CHAPTER 4
1546 Words
(SOLANA’S POV)
When I got on to the plane, my heart was still racing and Phil’s unbelieving face as he told me goodbye was still on my mind. But I shook it off. I was a little hung over from the night before and so after a bottle of water and painkillers, I slept deeply throughout the journey. I awoke when we had landed at the Los Angeles airport.
That was the beginning of my anxiety. My shaky hands took my bag and hailed a cab. While in the backseat, I called Phil immediately.
“Hey darling.” He greeted.
“Oh My God Phil! How could you let me do this? I haven’t been home in ages? What would everyone say? They don’t want me here. What would happen if-“
“Oh please calm down Lana. Where are you right now?” He asked
“In a cab. On my way home.” I said
“Okay that’s good. Now remember what we talked about. You can not run away forever. And you are doing this for the love of your life.” He said
I smiled then and I got a little calmer than I was.
“Okay. But what about La-“
“Don’t ask about anything.” Phil said in a stern tone. “I have to deal with Charlotte now and you know how terrifying that is so you better do your own part.”
I giggled. “I’m the boss you know.” I told him.
“Yes ma’am.” He said
We ended the call with me promising him that I won’t run back to New York. Then because I did not want to have space alone with my thoughts I called my mum immediately.
“Hey baby.” Mum said to me happily.
“Hey mum.” I greeted.
My relationship with mum was one of the very few that was steady after Dad died. I have to say that it’s because she has spent a long time with me and she is very patient and she never relented even when I was difficult.
“How are you? How’s Dan?” I asked
Mum and Dan stayed back in Seoul because of how much they had fallen in love with the place.
“He’s great. Out to work.” She asked me. “How is work?”
That was typically most of what we talked about. My job. It was all I had in my life.
“It’s good. But I’m not at work. Actually I’m not in New York Mum.” I told her
There was a pause. “Where are you?” Mum asked me in alarm. Of course she would be alarmed, I have not been anywhere else for the past four years.
I sighed. “I’m in Los Angeles mum.” I said
There was another pause. “What do you mean?” She asked me in shock
“I am on my way home.” I said and then I swallowed the nostalgic feeling the roads and the environment gave me. “Actually I am a few minutes away.” I said in a chuckle.
Mum gasped. “What? Why? What’s going on?” She asked me
“I can’t talk now but I promise I’ll explain later. I just wanted you to know.” I told her.
“Okay but um does your brother know that you are coming?” She asked me
I shut my eyes and sighed.
Larry.
Unlike mum and I, my relationship with Larry was far from good. Since Dad died, there has been a huge rift between us, if I am being honest I would say that it is mostly my fault but Larry has a hand in it too.
“No he does not.” I told mum
“When was the last time you both spoke?” Mum asked me
I sighed again. These questions meant I had to give answers which meant I had to think and I hated doing that. It brought some sadness with it.
“Some time ago I guess….” I said
“Solana…” mum warned
“About three months ago.” I admitted and she sighed. Mum had tried all her best to mend the broken relationship I had with my brother but it had not worked. She is the reason why we even talk at all.
“It’s fine mum. I can handle him.” I said
“But Lana you can’t just….”
“Come on mum. It’s my house too. I can come whenever I want.” I said and then with a tear in my eyes I said. “Dad said it’s my house too.”
There was a silence. This is why it was so hard. Things like this reminded me of Dad and that hurt so badly.
“I have to go now. I’ll call you back later okay?” I said and she said that I should. I was just going to call Chloe when the cab man pulled up and said “we’re here miss”
Slowly and with my heart racing faster than ever, I looked out the window and a gasp escaped from my mouth. There our house stood. Same as always. Nothing changed. Nothing. The hedges, the lawns, the fence, the paint. I imagined Dad’s car parked in the driveway and I had to shut my eyes so that the memory vanished.
Because of how absorbed I was, I didn’t remember to look next door at the Carlos’s house. I wondered if Pete still lived there. After a deep sigh, I pushed open the door and immediately I stepped in, the tears flowed freely. Everything was the same. The antiques, pictures, funiture. I was grateful to Larry and angry at him at the same time. I walked further in slowly talking in everything and running my fingers over what I could.
I shut my eyes briefly, I missed him so much. I missed Dad so much. I felt a fresh wave of tears building up again but just before they could come, I heard footsteps and I wiped my eyes dry before I turned around.
“I didn’t think you would be here so early….”
I knew who it was before he came in to view.
My brother, Larry Wilson. He froze when he saw me and his eyes were wide open. Then he quickly regained himself.
“I guess that’s why mum started blowing my phone off a minute ago.” He said.
He was dressed in a suit and his tie was held in his hand. He looked handsome and cocky. Same as always. Except he was even more handsome, more built and you could see he had grown older. I knew that I missed him. I wished I could hug him, but I knew things had changed.
“Hy Larry.” I said to him keeping my shoulders high.
“I had no idea you were coming.” He said walking towards me. There was something uneasy about him. Probably he was very surprised.
“It was sudden.” I said
He sighed. He looked disappointed and I felt sad. I know things have not been good but I expected he would not be so cold. It hurt me.
“I know you don’t want me here” I said after a silence. “Don’t worry. I won’t be long.”
He looked at me and for a slight second I thought I saw hurt in his eyes.
“Solana, it’s not-“
But then the front door opened and we both turned to see who it was. My heart started racing. It was Pete. He stopped when he saw me. He was dressed smartly in a suit too.
“Solana..” I heard him say and the shock was evident.
“Pete I -“ I was saying and I made an attempt to walk towards him but then someone entered too laughing.
My eyes widened. I was not prepared for this shock. It was Tia. She stopped laughing too when she saw me and I saw the shock in her eyes as well. There was such an uncomfortable silence.
“Lana just got here.” Larry was the first to talk.
I wanted to say something but then Tia interrupted me by coming to me and hugging me tightly.
“I am so happy you came. Now we can put it all behind us and have a good time.” She said
I stood still, surprised and confused.
“A good time?” I repeated
She stopped hugging me and went to Pete taking his hand in hers and smiling at me widely.
“Yes, a good time at our engagement party. Oh baby it’s a good thing you invited her just as I suggested.” She said and she kissed Pete.
I felt dizzy and weak. I laughed nervously and weakly.
“What?” I said
Tia looked at me as if confused. “Yeah, Pete and I are getting married.”
I looked at Pete, he looked down at his feet, I turned to Larry, he looked away.
Pete and Tia are getting married? I wanted to faint.
- Writer
