Chapter Twenty Six - Alena's P.O.V
"Seriously, you guys don't have to do that, I can take care of the dishes! You're our guests!" I insisted once again as Jess and Liz continued to rinse and clear dishes before loading them in the dishwasher. The evening had been a success. Derrick cooked a perfect Thanksgiving dinner, and both of our parents seemed happy as ever. Not to mention that I was pleasantly surprised by my brother tagging along (the past couple of Thanksgivings for him have been spent with his girlfriend's family rather than ours, but she was no longer in the picture as of the summer). Things couldn't have gone any smoother. After such an exhausting week, it was truly an almost perfect day.
Almost perfect because even after how wonderful everything was, I don't feel any better. Maybe I have temporarily for the past several hours, but deep down the heavy feeling in my chest has not gone away. However, I tried to keep it below the surface.
It was getting later into the night and we had just wrapped up dessert, so my parents and Brett were heading out any minute, while Derrick's parents were staying the night again before flying home tomorrow morning. I helped my parents carry their leftovers, and walked them to the car once everyone was finished saying their goodbyes inside. It was a bitter cold night, but everyone was bundled up in jackets and scarves, and Dad had wisely started the car a while before heading out. Even so, they lived only a couple neighborhoods away from here, so it wouldn't be much of a long drive at that.
"I love you guys, thank you for coming today, it was so great to see you again." I smiled, yet another genuine one as a result of this amazing day.
"Thank you for having us, Alena, everything was perfect." My dad smiled as he kissed the top of my head and embraced me tightly. "Be sure to express to Derrick once again how wonderful dinner was, he did a great job with everything."
"Thanks Dad, I'll let him know once again" I laughed a little, then moved towards my mom to hug her goodbye.
"Thank you Mom, for everything" I closed my eyes and exhaled. Everything has just felt so heavy, and today was the first time in quite a while that I felt almost light again. This was partly thanks to her. Even when I've had no where else to turn, I've had her.
"I love you sweet girl, thank you again for having us." She smiled warmly to me before her and dad started towards the car.
"Glad to have you back at the Jenkins family Thanksgiving, little bro." I smiled and hugged him tightly. With me working (well, up until recently) and being moved out, while he was in the midst of his junior year at University of Dayton, we just never get to see each other anymore. Even before I left home for school, he was so young that he wasn't exactly interested in his older sister, and I was busy enough for myself; we were essentially more of housemates than we were siblings. I'd like to think that by the time he graduates, our relationship will have changed.
"Glad I could be here. You seem really happy, I'm glad I could see you again." Seem... oh what he doesn't know.
"Good luck with the rest of your semester! You're almost there." He laughed as if to say that it wasn't close enough, then got in the back seat. I at last shouted, "Drive safe guys!" And with that, I walked back into the house and was once again surrounded by loud chatter and dishes being put away by my amazing friends. Derrick's parents were about to head up for bed, and after putting away the last of the silverware, Jess and Liz decided they would be doing the same. Soon enough, everything was back to normal. All leftovers were wrapped up in the fridge, dishes were cleaned and put away, and it was now setting in that the holiday was over. Before following the influence of everyone else and going up for bed, Derrick and I sat in the living room together. Almost all of the lights had been turned off, the only remaining ones leaving a warm glow on the walls. There was still soft music playing from dinner that we had neglected to turn off, but I'm glad we hadn't. I took a deep breath, exhaling and releasing any of the stress and tension in my body. Then, grabbed Derrick's hand. As I did so, we turned and looked at each other. I was lost in the darkness of his eyes when his voice snapped me back to reality.
"I love you beyond words Alena."
"I love you too, thank you for making today so perfect." As I spoke, he ran circles with his thumb over my hand, somehow making me even more relaxed.
"I told you that there was nothing to worry about," He smiled, satisfied in knowing that he had been right and pulled off fixing everything, as he always somehow does. "Are you excited about Cali?"
"Very" I responded without hesitation. "We deserve some time to get away."
"We most certainly do," he took his hand from mine and instead brought it to my face, tucking a hanging piece of hair behind my ear. "Especially you, I thought that going on tour with the guys would be good for you, but it didn't seem like you got to relax as much as you should've. Hopefully this will be that opportunity." Boy was he right. Tour was not relaxing whatsoever. In fact, it was probably the primary contributor to my current state these past several days.
"Thanks honey. I'm definitely excited for us to do some sight-seeing with the girls, bask in the sun, it's all just a recipe for a good time." I closed my eyes and pictured our hands intertwined, resting on a beach blanket with our toes in the sand. The sun shining on our faces, and my heartbeat keeping time the sound of the waves crashing in the background; it was impossible not to be totally and utterly relaxed.
-
The sound of Derrick's alarm sounded through the dark room. I rubbed my eyes and turned to get off from on top of him. It wasn't until my vision was clear that I realized we had fallen asleep on the couch like this. Though it was his alarm, he didn't seem to be waking up to it, so I turned and grabbed his arm, shaking him a little. "Baby, time to wake up, we have to bring your parents to the airport." He let out a grunt, tossing over and ignoring my wakeup call. "Derrick, come on," I got up and walked around to the other side of him, planting kisses on his forehead, then nose. At last, he woke up, pulling me into him and kissing me on the lips.
"I would much rather wake up to this than my alarm" he smiled, hazily looking up into my eyes.
"Well, whatever it takes I suppose. We have to get ready so we can take your parents to the airport!"
"Right now? Are you sure? Why can't we just stay here?" Derrick whined, holding onto my arm and trying to pull me back towards him and the couch, but I just kept pulling him towards me, until finally I got him to fall off the couch with a loud thud, followed by my quiet laughter as I ran away before he could catch me.
