Chapter 1
Riah
College had been a great escape for four years, but I was more than ready to be home.
Coming back had always been the plan, but I underestimated just how much I’d miss it while I was gone.
With my degree finished and a job in town secured, I was more than ready to settle back into the place I grew up, surrounded by the people who loved me.
After two full days on the road, I was relieved when my parents' house came into view. I almost forgot to put the car in park as I pulled into the familiar driveway. They insisted on throwing a welcome-home BBQ the second I arrived, so I decided to take a moment to breathe before facing everyone.
Before I could fully relax back into my seat, my dad’s large, hulking frame came barrelling through the front door.
His smile split his face as he half-jogged up to the passenger window.
His energy was so infectious that it overcame the exhaustion in my bones and I threw the door open to hop into his arms.
“My little girl!” He exclaimed as he crushed his giant arms around me and lifted me into the air.
Even though I was almost 25 years old, I would technically always be a little girl when I stood 5-foot-nothing next to his 6’5”.
“Dad!” I giggled. “I’m a grown woman!”
“I know, I know,” he set me down with a chuckle. “But you’ll always be my little girl, Riah.”
I rolled my eyes as I watched him grab almost all my bags under his arms and over his shoulders before guiding me inside. I was truly lucky to have two parents who loved me so fiercely. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t feel grateful.
“So, is everyone here yet?”
“Not yet, Mama and Eddie are inside.” He grunted as he refused my offer to help with opening the front door.
“Did he bring the baby?!” I squealed.
He nodded with a smile as he finally got the door open. I squealed again and I pushed past him, almost knocking him over, to finally meet my baby niece.
“Riah!” My brother stood with his arms open as I ran through the house.
“Yeah, hi,” I waved him off. “Where is she?”
“Well, hello to you, too.” He shook his head as he pointed his thumb behind him.
“Hey, Eddie.” I pecked a quick kiss on his cheek before pushing past him to the little bundle of newborn baby squished into a bassinet under the living room window.
I crouched down, admiring her scrunched, sleeping, sweet face. She looked nothing like my brother and everything like his wife. She was beautiful. Perfect. I sighed, refraining from taking her in my arms, and flopped down on the couch.
“Is Chrissy here?”
“Yeah, she’s out back with Mama.”
“Let me know when she’s awake. I can’t wait to squeeze her!”
I made my way outside where I found my mom and my brother’s wife setting up last-minute decorations for the BBQ.
As soon as I slid the glass door open, my mom dropped the ‘Welcome Home’ sign she was hanging and ran over to me.
Chrissy’s mouth hung open in amused disappointment as the sign fell to the ground.
“My baby is here!” She slammed into me, squeezing me tight around my waist. She was my height but much slimmer than me and I was thankful for the gentler touch as compared to my dad.
“Hey, Mama.” I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face into her soft, wavy hair. I inhaled deeply, the familiar fruity shampoo smell digging at the deepest memories in my mind.
That smell is what finally made me feel home.
Guests slowly started trickling in as the smell of hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken grilling filled the summer air.
I’d told my college experience story about ten times before I finally got myself a drink and relaxed into a secluded seat next to my mom’s rose bushes.
It was nice to be home and surrounded by so many people who loved me, even if it was a little overwhelming.
“Hey!” My brother jogged up to me. “The little princess is awake. Chrissy is changing her real quick, but you might want to go get your squeezes in before she starts getting passed around.”
I jolted to my feet, pushed my drink into his hands and bolted inside. Chrissy was just carrying her out from the bedroom as I got inside. I quickly washed my hands, settled onto the couch and Chrissy set her into my arms.
Mila was a tiny, fragile thing. Eddie and Chrissy were both tall and lean, so I knew she would be, too.
But for now, she was a tiny bundle of cuteness nestled into my arms. As she smiled up at me, grasping onto my finger, I felt tears welling up in my eyes.
I tried to wipe them away, but it was no use.
My heart had been captured. From that moment on, I vowed to be the rich, fun auntie for the rest of my life.
“Oh, no, no.” Chrissy shook her head next to me with a smile. “I know that look. Your parents already spoil her enough, Ri.”
My mouth hung open in mock shock. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Mhmm.”
Before I could think of a snarky remark, the front door creaked open.
“Knock, knock.” A raspy, warm voice floated through the room.
I looked up and the wind was sucked from my chest. A wide, shining smile and light green eyes stared back at me. My mouth went dry as I studied her face. It was familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it.
“Hey! You made it.” Eddie’s voice thundered from the other end of the house.
The tall, fit woman closed the door behind her and shot her hand out to my approaching brother. The clasped hands and knocked their shoulders together, patting each other’s back with the other hand.
“How you been, man?” Her voice floated from perfectly dark pink, full lips. I watched them as they moved, mesmerized. The pull of familiarity tickled my brain.
“Good, just busy with the fam. New baby,” my brother responded. “But look who’s here!” He gestured over to where I sat with Mila in my arms.
The woman’s eyes lit up, the smile she already wore growing wider as she looked over at me.
When our eyes met, her demeanor shifted.
It was almost too subtle to notice, but it was like her whole body stood at attention.
Her gaze intensified, taking in every inch of me.
I didn’t move an inch. I couldn’t speak. And I still couldn’t place her.
“She’s all grown up.” Eddie slapped a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “It’s almost like it was yesterday when she would barge into my room every five minutes, begging to play video games with us. Now she’s a big adult with a degree and a fancy job.”
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. All the memories of my brother and his best friend flooded my mind. The lanky tomboy that used to spend weeks at a time with us materialized in my mind's eye. It couldn’t really be her, could it?
“Korie?” I finally found the words to speak.
“Hey, Riah.” Her voice came out a lot softer than her stare. “Welcome home.”