Epilogue
Three years later
I struggled to shut the door, three heavy pizza boxes in one hand and change on the other, as the uniformed man walked away. Eventually I managed to close the door after the moans seeping from the living room filtered into the corridor, causing me to use my hip to shut it with annoyance. Those boys really do anger me sometimes, so impatient.
“I’m coming, okay?” I screamed and began to trudge back to the living room. As expected, everyone was in the same position I had left them in: Harry lying on the floor as usual next to Fausto, Louis, Freya and Liam sat on the sofa, a space left in between Freya and Liam where I previously sat. Zayn sat on a chair near the table with Niall, Aunty Tianna and her husband next to him too.
“Dad, Pizza!” Fausto shouted, licking his lips and followed the boxes as I lowered them onto the table. Dad walked into the room with a tray of orange juices and coca colas. Everyone jumped towards the pizzas while Liam held back. I sent him a warm smile, settling down next to him.
“I’ll go get some plates,” Harry offered excitedly. His face was already covered in red tomato sauce. He raced out of the living room, into the kitchen.
“Hey guys, make sure you don’t mess the invitations up. Keep the food clear of them, yeah?” Liam ordered with authority. Liam took a hold of my hand, playing with the ring on my finger. I smiled at him, we were finally doing it. I gazed into his eyes and he leaned forward for a kiss and I replicated his actions. As our lips touched the door bell rang.
“I’ll get it,” I grunted. I mean, I doubt anyone else is bothered.
“It’s probably the organiser or someone,” Niall suggested. “By the way, Afsana and Eleanor are coming in a few days. They’re really excited and they’re packed.” Once again, we could always rely on Niall to tell us the latest on news back in England.
I trudged over to the door, barely lifting my feet off the ground. I opened the door, expecting the organiser as Niall had suggested yet I was completely thrown off by who I perceived. My mouth hung wide open as a woman with long brown hair turned to me, her features resembling none other than my sister Ignacia. Her mouth curled up into a small innocent smile. Her skin was glowing, clearer yet older than I remember. She appeared to have gained weight, yet not too much and what she wore was more sophisticated than what my memory held with a deep blue, short sleeved loose top and a long, fitted red skirt down to her knees. A baby wrapped in white cotton snugly slept in her arms.
“Hi,” she spoke finally with confidence.
“Hi,” I replied more sheepishly.
“This is Ruben.” She pointed to a young man with straight blonde hair, green eyes and a strong jaw who I noticed for the first time. He was quite handsome. He nodded at me politely. I returned a smile, swallowing my spit hard. My insides were shaking. What was I meant to do?
“Err… can we come in?” She asked, pushing the sheet away from the babies face.
“Yeah sure.” I moved aside to allow them in. “Everyone’s in the living room.”
“Great, thanks.” I stared after her as she confidently strolled into the living room, followed by the Ruben guy. I heard a series of gasps and shrieks of joy before I snapped out of it and finally shut the door, heading into the living room too. Everyone stood surrounding Ignacia, who was sat on the sofa next to Ruben, gazing at her. Moments later, we heard a loud shatter by the door and we all turned to face a gobsmacked Harry frozen to the spot with broken pieces of plates all around him.
“Harry,” Ignacia chirped, handing the baby over to Ruben gently, and stood up. Before she could head over to Harry, Dad tackled her into a tight embrace. His face was red, tears streaming down.
“Darling, you’re back,” I heard him whisper into her hair. She, eventually, wrapped her arms around him in turn and whispered something back which caused Dad to smile and plant a kiss on her forehead.
One by one, everyone greeted and welcomed her in their own way. It was strange though, Harry and Fausto were the only two who remained as they were and refused to even approach her. The two people who gave her the most attention before she left remained silent. Ignacia noticed this herself and once Zayn released her and put her back firmly on the ground she turned to Fausto. She moved towards him, grabbing his face and kissed every inch of his it excluding the lips; starting with his eyes, then nose onto his cheeks and forehead. She let go and hugged him tight, not caring he was barely reacting. After a few minutes though, he lifted his arms and held her tight.
“I missed you. I love you, Iggy,” he practically shouted. She replied, ruffling his curly hair as she let go.
“Harry, what’s wrong?” I questioned when he still just stood there.
“Am I dreaming?” He muttered, staring at Ignacia as if she was some sort of angel.
“No, you dufus,” she laughed. “We should get the mess cleaned up.” She referred to the broken plates on the floor. As usual, I offered to clean up while Harry and Ignacia had the longest hug I’ve ever witnessed.
Soon everyone settled down and Dad sat on one side of Ignacia on the sofa, Ruben and the baby on her other side, with Aunty Tianna sitting next to him. Everyone else was either sat on the floor, on the chairs or stood up. That’s when all the questions began.
“Where have you been?”
“Have you been eating properly?”
“Are you back for good?” There was no luggage but a bag full of baby stuff with them so I doubt they’re staying.
“Have you been safe?”
Then finally, the question I’ve desired to ask since she got here came up: “So who’s the guy?” Dad asked, pointing to Ruben.
“Well, this is Ruben, he’s the father of my child,” she answered, pointing to little bundle of cuteness in his arms.
