With Love...

48: Gone

The two girls sat side by side on the chairs while the others split off with missions in mind. Most likely consisting of food and Advil.

The plane ride was only around three hours. The group slept most the way there. The got off the plane and gathered their luggage, calling another Uber to pick them up.

They walked up to the door of Cara's house, still quiet. She slowly raised her fist to knock, pausing millimeters from the door. JoJo reached forward, resting her hand on Cara's shoulder. Cara sighed, gently raping her fist against the wood of the door.

After a few moments, the door swung open. On the other side stood a girl, closer to 17, her eyes were wide and puffy. She almost mirrored Cara in all ways aside from her hair color and length.

" Cara." She whispered, pulling her into a tight hug.

" Come inside, mother should be down soon." Anni opened the door for the rest of them to enter. They walked into the parlour. They could hear a woman speaking softly down the hall.

" Karl is heading back now." Anni said softly, Cara nodded in response. A few moments later a woman whom also resembled Cara came down the hall, pulling Cara into a hug.

(Italics will be German)

" It's good to have you home." She murmured.

" Good to be home." Cara nodded.

" Will you be staying?" Anni took a step forward.

" No, my job is on the tour. And please speak English, they don't understand." Cara begged quietly.

" That's the point, my dear." Her mother replied.

" Mother, this is my boyfriend Sky, and my dear friends JoJo, Ben, Josh, and Bexley." Cara turned to her friends. JoJo flashed her a silent question in which Cara silently shook her head.

" Guys, this is my mother Greta and my sister Anni." Cara stated.

" You will call me Mrs. Bachmann." She gave Sky an unapproving look.

" Yes ma'am." Ben nodded.

" You should date him, he's polite." Greta said to her daughter. JoJo bit back a laugh when she heard that.

" Ben is dating JoJo, and I'm quite happy with Sky." Cara said, rather annoyed with her mother's behavior.

" If you say so." Greta rolled her eyes.

" Let me show you to your rooms." Anni broke the tension before it could start. The others welcomed the idea, walking down the hall, leaving Cara with her mother. Sky casted her a glance as he past. She sent him a soft smile and a nod.

" I must apologize for my mother's behavior." Anni started once they were out of earshot.

" She changed after my brothers left, and now that we've lost Albert..." Anni trailed off.

" We're very sorry." Bexley rested a hand on her shoulder.

" Thank you." She whispered.

" Um, this is Cara's room, which you girls can share with her," Anni gestured to a door to her left," And this is the guest room which the boys can share." She pointed to the door to her right.

Cara came up the stairs, looking quite unhappy.

" What did she say?" Anni asked.

" Don't bother with the German, An. She can understand." Cara nodded to JoJo. Anni turned to JoJo, looking rather confused.

" We're evidently 3rd cousins." Cara leaned heavily into Sky.