Finding Her Way Back.

Games (3)

A few days passed and I'd enjoyed my time being at home on the estate. Waking up and the sun was shining. The green grass and flowers sprouting in the garden and the sound of my siblings always fighting was a sound I missed.

"You cheated!" Jason yelled from the games room.

"No I didn't! You're just too young to understand." Josh yelled back. I climbed the stairs to the next level to get to the games room. They were both sat on bean bags playing a video game on their PS5.

"Josh  are you really going to sit here and argue with a 6 year old?" I asked from the door. I saw Mason sitting in the corner scrolling away on his phone, clearly unbothered.

"Of course, it builds his character." He joked and I rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry if you lost Jase, it's the taking part that matters." I said and I kissed the top of his head. Mason scoffed but said nothing but neither was I planning on entertaining him.

My ringer went off and it was Malcolm facetiming me. I pushed my glasses further in my face and answered.

"Hey sis, you okay?" He asked. "What's all that noise?" He asked and I flipped the camera to show him the games room.

"I'm in the games room with the boys." I said and flipped the camera back.

He laughed, "you probably won't last in their long, they always fight." He said and I nodded.

"Witnessed that already." I said and adjusted my off shoulder white jumper.

"Is that Mason in the corner?" He asked quietly and I nodded looking up. He also looked at me than looked back down.

"Hmm." Was all Malcolm said and then he smiled, "dad is coming back today." He said.

"Really? Daddy is coming back!" Jason exclaimed paying no attention to the new round of the game they were playing.

"Yup. Flight lands at 10 I think." Malcolm said and I nodded.

"How did you know that before us?" I smiled.

"Because I spoke to him not long ago and I know moms on her way home." He said.

I nodded, "and hows medical school?"

"It's fine, hows you? How's home?" He asked desperately and I knew exactly what he was referring to.

I swallowed and this time I put my AirPods in to connect and walked away from the boys. "It's fine, its the same. He's still not talking to me. He looks at me on occasion but its the same." I said sadly.

"Don't worry, when dad comes home he'll sort him out." Malcolm comforted and the door chimed from downstairs.

"That must be mum. Let me go and speak to her, I'll call you back another time." I said to him and he nodded. I headed for the staircase and sprinted down to the living room. My aunt Verna was already heels off with a bottle of wine open and laying on the sofa. Her hands were on her temple as she massaged her head.

"You work too hard aunty." I said to her and she smiled and invited me to sit next to her.

"Baby I probably only have 10 more solid years left in my craft. I have to make it all that I need it to be." She said to me and I understood.

"Aunt Verna I don't know what I want to do. I know by my age you were already with Uncle Fernando and you started your company etc but I genuinely have no idea what I want to do." I said.

"Baby, you have a lifetime to decide. Enjoy your youth. You'll get there." Was all she said and she laid back. I got up to leave her to not be disturbed. "Thank you for taking care of Josh and Jason as well as I've not been here. Sometimes its hard and Jacqui use to come over a lot but she has her own life now. I never want them to feel like they don't have a mother who's involved in their life." She closed her eyes.

"Like I said you work too hard." I smiled and she laughed. I closed the door quietly and tip toed to the cinema room. I put on a Disney movie and cuddled with the cushions until I fell asleep.

A few hours later I heard the door creep open and I saw my favourite person standing there.

"Uncle Fernando!" I exclaimed and ran to hug him.

He embraced me and held onto me tight. "wow mija you've grown so much." He held onto me and looked at me then hugged me again.

"I mean I grew a few inches upwards and out." I joked and he laughed. "You only saw me a few months ago papa!" I said and he nodded.

"I know but you're my beautiful mija, I have to make sure you're okay at all times. That's the reason why I fly through France all the time." He said and I smiled.

"You're still wearing these glasses huh?" He took my clear rimmed glasses and cleaned them with his tie and put them back.

"Yes papa, not all the time but when I remember." I laughed and so did he.

"And how's school?" He sat me down on the sofa.

"It's great papa, I love learning about literature and philosophy but honestly I don't know what I'm going to do after my final year." I said and he shook his head.

"Don't worry about that mija, when we get to it we'll get to it. Okay?" He said and he took off his tie slightly and sighed. Uncle Fernando ran a million pound, telecommunications business which had all started when he was just 19. He'd create it, organised it and launched it and in his mid 20s it took off and made him have the fortune he has today.

"And how have the boys been treating you?" He asked and I smiled slightly.

"Great as always. I have missed them."

"Even that bone head that rhymes with Jason?" he asked and I gasped.

"Uncle Fernando!" I laughed.

He laughed too, "my eyes and ears are in this house, I know what happens. Don't worry I'll speak too him." He confirmed but I shook my head violently.

"No, please just leave him. He'll come around eventually." I said and he squeezed my hand.

"Where's Verna?" He asked.

"I think she's in the other room. She was sleeping the last time I checked with a bottle of wine." I laughed slightly.

He shook his head but laughed, "that woman works too hard. She doesn't even need to work." He said.

"Yeah but aunt Verna isn't the type to take time off. She worked through basically every pregnancy." I said and he nodded.

"I don't know how she does it." He said and got up.

"Go to bed mija, we'll catch up in the morning okay?" he said and I nodded as he left the room to find my aunt.

I yawned and stretched and headed to the kitchen for some water then headed to bed.