Page 52 of Stat: Love In Scrubs
Yara’s eyes watered a little. I knew this felt good to hear, especially with everything that had been happening with the rebuild. She didn’t tell me, but I learned that more things were needed than she was letting on. I planned to bring that up to her tonight.
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Wilder.”
My mom waved her off, “Please call me Celeste,” she told her.
Then looked in my direction, “I’m not going to bite, son. Leave the women in the kitchen, and y’all find something to do with your time. We have another ten minutes, then everything should be done. Also, look out for our extra guests,” She instructed.
I held my hands up in mock surrender, then placed Esa onto her feet before walking into the living room, following behind my dad. Yara gave me a smile that let me know she would be just fine. Although I knew she would be.
I took a seat in the open chair beside my dad as he reclined his chair and relaxed for a moment.
“You ready for tonight?” he asked.
“As ready as I can be. I haven’t seen Ron and Marissa since Veronica’s funeral. I don’t know what to expect if I am being honest. This could go really well, or it could go really bad.”
My pops nodded, “We gone pray for the first option. I’m not going to go for anybody acting like an ass in my house.”
I hoped not. We sat for another five minutes before the doorbell rang. I glanced at my pops to see if it was cool if I grabbed the door. He waved me off and closed his eyes. I’m sure he was praying.
I stood from where I had been seated and released a breath before heading for the door, and then pulled the door back to reveal an older version of Veronica. Marissa’s hair had gone platinum, and so had Ron’s. It seemed as if grief had aged them far more than time. They smiled up softly at me.
“Hey, it’s been so long. Let me move aside so you can come out of the cold.” I announced, pulling the door open wider for them to walk through.
They nodded and stepped around me, stopping at the entryway.
“Thank you for inviting us. We’ve been meaning to get in contact with you, but you get it.” Ron spoke up.
I nodded in understanding because I hadn’t moved on from Veronica until this year with Yara. So, I understood what it meant to still hold vows, loyalty, and love for someone who was no longer with us, close to my heart. I’m sure that as his parents, it was something different. I hoped I never experienced that with my children. The parents are supposed to go first. But these days it wasn’t always like that.
Ron rubbed his hand up and down the front of his jeans.
“So, we don’t know where to begin.”
“Let me introduce you to Esabella. Esa,” I called.
She came rushing from the kitchen with her hair bouncing as she ran. The biggest smile on her face as she looked up at our new guests. I appreciated my mother, Yara, and my father for allowing me to do this alone.
I knelt beside Esa and wrapped my arm around her waist.
“Hi, baby girl. Remember when I told your mom’s parents were on an emotional vacation?”
Veronica’s mother choked up behind me at the mention of the emotional vacation, but I had to continue.
“Yes,” Esa responded, looking back up at them.
She was no longer smiling but concerned, and I’m sure it was because they were behind us, crying.
“Well, these are your grandparents from your mom. They’re home from their vacation and made you their first stop. Do you want to meet them?” I asked.
Esa nodded with a smile, and I released my hold on her waist so she could walk around me to them. Ron kneeled, and Marissa followed. I stood up and stepped back, wanting to give them time with her. Esa walked over and held her hand out, smiling politely.
“I’m Esabella, but my daddy and all my family, oh, and my friends call me Esa. Esabella is a lot to say.” she proclaimed causing everyone laugh.
Ron took her outstretched hand and shook it, then Marissa followed. “It’s nice to meet you finally, Esa.”
“How was your vacation? It was a long one! My dad doesn’t ever allow us to stay at the beach that long. He has to get back to the hospital to deliver babies!” Esa shared.
I noticed when she said, ‘Deliver babies, ’ that her parents visibly looked as if they had been hit in the chest. But I tried to recover quickly and put on a smile. I knew this would be hard for them, but I had to give them credit for at least trying to get to know Esa. I hoped this wouldn’t be the last time.