We both went upstairs and got ready. After getting dressed into some dark skinny jeans, a knitted turtle neck, and some matching accessories, I went into the bathroom to freshen up for the day. I applied some basic makeup; my usual mascara and clear brow gel. As I was pulling my hair back into a "messy" ponytail, Derrick walked in. I flashed him a smile in the mirror.
"I still cannot believe we fell asleep on the couch last night babe," he laughed. "My back is kind of killing me from it."
"I know, it's not even like we tried to get comfortable, we just crashed in place which was not smart." I reached for my toothbrush and put toothpaste on it, "Just think, tonight we can actually sleep in our bed like we usually do, and I can give you some back rubs before, okay?"
A goofy grin spread across his face, "Yes please!" I laughed as I rinsed my toothbrush and started brushing my teeth, pacing around the bathroom as I did so.
"Once I'm done getting ready I'll go down and make breakfast for mom and dad, we have plenty of time," he checked his watch as he spoke. "Would you go make sure that they're all packed once you're ready?"
I turned on the faucet and spit, then rinsed my mouth with mouthwash. "Of course, I'll go check on them now." Before walking out, I walked behind Derrick and wrapped my arms around him, looking at us in the mirror. His tall, muscular frame was overpowering to mine, which was only just over five feet tall. I could barely even see myself from behind him, until he took my hand and spun me so I was in front of him, and his arms were wrapped around me.
"I'm so lucky that I get to start my days getting ready with you," following his words, he planted a kiss on top of my head. I agreed, and after saying so, he released his hold on me so I could go check on his parents. I walked down the hall, keeping my steps light in hopes not to wake Jess and Liz in case they were still asleep. Only as loudly as I needed to, I knocked on the guest room door where my future in-laws were staying. Shortly, his mom was at the door.
"Good morning Kristen!" Thankfully, she was already dressed and ready for the day, a sight that eased my worry of waking them. "Did everyone sleep well?"
"Of course, thank you so much again for letting us stay here for the holiday. Yesterday was truly wonderful." She smiled and embraced me in a "good morning" hug, something quite typical of both her and Allen.
"Do you guys need any help getting packed? Derrick is going to be starting breakfast soon and we'll head to the airport shortly after."
"Not at all, our bags are all set!" She stepped aside so I could see their luggage perfectly lined up next to the door. The room was already spotless, as if no one had even stayed in it in the first place.
"Kristen, you really didn't have to worry about tidying up the room!"
"Oh like I was just going to leave a mess for you! You and Derrick have done plenty for us this week, it's the least we could do."
"It was our pleasure, but thank you, really. Here, let me grab your bags and bring them downstairs," I stepped past her and reached for two suitcases. As I was turning back out the door, I was met with Allen in the hallway walking back from the bathroom.
"Alena! Please, don't worry about that. Let me help." He spoke with little regard to the time, or to Jess and Liz still possibly sleeping. But before I could comment on his volume, he had ripped the bags from my hands and turned to bring them downstairs. I only turned around and grabbed the rest of what was there; at least he saved me a second trip.
We both went down to the garage and loaded the luggage into Derrick's trunk. By the time we got back up to the kitchen, Derrick and Kristen were both in the kitchen. Options for breakfast sandwich ingredients were laid out along the breakfast bar. Each of us built our own; as for me, I took eggs, bacon, cheese, and diced tomatoes. Without much conversation, we sat together and ate. It wasn't long before we were cleaning up and getting ready to go. While I slipped on some flats and threw my jacket over my shoulders, Derrick wrapped up the breakfast plates and left them out for Jess and Liz, whenever they decided to wake up. Once the last plate was wrapped and a sticky note with, "help yourself!" scribbled out was stuck to the counter, Derrick tossed on a vest over his sweater and grabbed his keys, following behind me as we went down the steps to the garage and met his parents.
The drive to the airport was good; no traffic with it being so early, and we all got to chat some more before Kristen and Allen were sent back to Boston. It was so strange how Derrick and I had been together for so long that his parents already felt like my in-laws, even without the knot being officially tied yet. With Derrick being an only child, I think it was easy for his parents to open themselves up to having me as part of the family; like I was the daughter they never had.
After arriving, we helped them grab their bags and made sure that they had everything they needed. Goodbyes and hugs were exchanged, and after watching them make it through the doors, Derrick and I drove back towards home.
"I'm so glad they were able to join us." I said, looking out the window at the airplanes taking off ahead. "Strange to think that in a couple of days we're going to be up there." And before I knew it, we were.
The following days were jam-packed with preparation. While it was a little crazy trying to get ourselves situated and packed, we had a fun few days. With me not working at the moment and Derrick having Friday off for the holiday, it was one long weekend of dancing around the house, fighting over whether or not it was smart to bring eleven different dresses for a four day trip, and taking turns making trips to Walmart grabbing last minute things we had forgotten. By Sunday, we were itching to go, and before I knew it we were up in the clouds.
Looking down, you just see the bigger picture. Watching wide streets turn to small veins running through the bodies you'd forgotten the shapes of, I was reminded of all that is great in this world. I was faced with the smallness of my being; how I allow myself to get so consumed in my woes in a world so much larger than life. These are the thoughts that circled my mind, that is, once we all finished taking pictures of the sky and its clouds.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I really can't keep apologizing for not updating often because no matter how often I apologize for it I just can't do it. I've been writing this chapter for a couple of weeks now and while that may seem crazy since it's not even that long (or that good), I just simply have not had the time. Even with my spring break last week, I spent half of the time sleeping to recover from being sick and just overall exhaustion. I am quickly learning that the spring semester is significantly more difficult than the fall.
Regardless, I appreciate all of you sticking around and waiting. I'm so excited for this story to be progressing and I look forward to updating again as soon as possible. So much love.
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