Eliza's POV-
Coming back home always feels so good. Chincoteague is relaxing. Luckily we decided to come via flight. It was short one and half hour flight but waiting at the airport was tiring especially because it was really early in the morning. The only thing exhausting is the two hour drive from the airport to our house. Chincoteague is like an island town of Virginia. The weather and location here are amazing.
Our cousin, Garrett, picked us from the airport. Before going home I bought two ice cream cakes and different ice creams from the famous Island Creamery, my mother loved their ice cream cakes.
"They are really looking forward to you both coming home. Aunt Kenna has been cooking the whole day yesterday making all you favourite food." Garret said as we got out of the car.
"Finally homemade food." Thomas said.
"Don't go eating as soon as you enter." I said to him.
"I will and you can't stop me." He said.
"But appa can." I stuck my tongue out. He did the same.
Garrett opened the door for us because our hands were full with things.
"We are home!." I announced our arrival. Walking into the living room I saw my umma and appa near the dining table setting it up.
"My daughter is home." My appa hugged me.
"Appa, I am here too." Thomas complained.
"Aww, I'll hug you. Come here." Umma said.
"Appa only loves noona." Thomas complained in umma's embrace.
"And umma only loves you so its fair and square." I said.
"Don't say that." Umma flicked my head. Appa laughed.
"Appa, as much I love to hug, there are ice cream cakes that need to go in the fridge. Also, I am filthy from the airport." I said.
"You brought ice cream cakes?" Umma asked excited.
"For my one and only beautiful umma." I gave a coy smile and handed the bag to her.
"Is this a way to bribe to go easy on you after you married without telling us?" Umma asked.
"Liza got married?" Garrett asked surprised.
"I am going to take a bath and change my clothes." I sped to my room.
"Don't run on the stairs!" Umma's voice came from the living room.
For the next two hours all I did was relax. Umma made Pajeon which are scallion pancakes and egg rolls for breakfast. I ate a lot to be honest also I told them about my visit to Dr. Jenkins and everything she told me. Everyone there was super happy, umma even cried a bit. It's safe to say I made a good image about Vincent in front of them.
If I am being honest I did miss the kids. I had gotten used to constant calling of 'mommy' that now it felt weird that no one called me that.
"Oh shit!" Appa swore.
"What did you do?" Umma asked.
"I forgot to buy the cake toppers and other stuff for tomorrow." Appa scratched the back of his neck.
"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with that." Umma complained.
"Calm down umma. I'll go and buy it in the evening." I said.
While we all were sitting in the living room the door bell rang and an obnoxious rang through the door way. It was my cousin Lauren.
"Where is my fav cousin!" She screamed.
I brought a forceful smile on my face and turned to the entrance and like expected she threw her hands around me, pulling me into tight hug that almost cut off my oxygen supply. Behind her was my ex and her current boyfriend standing and looking like an idiot. Beside him were Lauren's parents.
"How are you Liz? I missed you so much." Lauren tried to pull me into another hug.
"I missed you too, Lauren." I distanced myself from her.
"Hello, Eliza." Henry said.
"Hi, Henry." My tone was as cold as the arctic desert.
"Everybody listen up! We have an announcement to make," Lauren went to Henry's side.
"We are engaged!" Lauren held up her left hand and flashed a small diamond ring on her left finger.
"Congratulations!" I was the first one to congratulate them because I was pretty sure everyone else was in shock.
"Thank you Liz." Lauren's voice was dripping with fake sweetness. I don't hate her but I can't stand her.
"I thought you'd not be happy about it. You know because of the past." She just had to bring it up didn't she.
"Why would you think that? I have moved on and I am genuinely happy that you have too." I said.
"I knew you'd understand Eliza. You were always the bigger person." Henry said.
I just smiled at him.
"Geu ramyeon morileul jug-yeoya hana?" (Should I kill this ramen head?) Appa whispered to me. I tried to stop myself from laughing at the image of my father killing him. Appa called him 'ramyeon mori' which meant ramen head because Henry had a perm which made is hair look like noodles.
"Hey, is anyone else coming today?" Thomas asked.
"No, why?" Appa asked.
"There is a Mercedes standing in front of our house for about five minutes now." Thomas said.
"No one I know owns a car like that." Appa said.
I looked from the window and saw a black SUV standing there. I hardly caught a glimpse of a tall man who just walked out of it on the the side. He somewhat looked like Vincent. But it's impossible for Vincent to be here.
"I'll go and check." I walked to the front yard to get a better view of the man. His body posture and silhouette was identical to Vincent.
The side door of the car opened and to my utter shock Lily stepped out of it. When she saw me she started running. Her little pigtails flew with the wind with her little back pack on her back.
"Mommy!" She screamed. Was I hallucinating? That could be true.
The answer was no because the small body hugged me. I stood there in the shock. Then I finally saw the man who was of course Vincent. He was holding Jamie in his arms.
"Mommy are you not happy to see us?" Lily asked snapping me back to reality.
"Of course not. I am very happy to see you sweetheart." I picked her up and hugged her.
"I missed you so much." I said.
