EVANESCENCE

CHAPTER 25| Great Again

“Is this okay?” I asked for Calum’s verification after pinning a small cut out rattle at the lower left corner of the banner pink banner that said, “Welcome home baby Briggs!” He softly rubbed his thumb on his invisible beard on his chin, contemplating thoroughly while squinting as though he was scrutinizing something amazing. “Yeah, that’s okay,”

“Sweet,” I said looking at our simple decoration on our warm welcoming for his sister’s new born baby, Heather Jean. Helium balloons were on the ceiling while the table is perfectly set with cream mantle and some pink accents. My mother sponsored the cupcakes from her bakery for this as we put it on the holder to give a great effect. Calum also ordered some flowers and plushies and we placed them on the table. Lucky Heather. She’ll be spoiled by Uncle Calum. The afternoon sun was already sweltering, but we didn’t mind it at all. Calum took photos of our decorations seemingly to be proud of our early morning cut outs even if he didn’t cut perfectly at all.

“Would you like to be a father someday?” I asked him quietly as I sat on a chair and propped my chin on my palm. A smile was suddenly painted on his lips. “Of course, I’d love to. You know, who doesn’t?”

“Some don’t like kids at all,” I said as he nodded, probably thinking about those who doesn’t like at all. “It’s fun to have little imps, I think.” He chuckled which made me laugh at the term he used. “But, considering the fact that you all casted a spell on me that I won’t have a girlfriend- I’ll probably rot in here with my sister and live alone lonely.” He joked which made me think why there weren’t girls I his life… I mean he’s tall, he’s lean has great fit muscles, has this nice hair and jawline, who knows how to joke and take care of girls- why is he not getting at least one girl to text with?

So I spoke my thoughts, “You’re nice, you’re fit, you’re good looking, you’re talented… Aren’t there any girls in your life?” He smiled, softly sighing as he pulled a chair and sat on it. “Well, I met a few British girls, I texted with those I met online, but no one really gets me.”

“Oh, you have high standards!” I confirmed but he shook his head defensively. “No, I don’t have high standards but I don’t have low standards either- Uhm, it’s probably, I have too unique standards for a girl? I really wanted a breathtaking personality, like a little bit of everything all rolled into one. Including weird kinks, quirkiness and what makes a person utterly normal,”

“Oh, I understand… So you didn’t really have a fling after that Roxanne girl on junior year?” I asked him bringing back his high school love life with the redhead who knew a lot about History. “Yeah, we pretty rotted after our high school love lives, but dating Roxanne was more like a peer pressure kind of thing? She was into me more than I was. So I dumped her and it went pretty bad. I saw how badly something can affect a girl,” He paused then continued. “I just wanted to be delicate as much as I can,”

“So you’re prepping yourself to be a great man so that when the right one arrives everything would be okay,”

“I think we’ve known each other for a long time, but I don’t really think she’s for me-“ Before he was able to continue, Her mother Farah, her sister and her husband with the baby came in, surprised of our small decoration. Calum and I greeted them with full enthusiasm. It was nice and warm to see them again and feel like nothing changed at all. Her mother hugged me as if I was her long last daughter and so did Sierra whose hair was now shorter yet it was wavy. She was so beautiful, having tanned skin like their mother. I wonder how a woman can push out a child and still be beautiful after.

“’Hi there baby Heather,” Calum cooed with his voice sounding a little bit smaller. We were both watching her sleeping so quietly. “Can I carry her?” Sierra nodded as Calum scooped Heather on his arms, looking all so tiny. “Hello there, baby. It’s me uncle Calum!” He cooed once again as he looked too soft with the baby on his arms. He glanced on me and mouthed “Too adorable” which made me smile a little.

“Hey guys, Derek and I will just set up a few things in Heather’s room,” Sierra announced. “Oh, Honey, won’t you just rest? Derek, can you just do it for her?” Farah said from the kitchen as she peeled the potatoes. I walked to her and helped her wash and scrub them clean. “I’ve told her like, a bajillion times but she’s so passionate with this, C’mon, baby, just let me.” Derek said, convincing Sierra. “Alright, but I’ll watch. Anyway, Stace, mom, Calum, Thank you for these and for the cupcakes too.” Sierra smiled.

“Anytime,” I politely said as they left the kitchen while Calum was still touring baby Heather around.

“Are you here for a vacation? Or you’re coming back? It’s good to see you again.”Farah smiled, while I was now helping her peel the potatoes probably for lunch.

“I came back, I’m really staying here,” I responded as she nodded. “Your family surely missed you hun, I always miss my boy… He’ll always be my little baby boy,” She laughed glancing at Calum.

“But I’d be glad if.. You know, he brings a girl here. He never did, besides you. I really like you for my son,” She said as I blushed a little. I never felt the same warmth like this with Luke’s family since her mother is always uninterested with her son’s life. It’s kind of saddening, but Luke himself didn’t have a great family as well. Maybe that’s the reason as to why he’s easily confused with his feelings because he has no idea what real and primary love feels like. He grew up with his parents fighting nonstop. There’s a lot to understand about him, but I think, you really shouldn’t justify your bad stuff using the horrid pasts and experiences.. I don’t know.

“What am I missing?” Calum suddenly walked in the kitchen without baby Heather. “Oh honey, peel these potatoes. Your uncles will have a visit,”

We helped her mother prepare and she was so surprised that I cooked really good. A few hours later Calum’s family came, welcoming the baby. It’s quite baffling because I got introduced to most of his relatives and they even liked my personality, it was weird that I felt so welcomed warmly. After eating, Calum suddenly elbowed me, “Let’s go somewhere, they’re gonna roast me here,” He chuckled. He held my wrist tugging me from the back door as he instinctively tossed me a pink helmet and dragged his bike down the porch. “I’m gonna give you a ride,”

“Sweet!” I exclaimed as I wore the helmet. He hopped on his bike as I sat in front of him. He pedalled although the neighbourhood as we both laughed so hard we could die. We passed by through the neighbourhood where I used to bike around and run around like fools, I saw the palm trees hovering overhead blocking the sunlight although it was already sweltering. Laughter after laughter we pulled over an ice cream store which sells big ass ice cream on sticks. I felt great again,

“Stacy, I really like you,”