Lovestruck Winter

Home Again

"Auntie Emma!" "Auntie!" Her brother's kids, Aiden and Victoria, shouted as they hit her. Aiden was eleven and already getting tall, looking like the spitting image of his dad with dark brown curls and tanned skin, while seven-year-old Victoria took after her mom, all big blue eyes and light brown hair. Emma gave them a group hug.

"Look how big you two have gotten!" She squeezed them tightly. She hadn't seen them in a few years.

"Well, well, well. Looks like the big, bad doctor is finally home for the holidays," her brother, Jose, came out from around the corner.

"I missed you, too. Come here ya sap," she stood up and hugged him. "How's the farm?"

"Cold," he chuckled; his black hair was finally at his shoulders, framing his face. "It's alright. We're done harvesting, so it's just livestock care until February. Victoria's finally helping out."

"I can carry a seed bag all by myself now," she stood with her hands on her hips. Emma tried not to tear up at the sight. She had gotten so big, and Emma had missed almost all of it.

"That's awesome. High five!" Emma made her jump. Victoria giggled and jumped as high as she could to smack it. Someone came thundering down the stairs, and Bailey appeared with a wide grin. She came down in sweatpants and a t-shirt that said 'U.S. Air Force' across the chest. Her glasses were a little crooked on her face, the black frames slipping down her nose.

"There's my favorite sibling!" She shouted, coming over to scoop Emma up. Jose made an offended sound. "You didn't take me to Dairy Queen last night when I asked, so you lost your spot," she scoffed at him, squeezing Emma tightly. She was the youngest, freshly nineteen and ready to take on the world.

"I'll take you to Dairy Queen after dinner. I could use one of their seasonal thingies," Emma said, gesturing widly.

"A blizzard?" Bailey said with a confused face.

"Yes, thank you!" Emma snapped her fingers.

"You are exactly the same," Bailey scoffed. "Come on, I wanna show you the kitchen. Mom redid it last summer."

"I will just let me get the smell of the airport off me."

"Yes, I agree that you stink," Jose said, shoving her towards the stairs. Victoria and Aiden were still hanging off of her.

"Auntie, when you're done being stinky, I wanna show you my legos!" Aiden said. Victoria tugged on her.

"Nu-uh! Because I gotta show Auntie my ponies, and she wants to see those more, right Auntie?" She butted in, looking up at her. Jose grabbed them both, throwing them over his shoulders.

"Okay, you two. Stop pestering Aunt Emma. She'll see both," he said, looking back at the door. "Where's Ava at?" Emma looked away, clearing her throat.

"We broke up before I got here. No, I don't want to talk about it. Yes, it is over for good, I never want to see her again," she said in one breath. Bailey narrowed her eyes.

"Do I need to call a drone strike on the bitch? Because I will." Jose made a scolding noise.

"Watch the language!" He hissed. "Go take a shower, Em. And I'm sorry," he said with a sympathetic look. Bailey mouthed 'drone strike' before imitating a bomb going off. Emma rolled her eyes before going upstairs. Her parents put tinsel on the banister with some hanging ornaments along the deep stained wood. They changed the carpet at the top of the stairs to a nice dark brown that matched the baseboards. The walls were still beige and covered in family photos. She walked down the hallway, and next to her room was her engagement photo of her and Ava in the pumpkin patch.