As Vincent came near me I saw Jamie getting excited in his arms. For the first time I saw Vincent smiling without a reason, there was this look on his face which I had never seen before.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Appa wanted to surprise you." Lily said with a grin.
"Well I certainly am surprised." I said.
"Hey." Vincent came and stood near me.
"Hi." I said.
"Noona, who are they?" Thomas's voice came from behind. I turned to see my whole family outside with confused looks on their face.
"Oh, I didn't introduce you." I said. I held Vincent's hand and it was now his time to look surprised. He looked at me with that 'what are you doing' looking I just nodded to tell him to trust me. We walked a few steps to my parents.
"Umma, Appa meet my husband Vincent Chae." I introduced them.
"Annyeonghaseyo jangmo. Annyeonghaseyo jangin. Je ireumeun Vincent Chaeimnida." Vincent respectfully bowed down. (Hello mother in law. Hello father in law. I am Vincent Chae?
Both of my parents were baffled about how to react.
"Annyeonghaseyo." They both said.
"And these are my kids. Lily and Jameson." I said.
"Annyeonghaseyo halmeoni. Annyeonghaseyo harabeoji." Lily bowed just like Vincent. I felt so proud at that moment. (Hello grandmother. Hello grandfather)
"These are my parents. This is brother, Thomas. This is my cousin Garrett and this is my cousin Lauren and that's her fiancé Henry." I introduced everyone.
At Henry's mention Vincent turned to me. I just shrugged.
"Please come on in." Umma said.
As everyone walked inside Thomas slowly came by my side.
"Il parle coréen?!" He whispered. (He speaks Korean?!)
"Oui." I said. (Yes.)
"Maman et papa ont été surpris." He chuckled and so did I. (Mom and dad were surprised.)
Inside everyone was seated in the living room. Like always Lily has a huge smile on her face, she was sitting between my parents. While Vincent looked a little awkward infront of these many people. I kept Jamie on my lap.
"Do you want to eat anything?" I asked.
"No, I am full." Lily said.
"What did you eat?" I asked.
"Appa got some burgers for us." She said.
"By the way how did you come here so suddenly?" I asked.
"By my private jet." Vincent said.
All the heads in the room turned to him.
"A private jet?" I was shocked.
"Yeah." He nodded casually.
"No matter how long I stay with you, this rich people stuff still surprises me." I said.
"Don't worry you'll get used to it. We have a lot of time for that." He said.
What? That wasn't even true. This marriage was going to last hardly 3 years. But thinking about it felt like a stab wound in my stomach.
"Where are your bags?" Appa asked Vincent.
"Our bags?" Vincent asked.
"You are staying with us, right?" Appa asked.
"Oh, no. I don't want to trouble you. I have booked a hotel. We'll go there." Vincent said politely.
"A hotel?" I questioned.
"I don't want to go to a hotel. I want to stay here with mommy." Lily whined.
"Yeah, I am not letting you go to a hotel alone with the kids." I said.
"I know how to take care of them. I have done it before," Vincent said.
"You had Martha with you that time. And no way in hell I am going to let you go to hotel with the kids in a city you don't know." I argued.
"I don't want to be an inconvenience." He said.
"Fine, then you go there but Lily and Jamie are staying here with me." I said strictly.
"Eliza! You don't speak to your husband like that." Umma said.
"I learnt it form the best." I said. She flicked my head.
"Mr. Chae, you have to stay with us, we insist." Umma said.
"Yes, after all this is the first time we will spend time our grandchildren." Appa said.
"But-" Vincent argued.
"Please appa!" Lily said.
"Fine. But please call me by my name. You are elder than me." Vincent said.
I was surprised to say the least when I saw the man who behaved like being rude was his job being this polite to my parents.
"So, who is going to stay where? We are also staying here you know." Lauren butted in the conversation.
"You and your fiancé can sleep in the guestroom. Vincent and Eliza sleep in her room. I'll bring out Thomas's old crib for Jameson, if it is okay with Vincent." Appa said.
"Definitely." Vincent said.
"What about me?" Lily asked.
"You can sleep with me and harabeoji if you want." Umma said.
"Really?" Lily asked.
"Ofcourse, we can even play board games if you want to." Umma said.
"I love you halmeoni." Lily screamed and hugged my umma.
"Awww, I love you too, princess." Umma said.
"Yu Eun don't trouble them." Vincent said.
"That's such a beautiful name," Appa said.
"You like it?" Lily asked.
"I love it." Appa said.
"I also love you." Lily hugged appa. We all laughed at her cuteness.
"I feel like my Eliza is little again." Appa held Lily in is arms.
"And this is my baby Thomas." Umma took Jamie from me.
"Noona, we are officially not loved anymore." Thomas said dramatically.
"I know. It's time for us to find new parents, they don't love us." I wiped a fake tear.
"I have Jameson in my arms or else I would've smacked both of you on your head." Umma said. Everyone there laughed. My eyes went to Henry who didn't look happy at all. His expression was completely different from when he had arrived here. He was looking at we weirdly. Like he was angry.
What the hell was wrong with him? I chose to ignore all that.
"Thomas, go help Vincent get their luggage and put it in your sister's room." Appa said.
"Okay," Thomas said.