Under Normal Circumstances

Well Hello to You too

Slivko was here. He wasn't just back in America, back on dry land, he was here. Unless I finally snapped and this was a hallucination. My heart skipped a beat and then made up for it by beating like crazy and I felt dizzy.

"Jared!" I said frantically as I grabbed his shoulder, not taking my eyes off Slivko who was just walking around the car to where Mason and Conrad were standing.  "Do you see three people standing there, two guys and a woman?"

"Uh, yeah- what are you doing?!"

As soon as he confirmed it I started taking off my shoes. I left them and the two boys behind as I ran down the grassy hill. Slivko was looking at the large group of people, not in my direction. Mason noticed me first and waved frantically before hitting Slivko on the arm and pointing to me.

"Here she comes!" I heard her say.

Slivko's expresion brightened when he saw me and I felt tears fly off my face. I was almost to him and he opened his arms to catch me as I launched myself off the grass and flung my arms around his neck.

"Well hello to you too!" He exclaimed as he tightly wrapped his arms around me and held me off the ground. His scent confirmed that this really wasn't a hallucination and happy tears filled my eyes.

"You're here!" I exclaimed into the crook of his neck. "How are you here?!"

He chuckled, still holding me off the ground since I was barefoot.
"The boat got in day before yesterday and after all the paper work I had just enough time to make it here. So, here I am," he explained.

"You're here!" I repeated.

"We're here too," Mason pointed out.

"Maybelle!" Jared's chastising voice was heard before he hit me in the butt with one of my shoes. "You need to get off your boyfriend and put your shoes on, you're gonna cause a scene!"

"Oh gosh, you're right," I said sadly.

He put my shoes on the pavement and Slivko set me down in them.

"Who's this?" Mason asked with a raised brow as she looked Jared up and down.

"My cousin, Jared," I answered as I unwillingly let go of Slivko and turned to greet her too.
"Thank you so much for coming, it's so good to see you."

I hugged her and then Conrad before finally facing Slivko again, still not over the fact that he was standing right there in front of me. He had a cute smirk as he just stared at me softly.

"So this is Mason and Conrad, then?" Jared asked.

"Yeah," I confirmed, still looking at Slivko.

"I'm Reg," Slivko said as he extended his hand. "But she calls me-"

"Slivko, yes. I know," Jared nodded as he shook his hand.

Slivko looked both amused and confused.

"How are things now that you're home?" Slivko asked me with his head tilted adorably.

I was about to answer when Jared jumped in.
"Not too good," He said, causing me to give him a miffed glare.

"What's wrong?" Slivko asked, head tilted the other way now, looking concerned.