Chapter 67
The helicopter engine finally turned off. Whirrrr... stop.
Gabriel jumped out first. He reached up and grabbed my waist, lifting me down like I was a feather.
His grip on my hand was tight. Like, super tight. Like he was holding onto a balloon that wanted to fly away to heaven.
"Come," he said, his voice low.
We walked through the forest.
Crunch. Crunch.
The house was way farther than I expected! It looked close from the sky, but on the ground? It was a trek!
The forest was huge. The trees were tall and whispering to each other. Swish swish.
"Are we there yet?" I panted.
My heart was thumping inside my chest. Thump-thump-thump-thump. Faster than a techno beat!
Because... Sydney.
My brain was screaming: SHE IS DEAD! SHE DIED TWO YEARS AGO! YOU SAW THE CASKET!
But my eyes... my eyes saw the gardening girl.
We stepped into a clearing.
There it was. The white house. The flower garden.
We stopped in front of the porch.
I bit my lip very, very hard until I tasted iron.
"It's real," I whispered. "It's a real house."
I felt Gabriel's grip on my hand loosen. Slowly, his warm fingers slipped away from mine. He took a half-step back.
I didn't look at him. I couldn't. I was magnetized to the door.
I stepped onto the wooden porch. Creak.
I stood in front of the white door.
I raised my trembling hand. It shook like a leaf in a hurricane!
Knock. Knock.
Silence.
Then... Click.
The door opened slowly.
I held my breath.
I looked at eye level.
No one.
"Huh?"
Then, I felt a tug.
Tug. Tug.
Something was pulling on the hem of my pink dress.
I looked down.
My eyes went round.
Standing there, holding onto my skirt, was a baby. A tiny human!
He was maybe one or two years old? He was wearing a cute blue knitted cardigan (so aesthetic!) and little brown pants.
His skin was pale, like porcelain. And he had big, chubby, squishy cheeks that looked like mochi!
He looked up at me with big hazel eyes.
He smiled. A gummy, drooly, sunshine smile.
"Ba!" he said.
My eyes watered instantly. Huhu. He is so cute! Who is this angel?!
Thump. Thump.
Footsteps approached from the hallway.
I slowly looked up.
A girl emerged from the shadows. She was the same height as me. She was wearing a cozy apron over her dress.
Long, wavy brown hair. Pale skin. The same nose as my Auntie.
She stopped when she saw me.
"Ali..." she whispered.
Her voice. It was so sweet. Like bells. Like home.
"SYDNEY!"
I didn't care about manners! I didn't care about the baby (sorry baby)!
I lunged forward!
I crashed into her.
Sydney caught me. She hugged me back instantly.
We stood in the doorway, crying.
"You're real! You're real!" I sobbed into her shoulder. "Please don't evaporate! Please don't be a hologram!"
I hugged her tightly, squeezing her ribs.
"I'm here, Ali. I'm here," Sydney cried, stroking my messy hair. "I'm so sorry."
I sobbed and sobbed. I wet her apron with a flood of tears.
My chest heaved with every breath, releasing years of pent-up grief. I squeezed her so tight I was afraid I might break her, but I needed to know she was solid. I needed to feel her bones, her warmth, the beat of her heart against mine.
"I missed you!" I wailed, my voice cracking. "I missed you every single day! I talked to your picture! I saved you a seat at my "wedding" even though it was empty!"
I had a million questions swirling in my head like a tornado. Why did you die? Why are you hiding in a forest? Do you have WiFi? Why didn't you call me? Who is the baby?!
But right now... none of that mattered.
The logic didn't matter. The betrayal didn't matter.
All that mattered was that the hole in my heart—the jagged, painful hole shaped exactly like my cousin—was finally being filled.
I just wanted to hold her. The sister of my soul. The keeper of my secrets. My Sydney.
★
Sydney gently guided me inside.
"Come on, let's sit. You're shaking."
She led me to a fluffy beige sofa in the living room. It was so cozy! There were plants everywhere and books and wooden toys.
She sat me down and wiped my tears with her thumbs.
Then, she turned around and picked up the blue-cardigan baby. She settled him on her hip.
I sniffled. I looked at the baby. The baby looked at me.
I reached out a trembling finger and poked his squishy cheek. Boop.
"Syd..." I whispered. "Is this... is this your baby?"
Sydney nodded, a soft smile breaking through her tears.
"Yes," she said proudley. "This is Samuel."
"Samuel," I repeated. "Sammy~~"
I chuckled, even though tears were still streaming down my face like a waterfall. "He has your cheeks! Huhu! He is a dumpling!"
Sydney laughed. A real laugh.
Then, a shadow fell over us.
I looked up.