“What? This is your baby?” Dad raised his voice a little. “And with him?”
“Dad, I’m not a kid anymore. And yes she is mine and Ruben’s baby. Her name is Dahlia and she’s almost a year old.” Ignaica took Dahlia in her hand and smiled down sweetly at her, as if admiring her. “She’s the best thing ever to happen to me.”
“Hey!” Ruben protested. That was the first time he spoke up since he got here. He had quite a strong accent which I couldn’t quite place.
“And you, you’re also the best thing to happen to me,” she laughed, almost humming.
“And are you two…” Harry trailed off as if he was upset.
“Together?” She finished off. She shook her head. “Well, no, not anymore. We’re good friends. Ruben and I used to be married but it just wasn’t working out for us romantically so we’ve had a… divorce.” She lowered her voice towards the end. I observed Dad’s eyes widen but soon that look disappeared.
“Oh, but you didn’t invite us to your wedding,” Louis said disappointedly.
“You idiot, we didn’t know where she was and she didn’t want us to know,” Harry answered harshly.
He never did get over Ignacia. Sure, he’s dated other girls since then and one lasted for almost a year but no one really compared to Ignacia according to him. It’s probably because he keeps a photo of her with him at all times and didn’t allow himself to really move on from her.
“Are you Okay?” Ignacia questioned obliviously.
Harry stormed out of the room and up the stairs into the room which used to be Igancia’s room. Louis, Harry and Zayn were staying there for a while, Niall and Freya with Fausto and Liam with me. Aunty Tianna and her husband slept in the living room. There was something big coming up in a few days and they were all staying until it was over.
“Probably misses his teddy so much he went upstairs to get it,” Louis shrugged, attempting to humour us in his usual peculiar ways.
“So… err, why is everyone here? I mean, shouldn’t you guys be performing somewhere or something?” Ignacia asked Liam who stood closest to her.
“You remember Afsana, right? She says hi,” Niall randomly said, lifting his head up from his phone to look at Ignacia briefly.
Liam pulled me closer and placed his arm around my waist. “Well, Emma and I are getting married in five days.”
“Oh my God! Really? Congrats guys.” She handed Dahlia over to Ruben and jumped at both of us, giving us a hug.
“Yeah, we’ve broken our engagement about seven times now but we’re finally getting married,” I explained as she let go. Liam kissed my forehead.
“I wish you both the best. Guys, where’s Mum?” Everyone went silent, suddenly finding interest in the floor. “Tell me, where’s Mum?”
“Why don’t we show you?” Dad said, placing an arm around her shoulder. She must have clocked by now that something wasn’t right. “Ruben, you stay here with the boys and Freya. Ignacia, do you want to bring Dahlia with you? Your mother would like to see her first grandchild.”
“Why? Where are we going?” Her voice was full of urgency.
“You’ll see. C’mon Fussy, Emma…” He ordered and we all followed him out into the car. Dahlia was still asleep and Ignacia held her tight. As Dad drove, she carefully passed Dahlia over to Fussy after a long period of moans and begs. I sat at front while those two took the back. Ignacia kept asking where Dad was taking us but Dad gave the same answer each time: “you’ll see.”
At last we arrived and Dad found a parking space close by. We filed out of the car and followed Dad while Fausto held Dahlia. Ignacia gasped when she finally saw where we were headed, the gloomy atmosphere eventually getting to us all.
“No, no, no!” She said over and over again, tears pricking the edge of her eyes. Seeing her at the verge of tears caused a lump in my throat and my vision to blur. We followed Dad through the large gates and along a narrow path, passing several gravestones until we stopped. In front of us was Mum’s gravestone. Ignacia ran towards it, collapsing down to her knees and hugged the gravestone.
“I’m sorry Mum, I should have come earlier.” She began to cry, letting go yet she remained on the ground, rocking herself back and forth like a mad woman. Dad crouched down next her and whispered something into her ear. She, then, flung her arm around Dad’s neck and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry…”
Minutes later, I joined in with their hug and began to cry myself. I’ve been to the grave yard before, sometimes alone ever since Mum… you know.
“H-how? What happen?” She eventually hiccupped. We all sat on the ground in front of the gravestone in a row including Fausto. Ignacia took her baby back.
“A motor bike. A month ago,” Dad managed. Ignacia understood; she didn’t force Dad to continue.
She lifted Dahlia up so her sleeping face was facing the gravestone. “Look Mum, this is Dahlia, your granddaughter. She’s almost a year old and she’s very healthy.” She broke down again. “I’m sorry Mum, I’m so sorry.”
The wind whistled, as if giving her reassurance, as if it was giving us all reassurance, as if Mum was answering us herself.
“Smile girls, your mother wouldn’t want you upset and crying. We just gotta take each day at a time,” Dad said.
“So, you’re coming to my wedding, right?” I questioned her, changing the subject.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“I love you,” I whispered to her.
“I love you too, always have and always will.”
~~~
A/N ~ well, what did you think? I know, kinda rubbish but this was all about Ignacia and Emma really and they have finally gotten along. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading ~ Zana