The Purple Backpack ✔️

Chapter Thirty Three

She patted my cheek affectionately before walking back into the house leaving me alone with my thoughts again. I got back to work because despite my lack of appetite my body was feeling the effects of not eating well and besides mushrooms with rice sounded heavenly.

After I was done trimming the fence I made my way to the tap to wash up as my mom would cut me up if I went for lunch with a sweaty body and dirty hands. The rumbling of a car engine at our front gate caught my attention just as I finished up washing my face and cleaning wild leaves from my hair. We rarely received guests, let alone any with cars so I turned off the water and made my way to the front of the house.

A familiar car was parked out front and I smiled when I saw Ned and Cliff alight from the front seats. Ned was the only one who knew where I lived as I'd brought him with me once when I came to visit my mother and sister a few years prior. The back doors opened and I assumed the rest of the guys had tagged along.

"Guys, what the hell are you doing here?"I asked approaching them.

"Is that any way to talk to your friends who just drove four hours to come see you?"Cliff retorted as he gave me a bro hug.

"It's a two and a half hour drive."I remarked.

"Yeah but these fools kept stopping to pee and buy more drinks. I just thank God we got here safe."Ned replied.

"I'm happy to see you guys."I commented.

"You should be after all you were about to leave for Paris without saying a proper goodbye."Cass commented as he and Alfred joined us after alighting from the back seat.

"I did say goodbye, two days ago before I came home."I commented shoving him playfully.

"Yeah but not in the right way."Cass answered.

"But seriously guys, what are you all doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you because I am but this is an unexpected visit."I asked.

None of them had informed me of the visit yet I talked to at least one of them daily.

They all looked at me with sheepish looks on their faces and I knew theirs was not a casual visit. Before I could demand an explanation, the last voice I expected to hear spoke up behind me.

"Don't be mad at them, I asked Ned to bring me and they wanted to tag along."Pierra explained.

I turned around fast just in time to catch her close the backdoor. She looked so beautiful dressed in a long sleeved green sweater, black jeans, white sneakers and her signature purple backpack in hand. Her hair was straightened out, falling over her back and she had very light make up on.

I had no idea what to say or how to react at seeing her standing in my childhood home so I just stood there frozen in place staring at her. So many nights over the past three weeks I had dreamt of seeing her and fixing things and yet there she was in front of me and I couldn't utter a single word. Of all places I had anticipated our reunion, not once had I thought she'd show up at my mom's homestead of all places.

"We'll leave you guys to talk, boys lets go see what Mama Andy has made for lunch."Ned declared pulling the guys away.

"Perfect, I'm starving."Cliff lamented.

"You just ate a whole pizza on the drive here."Alfred countered.

"I'm a growing boy."Cliff defended.

"Everything about that statement is wrong except for the fact where you claim to be a boy. Real men are not cry babies like you." Alfred jabbed.

"Why you little... "Cliff exclaimed.