BLAMELESS SORROWS

45. Family time

Heri's Point of View.

I sit by the window waiting for my parents to come back. They are in their way home from their vacation which is outside Iklu actually.

They have been gone for about a month now and I really really miss them.

Vann: Looking out the window now and again don't make them come faster Ri.

I scoffed as he said that. I mean it's just natural for people to kind of wait when someone is coming home.

Young or old, parents coming home is something a child always look forward to.

Vann hand me a cup of coffee which I take with gratitude. He sit down beside me by the window seat and looked out as well, a but too eagerly might I add.

I chuckle looking at him while he look at me confused.

Vann: What?

Heri: Nothing Nothing.

And I take a sip of my coffee while he shrug and does the same.

Heri: So how is things going with Tilbe?

He literally light up like the Christmas tree at the mere mention of Tilbe's name. Making me look at him amused and adoringly.

Heri: By your expression, Iam guessing it is going good.

He nod happily when I said that.

Vann: It's Tilbe, what can go wrong?

And he shrug and take a sip of his coffee once again.

Heri: I never got around to asking this, but why do you like Tilbe so much. I mean right from the start since you were like four, you just like him.

This always amaze me, Vann is someone who is so hard to get close to and is cold to almost anyone. So the fact that, Tilbe is someone he just instantly get close to is quite interesting.

Vann: I don't know.

I look at him with an unimpressed expression in my face. While he sigh looking at that.

Vann: While when we were youger, she was quite small and fluffy at some point. She smile a lot and always joke around and laugh with everyone she is with. I quite like that about her. I really wanted to be as carefree and happy as she is, and that was why I approach her first.

Tilbe really was a wild, carefree and a happy child, bringing joy at wherever she goes. While Vann on the other hand, was timid or rather cold to everyone and just prefer staying alone or he just dont know how to get close to others and that made him quite the lonely guy.

And to add to that, he have to hid his identity again.Actually no one know that the healer of Iklu is Vann and that the healer comes is Vann. People don't know that Vann is from our family with this face while they do know the healer is from our family.

That is a secret for Vann peace while people know Vann as a worker here who live with us, and keeping this secret just make him more and more secluded.

Vann: Then I start to get to know her and slowly I slowly start to notice how weak she was physically and how she always get sick and in pain. There I start to feel protective of her and want her to be at peace all the time, I just want her to smile all the time and never be in pain like last time.

He sigh remembering that time while I just rub his shoulder in comfort.

Heri: You are there to heal her anytime, aren't you. So evrything will be fine.

Actually since that time, Vann has been practising and working non-stop to find out why her sickness is coming back when it shouldn't. He is really stressed about it.

Vann: Ri, I don't know when but somewhere along the line, I start to smile when she does, I laugh when she laugh and I feel happy whenever she do.I will be worried sick when something is wrong with her and will feel helpless whenever she is unhappy or in pained.

I smile as he said so with a loving smile in his face, his mind elsewhere.

Vann: In every prayer of mine, I realise, I always wish for her safety first. And when I realise that, I knew I was in love. And I knew that o will give my everything to protect her and always love her.

I can't help but just grin bigger and bigger, they are so sweet.

Vann: With Tilbe, I don't feel the uneasiness and tiredness I feel whenever I tried to get close to others. Rather I feel happy and excited to be close with her and always wanted her to be with me. She makes me happy and my heart yearns for her, so I guess getting close to her was easier than staying away.

Heri: Well aren't you just sweet when you talk about that little cheeky basket.

He chuckled when I said that.

Vann: It's not like you did not fell for her the first time you saw her too.

When he said that I just shrug.

Heri: She is ridiculously adorable and everything she do is just cute. What else am I suppose to do?

He chuckled when I said that.

Vann: I know, it's just impossible not to like her.

I shake my head in disbelieve when he said that, but I do know that, that is a fact.

Vann: I still remember the first time I saw her in her bright yellow dress, waltzing in our yard as if she own it only to fell by the gate.

