how seeing each other might be possible.” And if my guess is right which I know it is, Siobhan will use me as a chaperone and a cover so her parents wouldn’t notice she is sneaking off to see a total stranger.

“Oh, Bianca, you child of little faith. Love always finds a way. Oh, shit, we just got home, I’ll call you back okay?”

“Alright.”

She cut the call. A few minutes later the front door swung open downstairs and dad’s loud voice echoed.

“Where’s my little girl?”

I ran down the stairs excited to meet him and threw my arms around him. Well, dad’s arms are bigger and stronger so he lifted me off my feet.

“You look lovely,” he said. “I bet all the boys were throwing themselves at your feet in Mainland.”

“I wish.”

“Alright you two,” mom said coming out of the kitchen with a smile. “Let’s take any discussions about Mainland vacation to the dining table. I don’t want to be left out on this one.”

Dad and I laughed. When mom pretend to be offended we both sobered and laughingly followed her to the kitchen where the dining table was set. I sat with my parents, God I’ve missed them so much and told them all about Mainland. Of course, I left out the part that had to do with Andre Rios.