Chapter 5 (Sidney's Pov)

• Home sweet home. I never understood that statement in books and movies, that is until I went to college and each time I returned, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could breathe without any struggle again.
• And this time it was no different. Do not get me wrong, I loved going to college, but I also missed my home and mostly the people who resided in that home. And one other person who was on my mind almost constantly, but as soon as his name popped into my head, I pushed it back into the depts. It seemed he did not think of me much in the past few years considering the limited contact we had, but I had to be fair and confess I did not try hard as well at that time. But to be honest, I just thought about what people often said, out of sight, out of mind, but it sure did not work that way.
• As I stepped inside the airport to pick up my luggage something suddenly hit my legs, and someone started screaming. At first a surge of panic overtook me but then I looked at my legs and saw both my brothers on their knees hugging my legs and I started laughing in an instant. Sure they were not as small as I remembered them from the last time I saw them, but the last time we talked I told them I still want them to be those little munchkins I left behind almost a year ago, and they promised to me they would do their best to make my wish come true, and this was their way of making my wish come true, so of course I laughed as hard as a lunatic while tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks. Just a moment later another pair of arms wrapped around me, and I could recognize the smell right away. For me it was the smell of home, meaning my mother’s perfume that smelled like peaches in the summer.
• This was home.
• I looked over my mom and saw dad standing not far from us smiling at us. At the sight of him I pulled slowly from my mom’s arms, of course after I squeezed her back as hard as she was squeezing me and pretty much ran into my dad’s embrace. Judge me if you want but I was still my daddy’s little princess, “How is my baby girl? Was the flight alright?” I smiled at his concern. Even though I was a grown-up woman by now by all standards, he still treated me like a little girl. It probably had something to do with all those lost years we had to catch up somehow, and honestly, I did not mind it even one bit, “It was fine dad. It is just great to be back home.”
• Behind us my mom cleared her throat, and even though she wanted to make it sound as if she was offended, I knew better, “I can see things still have not changed. I am good only when you need me. And here I was thinking I was your favorite person.” I turned to her with feigned horror written all over my face, “But mommy, you know you are my favorite person. But I need to butter up dad, so he allows me to drive his car around.” At my words we both managed to keep a straight face for only a moment before we erupted into laughter. It really was good to be home.
• We grabbed my bags and exited the airport. Mom and dad were walking in front while I was the center of the sandwich between my brothers. I still could not believe how much they have grown in such a short amount of time. Well technically like I said before it was almost a year, but still each time we talked on the video calls they did not seem so big as they were in person, “You two giants still have to tell me what mom has been feeding you, so you grew so much.” They both just chuckled at me, the evil little monsters they were.
• The way home was full of questions and laughing and plans for our next few months together and for the first time since I went to college I actually looked forward to Christmas, decorations, all the events, everything, but most of all I was looking forward to spending Christmas with my family, and speaking of family, “Wait. Where are aunts and uncles? Did you not tell them I was coming?” at my outrage mom started laughing, “Oh dear Sidney, I am sure you are not so naïve as to think something escapes those aunts of yours or to believe I am even capable of keeping a secret from them. No. the moment you told us you were coming home, and I stopped panicking I called them and told them all about your achievements and your first Christmas home in ages…. They are waiting for us at home.” It was my dad’s turn to chuckle and when my mom glared at him, he only shrugged his shoulder before elaborating his chuckle, “You called all the girls before you stopped panicking. You were still running around the house like a headless chicken preparing Sidney’s room and everything while all of you girls were screaming on the phone. All those screams led to Aron and Uncle William to make a group call making sure no one died, and the boys almost pied themselves from laughing so hard at the scared adult males on the phone.”
• Yeah, that sure sounds like my family.
• As soon as dad parked our car in the driveway my door opened and I was pretty much pulled out of it into a strong embrace, so much like my father’s, I immediately knew it was my uncle William. Technically he was my only blood related relative, but to me, all the people in this yard were aunts and uncles even though no blood was connecting us, “When did my little princess grew up so much.” I chuckled but had no time to answer him before I got pulled into another arms, this time it was my uncle’s wife, my aunt Ana. And the circle went on and on until everyone got their chance to “molest” me. But I did not mind. I do not remember when the last time was, I felt so happy, or better yet, I did not want to think about that time when I last felt this happy because the person that made me the happiest was missing today. But I would not dwell on that. I had my whole family here and the best Christmas was already on the horizon.
• Did I mention it was good being home?