Page 6 of Rekindle

“Okay.” He said. But I knew the response was a warning to be careful but I still don’t trust you.

“We’re here,” Gareth whispered, then kissed my forehead. His voice tickled my ear as I yawned.

“We were hoping you’d stay longer,” Dad saidas he put the gear in park. “But we’ll take anything. I missed you, sweetheart.”

“I missed you guys too. How’s Mom?”

“Sleeping most of the time. She is in good spirits, considering.” He went quiet.

One wrong word, and he would break down, I could tell. He cleared his throat. “The family is here.”

“Mom invited the whole family.” James said. “She wanted everyone present to meet him.” He tipped his head towards Gareth, who chuckled under his breath.

I noticed distant relatives looking through the window waving at us, and some walking inside the house with food trays in their hands. One of them did a double take as their curiosity turned to the man standing beside me. The women gasped once they got a good look at Gareth and in just a few moments they would be all over him.

“Just relax.” Dad said. “You’re only here for a couple of days, and everyone wanted to see you.” Dad headed to the house with James while we took our things from the car.

Relaxing was not on my agenda. I knew what to expect when the whole family was in the house for the holidays. Almost wished this occasion to be a quiet and intimate moment between us. Now we had an audience. When I said I missed the banter I didn’t mean the whole family tree.

Mom and I only spoke on the phone now.She refused to FaceTime. She’d always taken pride in her appearance. And pity was something she warned people not feel. Mom was optimistic she was going to win and if she was optimistic then I had to be positive of the outcome. Still I was overcome with fear but that I kept to myself.

“It’s your mom, not a job interview.” Gareth said to me in a low voice. “I should be nervous, not you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his comment, then reality hit. “I’m afraid I will break down in front of her.” I admitted. “I have to be strong for her.”

“Let me be strong for you, then. You don’t need to impress her or anyone.” His warm hands rested on my cheeks. God, I missed his touch.

I let out a breath. “Okay. Are you ready?”

He raised an eyebrow and there goes that smile again. He wasn’t worried at all.

He waited for me to walk up the steps to go inside, so I met him at the door. “You’re ready then, sir,” I said just to confirm.

Gareth growled and closed the gap between us. My focus turned to his mouth, then his brown eyes.

“Sir? Careful. Words have meaning.”

They sure do.

???

“Nina, is this him?!”

Tia Clementinas voice echoed across the living room. She moved to the front of the crowd of people who were gawking at Gareth and winked at me with approval. Some even patted me with sign of approval.

“Where is Mom?” I asked between hugs.

Then the bright smile turned soft, and she nodded her head to the living room.

Mom was asleep with four layers of blankets over her. I kneeled next to her and kissed her cheeks. She was cold.

“Mama?” Her lips spread into a smile when she heard my voice. “I’m here.”

Mom struggled to open her eyes andfound the strength to sit at the edge of the sofa and embraceme with tenderness. I had to hold back hugging her weak body.

Fuck cancer.

Sadness and pain were visible in her face. Yet determination still lingered as she was brave enough to fight this disease. But something sparked in her eyes as she turned to the person behind me.

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