A man walked into the living room from the kitchen.
He was tall. Like, Gabriel tall. He had a well-built body (I could see the muscles under his sweater!). He had hazel eyes, just like Samuel.
He smiled at me. He didn't look surprised. He looked... expecting. Like he knew I was coming.
I stood up quickly and bowed (manners!).
"H-Hello," I stammered. "I am Aleesha."
The man extended his hand.
"Hello, Aleesha," he said. His voice was calm. Sooo calm. Like a yoga instructor. "I am Elias. Sydney's husband."
I shook his hand.
Sniff.
He smelled like peppermint. Fresh and cool.
"Husband?!" I gasped. "Syd! You got married?! And you didn't invite me?! I would have been the flower girl!"
Sydney looked guilty. "It was... a small wedding."
Wait.
I looked around the room.
Me. Sydney. Samuel. Elias.
Someone is missing.
"Gabby!" I gasped.
I looked at the door. It was open, but empty.
"Wait! Wait!" I told them. "I have a companion! I forgot him outside!"
I didn't tell them his name yet. I wanted it to be a surprise!
I rushed out of the house. "Gabby!"
I ran to the porch. I scanned the yard.
There.
Leaning against a big oak tree, looking at the ground, kicking a pinecone.
He looked... sad. And lonely. And dark.
I ran to him.
"Gabby!" I grabbed his arm. "What are you doing? Come inside! Meet my family!"
I tried to pull him. He was heavy! Like a boulder!
"Aleesha," he said, gently pulling his hand away. He gave me a small, painful smile. "Take your time. I will wait here. Catch up with your cousin."
"No!" I shook my head vigorously. "No way! You are my husband! You have to meet them! Sydney is alive, Gabby! And she has a baby! And a husband!"
I leaned in and whispered loudly.
"And Gabby... her husband, Elias? He looks like you! Hehehe! Just a little bit! But don't worry..." I patted Gabriel's chest. "You are way more handsome. Elias is Peppermint, but you are... Dark Coffee! Much better!"
Gabriel's lips twitched, but his eyes remained sad.
"Come on!"
I dragged him. I used all my strength!
"We are going inside!"
I dragged him up the porch stairs. I dragged him through the door.
"Tada!" I beamed, pulling Gabriel into the living room.
Sydney looked up.
Her eyes widened. Her face went pale.
She looked at Gabriel like she had seen a ghost. Or worse... a cockroach flying towards her face! (We both hate cockroaches!).
She clutched Samuel tighter.
I looked at Elias.
Elias was... still calm. He was looking at Gabriel with a blank expression. No surprise. No fear. Just... peppermint calmness.
"Everyone!" I announced happily, oblivious to the weird vibes. "This is Gabriel! My husband!"
I looked at Gabby proudly.
Gabriel cleared his throat. Ahem.
He stepped forward stiffly. He extended his hand to Elias.
"Hi," Gabriel said. His voice was tight.
"Hello," Elias replied.
They shook hands.
It was a quick, hard shake.
Zzzzt.
I felt a tiny bitsy tension. Like static electricity.
Huhu. Why is Gabby not friendly? Why is Elias staring? Are they doing a "Handsome Man Staring Contest"?
"Sit! Sit!" I gestured to the sofa.
Gabriel sat down on the long sofa. Elias sat... on the same sofa.
But they sat on opposite ends. Like, far ends. As if the middle of the sofa had a contagious virus!
I sat on the other sofa with Sydney and Samuel.
Silence.
The silence was deafening. It was louder than the helicopter!
Sydney was looking at me (worried). Samuel was looking at Sydney (drooling). Elias was looking at me (polite). Gabriel was looking at the rug (intensely).
Crickets.
Huhu. This is awkward! Why is no one talking? Is it because I crashed the party?
Sydney bit her lip. She stood up abruptly.
"I..." she started.
I stood up too! "Where are you going?!" (I have separation anxiety!).
"Kitchen," Sydney said quickly. "Do you... do you want to make rice balls, Ali? Like we used to?"
My eyes lit up. "RICE BALLS?! YES!"
Sydney looked at the boys.
"We will... make snacks," she told them. "You guys... stay here."
She turned to me. "Let's put Sam in the crib first."
"Okay!"
We went upstairs. Sydney put baby Samuel in a white crib.
As soon as he was down, I grabbed Sydney again.
"Syd!" I hugged her tightly, burying my face in her neck.
"I missed you so much! I thought you were dead! I buried a heart for you! I have so many questions! But mostly... I just missed your rice balls!"
Sydney hugged me back, her grip fierce.
"I missed you too, Ali. More than you know."
But I felt her trembling.
Why is she shaking? Is she cold? Or is she just excited about the rice balls?