I chuckled remembering exactly what she is saying. Small Tilbe with her chubby cheeks and her cute pigtail is a sight to behold.

Vann: When she sigh at her own action and stand up with a smile instead of crying. The action was vividly buried in my head that, I just can't let go till now I guess. It was nothing special either but I guess that is what love do to people.

He shrug and stand up and went to the island and pour himself another cup of coffee carefreely as of he is not confessing about his true love around here.

Heri: So you guys have went to a date and everything, when are you getting together?

He look back at me with his mouth forming an Oh structure making me look at him suspiciously.

Vann: You see, we have been going out as a couple for about a month now.

I look at him in disbelieve.

Heri: Well why didn't you tell me of anything then?

Vann: I just keep on forgetting to mention it, but just to be sure you also didn't told me that you are in a relation with Galen, so I say its even.

I look at him completely surprised.

Heri: How did you know that, we have said nothing to anyone.

Although we are not keeping it as a secret either.

Vann: Well no one, I guess Iam right by your expression. Actually I just saw you guys together everywhere and quite intimate with each other. So I just guess.

My mouth hang open while I stare at him speechless. I know he did not do anything victorious or anything like that, but somewhat I felt like I lost.

Vann: Oh, mom and dad is here.

And with that he went out while I jump up and run pass him all excited again.

I went out and mom was there coming out of the car while I run up and hug her.

Heri: Mom! I miss you so much.

She chuckled softly at my action.

Mom: I miss you too baby.

Dad: Well this is making me particularly lonely.

I chuckled this time as I heard him and went and hug him as well. While he do too happily giving me a warm bear hug and a kiss on the crown of my head.

Heri: I miss you too dad.

Dad: Now that is the kind of welcome I was wishing for. Where is Vann?

At that exact time, Vann make his appearance from the door. Was he doing a tortoise walk or something, how come he reach now?

Vann: Iam here dad. Welcome back.

With that he gave both mom and dad a hug. And that was it, nothing else.

Heri: I will never know why he is so dull in such thing, mainly when he is our family.

Mom and dad nod agreeing with me. My family is the type who is great on hugging at every chance we get and is always chirpy and quite loud. We just like warm greetings and hugs, well except for Vann.

Vann: What? I did the same thing that Ri did!

Mom slap him is his shoulder lightly.

Mom: I told you to call Heri sister or sis, didn't I?

He sigh when mom said that while dad and me spectade on the side. This has been going on for about a decade now.

Vann: It's a habit, I can't grow out of it any longer.

He sigh exasperating his worries which make Mom tch at him while ruffling his hair, looking at him lovingly.

Dad: Okay now, let go inside first.

We all nod and we go inside with Vann carrying both mom's and dad's luggages. While I went in linking my arm with both mom and dad, making Vann sigh in disbelieve.

Vann(mumbling): And people says she has grown up.

I avoid his mumbling royally and went inside.

While mom and dad went to wash up, Vann and me were incharge of whipping up a simple light meal. So we do just that.

Vann make chicken soup which smell heavenly while I make a simple salad and cut up the peaches which Iam dying to eat.

I also steamed some beans and some green leave. While Vann do cook a mushroom dish on the side. Okay let's just call it a meal and take out the light part.

Mom: Wow, it smells heavenly in here.

She come and sit by the island while I smile at her.

Heri: While your lovely daughter is cooking, what more do you expect.

Mom laugh at that, while Vann scoff behind me but nonetheless said nothing back.

And just as we were doing that Dad come back as well.

Dad: Well damn if I don't miss the cooking if my children.

Mom and me chuckled once more at that. Normally isn't it the other way round. But whatever fit us best right.

While we were doing that, Vann serve the cooked dishes with a bowl of rice each of course.

Mom/Dad/Heri: Thank you for the food.

We said it at the same time which make it quite loud making Vann jump up frightened hitting the ladle in the table in the process. Silence prevail after that for a while which is of course followed by the loud laughter if everyone including Vann as well.

And like that with laughter and happy smile we finish our "light" dinner which turn out to be very fulfilling enjoyably.