Blossom 🌸

EIGHTY FOUR 🌸

Arlo grabbed my hand. "Welcome home Blossom." He kissed my knuckles and smiled.

I blinked in the sight of the shared Maines-Peers driveway. The familiarity and sense of belonging washed over me and I got an emotional knot in my throat that I couldn't swallow down.

"Let's go." He climbed out of the car and I shuffled on the seats to follow him but my feet paused on the concrete and he looked at me bewildered.

"Do they know I'm coming back here?" He smiled really big, not a smirk in sight.

"Of course, you're home." He carried on walking and this time I followed behind him.

Everything was quiet in the Maines household, so quiet I assumed they were out.

When Arlo led us into the main family room I almost combust with emotion.

"Happy birthday!" They all shouted.

They were all here, holding up balloons and banners that read welcome home Fearne. I cried on the spot, not just softly fallen tears but instead a whole cesspit of outpouring emotion.

"I can't believe you all did this for me." I sobbed.

They dropped the balloons and wrapped me up in their arms.

"I can't believe you're finally back here!" Lexi basically screamed. "I missed you so fucking much."

"I can't believe you're all here for me." I kept repeating, I just felt so emotional.

"You're our family, of course we're here for you." Liam promised.

"We always will be here for you." Olivia added.

I wiped my eyes and sniffled. "I don't know how much longer I would've lasted with my father. You're literally saving my life right now."

"Fearne, you're one of us. We won't let him get to you again, you're safe now. We're just sorry it took so long." Jordan explained.

"I'm just glad I finally get to meet the girl my brother has been crushing on." I pulled away from the group hug and looked at the new face.

I hadn't noticed that she was here before but she sat up on the kitchen counter, next to Arlo.

"Hi." I greeted shyly.

"Hi." She replied back with the confidence their whole family seemed to naturally possess.

Cam grabbed my hand and pulled towards the sofas. "I have so much to tell you." He looked different, more physically feminine. They were only subtle changes like smoother skin and his body had changed shape, his hips more curved, his thighs fuller.

"You look -"

"I know, I got started on hormones and I go by she/her now. I have a long way to go but I'm so happy."

"Oh my god!" I screamed excitedly and hugged her so tightly. "I'm so happy for you! I'm so proud of you!"

"I don't think I would've ever gotten this far if I hadn't have met you Fearne. Thank you."

"No Cam, I don't think I would've gotten this far if I hadn't have met you. You don't understand what my father was like, the view he forced upon me. I didn't understand the LGBTQ+ community. I didn't see the people behind or within that community but now I do. I see you, I see who you are, who you're destined to become and it's really beautiful. Thank you for educating me."

"I love you."

"I love you too." We hugged for a little while and then I excused myself to go officially meet Faith.

"Hi, it's Faith, right?" She was even more beautiful away from FaceTime. The perfect mix of Jordan and Tia but with hints of Arlo.

"Yes!" She pulled me in close and kissed my cheeks. "I've been dying to meet you Arlo has been non-stop talking about you."

"That makes me a little nervous I won't deny." She laughed and nodded her head before sipping white wine from a glass.

"My baby brother is an idiot but I love him and I can see how happy you make him. He deserves someone like you, someone who will accept every part of him with love and support."

I looked across the room at Arlo, he was busy pissing off Jamie who was rapidly getting annoyed. I laughed.

"He makes me happy too." I admitted.

"That's good because he's smitten. You know, he never let anyone in. No girl or guy, not even the people in this room. He fell quick and hard for you, before you even realised I bet."

"I doubt that, we hated each other for a while. It was tough going." I laughed.

"Oh, I remember those phone calls where he ranted about an annoying girl and I knew from that moment my brother was as whipped as cream."

I smiled politely. "I'll have to take your word on that, because from my point of view we didn't even like each other very much let alone anything more."

"Maybe you're right." She laughed. "He did tell me he fell for you after your first kiss, I'm not sure where that falls into your timeline."

My smile fell and seriousness claimed my face. I glanced at Arlo again, now he was pissing off Chloe while Henry cuddled into his arm.

"That was the first time we met." I worded quietly.

"Oh shit." She laughed.

"Hey Faith?"

"Yeah?"

"What does money Faye mean?"

"Money faye?" She paused, thinking. "You mean mo nife re? I nodded and smiled. "I love you."

"Could you teach some words?"

"Of course, what do you want to know?"