•Jess P.OV•
Today is my last day at home, I had the best time with my family, but I'm really looking forward to going back to my daily routine and everyday life.
I'm really surprised to see that my parents haven't been fighting a lot these days; I don't remember seeing them behaving like this in years.
It is not that they are in good terms; they simply not talk at all.
I don't know the reason why they are acting like this; at first I thought it was because of Lola, she is alone here since I left, but she says they didn't change until around one month ago, when they had a big fight and never talked to each other, for longer than three minutes, ever since.
I would like to know what is going on between them, but I don't feel like this is the moment to ask them, I don't live here anymore and I could only see them behaving like this for a week, maybe it is not as bad as it seems, on a regular bases.
When I have all my things packed up I join my dad in the car, we have to drive Lola to school and then head to the airport.
"Well sweetie, be good to mom and dad, don't stop working on those new hairstyles and don't forget to call me now and then" I say standing with Lola next to her school, my flight leaves at 11:30, and she has classes, so she can't come to the airport.
"I'll miss you Jess.... please call me and face time me with your boyfriend"
"With who?" I widely open my eyes in surprise.
"Come on, Jess, I am not a baby... You know who I am talking about" she rolls her eyes, she is too smart.
"Okay I will, but let's keep this a secret okay?" She nods "Come, give me a hug" she hugs me and I rub her back "I'll see you in some weeks, sweetie, I love you"
I can't stop a couple tears from falling as I watch her walk inside the building of her school.
"Okay" my dad says driving "next stop: the airport"
My mother is working so she can't come with us.
We drive in silence for some minutes, until he starts the conversation.
"So tell me, now that we are alone, how are things really going there?" He asks me, this is the only moment we have been alone this week.
"Great! I love it there, dad. The country is amazing, better than I imagined, I met new people, and my classes are going well.... I just love it"
"That is wonderful! And what about love?" he says raising a brow.
"I love a lot of people" I say and he understands that I don't want to go any further. It's definitely way too soon to talk to him about Mason
"And how are things going here?" I ask him to redirect the conversation in my favor.
"Well, Lola is doing great at school, my boss finally assigned me the morning schedule, which has been giving me a lot of free time to paint... things are well" his voice is neutral.
"And mom?"
"She is fine"
"I know, I mean how are things going with her?" I try to investigate a bit.
"Fine" he keeps his eyes stick on the road.
"Just fine? You barely fought this week, and that is a lot of time for you"
"We are maturing, I guess"
"Sure"
"Jess... I can't say anything else okay, honey? I know you want to know but I just can't tell you" he sounds honest.
"Why not? What's wrong dad? Is she okay? Are you okay?" This is driving me insane!
"We are both okay. It's just that sometimes things are not easy and we need to figure them out... we are just working on us" I see in his eyes he wants me to stop and let it go, and if he wants me to do that, maybe it means that whatever is going on, is not that big deal.
We talk about my life in the US, his new paintings, Lola... until we arrive at the airport.
I do the check out and paper work and it's time for the goodbye.
"Have fun there honey, take care of yourself okay? I'll miss you"
"I'll miss you too, call me more often and be patience with mom"
He laughs and we hug "Bye dad, I love you"
I walk to my plane and find my seat.
I text Mason I'll land in 8 hours before the pilot asks to turn off the technological devices.
I spend half of my flight writing; my book, about this trip, about my parents, my feelings...
This visit has been weird, in one hand I had a pretty amazing time seeing my friends and my family, especially Lola, but in the other, my parents' behavior has left me a bittersweet taste of the trip.
I'd really like to know what is going on, but if their decision is not to tell me, I have to accept and respect it,
I don't remember when I fall asleep; I only know I wake up to the voice of the pilot announcing our arrival.
I can't wait to see Mason, crazy as it sounds, I've missed him so much, and now that we are officially in good terms I really can't wait to spend time with him.