MY ONE NIGHT STAND

CHAPTER FOUR

ABUELA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.

When I was younger, the memories; happy memories I had of my grandma was that she threw the best parties. One that would be talked about in weeks and those days were always the best.

Which was why I was surprised that she didn't really throw a party like I'd expected. Instead, it was a little pool party.

"I know for a fact that everyone expected the talk of the town party but I guess I'm too old to care about that anymore." Abuela said, taking a sip of her wine.

She looked stunning and young for her age, which reminded me of how much of her gene my mum and I had inherited from her.

"Come on, mum. You're not exactly too old." Mum corrected her and we all chuckled.

"Say what you want but you're not the one feeling these weak bones. And that's why I keep telling you guys to give me great grand kids before I die. But no, just the moment Jo should settle down, she goes ahead to find a new dream."

My cousin Jo glared up at Abuela from her wine glass. "What's wrong with having dreams, Abuela?"

"Nothing. Except that you should add having a family among it."

Jo was the star of the family. The daughter and grandchild who never disappointed. She'd gone to business school at the age of sixteen and then tried modelling seven years later. Now, she was currently traveling round the world. I guess it was safe to say that she was fulfilling those bucket list she and I had wrote when we were ten.

I didn't even know what mine was let alone completing one.

I smiled as others laughed while some defended Jo before Abuela's eyes made its way to me.

"And what about you, Arabella?" My eyes widened as my whole families gaze landed on me. I didn't need this attention. "Where's the guy you've been seeing? What's his name again?"

You'd think by now she should know his name. He's been coming to your birthday parties for years now.

"Jeff." I told her. "And he couldn't make it." I paused,s searching for a lie. "Business trip. Last minute."

Abuela looked like she wanted to say more and just the moment she was opened her mouth, we were interrupted by Peter's cheery voice.

"Surprise!"

I heaved a sigh of relief, for the first time thanking God for bringing Peter into my mum's life. Everyone's attention left me to him and once again, it looked like I didn't exist. Which was fine, I was used to being in my family's shadows to the point where it was like my safe haven.

#######

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jo asked from behind me and I turned from the pool I'd been gazing at to her.

"Hey," I smiled as she came to sit at the edge of the pool beside me, her legs falling into the water like mine.

She smiled. "Stressed out?"

"Just thinking."

"Yeah. A lot has certainly happened in a long time. And Abuela isn't helping matters. You know sometimes I wish I could run and never come back."

"Why? You're the star of the family."

She laughed. "I don't know if you know this but sometimes I wish I was you. The non-existent one. At least that way if I f****d up, no one would really care or if they did, they'd forget about it later because they know she always f***s stuff up. But I'm the one who has to be perfect, not f**k things up because they expect s**t from me."

"I would give anything to be you for just one day." I said truthfully.

Jo smiled and looked straight ahead. We say that way, each to his own thoughts before, "You remember that bucket list we wrote when we were ten?" I nodded. "I failed to add something. I should have added ' be really happy'"

That hit deep. It made me realize that being Jo didn't mean you'll be happy. I didn't have all she had but at least I was happy.

"But you know for the first time, I feel like I'm going to accomplish that. I know what I finally want to do. A travel vlogger. I want to see the world and let people in on it."

"And what are your parents saying?"

"Haven't told them and for the first time, I don't care how they'll feel if I tell them I want to be that full time."

We heard laughter and then Jo's mum Miranda called Jo who groaned. I smiled at that and watched her stand. We'd been the closest growing up and it'd been long since we sat together and really talked and as I watched her turn to leave, I remembered something.

"Jo?" She turned to me. "I don't know how many of our family members are going to say this to you when you break the news but I'm proud of the woman you and going to become."

She grinned at that. "Thanks, Arabella." And left me to my thoughts.