She got home to find a huge party. Huge even for her mother who was always over and beyond. There were about a hundred guests some family, some neighbors, some she had never met before all shouting "Welcome home Rebecca!"
Her mother ran to her carrying a bouquet of flowers and singing "what the Lord has done for me." Rebecca looked over to her father and they shared a look that expressed how amusing they found all this.
Rebecca hugged her mother tightly. She had missed her. She had missed her a lot. Her mother was a constant source of joy in her life with her over the top gestures. Her mother lived in exclamation points. She was not a moderate woman. She loved fiercely and hated just as fiercely (although she would never own up to this, she is also fiercely religious).
"My darling beautiful smart girl!" she said. Punctuating every word with a kiss. Rebecca laughed. She always laughed when her mother called her beautiful because she knew otherwise. On her best day she was pretty.
"My darling ageless mother." She said to her punctuating every word with a kiss as well. She accepted the flowers. "Thank you."
Her mother led her to the gazebo that had been decorated with flowers, lights and balloons. Most of the guests were gathered there and her mother showed her off to every one of them. "This is my last born" she'd say. "Rebecca… she just graduated from the London School of Economics. First Class!" Again Rebecca sought out her father who was sipping orange juice and speaking to one of the neighbors. He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.
When her mother was sure she had met everyone, she was allowed to go in the house. She ran into her sister in law as she made her way through the garden to the house.
"Rebecca!" She said with a smile. Her sister in law, Gloria was a true beauty. She was married to her brother Rafael and they were expecting their first child. She had dark, dark skin with large almond shaped eyes. She had thick hair that went past her shoulders. "Welcome back my girl! And congratulations." She hugged her.
"Thanks Gloria." She said. "How are you?"
"As you can see." She said rubbing her big belly. "The doctor said its twins you know."
"Oh that's great!" Rebecca said, then from the look on Gloria's face she asked, "Right?"
Gloria laughed. "It is. I really had my heart set for one at a time but I see God had other plans." She said rubbing her belly.
"You know… I always thought you were beautiful. But right now, with the pregnancy glow I have no words for how good you look."
"Thanks darling." She said. "Go on inside and freshen up. Your mother will have us all here celebrating till the crack of dawn."
Rebecca laughed as she walked up the front steps and through the front door. The house was full of people, aunts and uncles who wanted a hug and to congratulate her, nieces and nephews who wanted gifts from London.
She finally made it to her room. Her mother had redecorated. Gone was her old childish furniture with the pink walls and doll collection. The new theme was white, light grey and a light peach. Her four poster bed was now replaced by a white divan king sized bed with storage drawers on the sides. Her mother had made the bed with a light grey duvet and a peach throw blanket. The side tables were white but the lamps were gold and peach. She had a white desk at the corner of the room, right by the window so she had a good view of the garden below as she worked. She moved around touching her new things, sighing when she took off her shoes and felt how soft the carpet was. Her mother had done a fantastic job.
She took out her phone and called her boyfriend. He had already tried calling her twice.
"Hey hun!" She said when he picked up.
"Becca! I've been trying to call you."
"Sorry, mama has a whole army here and she wanted me to meet them all."
"Oh shame. How was your flight?"
"Not bad." She said as she took off her clothes. She decided she needed a shower before heading out to the 'party' again. "I am just a little tired. I wish mom didn't do this whole party thing so I can just chill in PJs eating ice cream."
He chuckled. "I think you were expecting she would. This is your mom afterall."
She sighed. "She means well." She switched on the geyser and waited for the water to get hot. "I wish you could come."
"I know." He said. "I will be back in town in about two weeks. I can't wait. This trip could not have come at a worse time."
"Get that paper. I can wait." She said. But she wished more than anything that he was there to welcome her back home. "By the way, daddy tells me you ran into each other."
He cleared his throat and she imagined him scratching his head as he said, "Yeah, yeah we met. I was with my mom. I was helping her get some things for the new house."
"He seems to think you are scared of him."
"Terrified." He said and she laughed.
"Don't be. He is a sweetheart."
"To you! You are his darling girl. The apple of his eye."
"He doesn't bite please. But he does own a gun." She said.
"Ah see you are trying to scare me!"
"There is nothing to fear. Just act right." She turned on the water and found it warm enough for a shower. "I gotta go. I want to shower before I head back out. We'll talk later?"
"Sure. I love you."
"I love you too." She said and hung up.
She took a quick shower and dressed just as quickly in a short floral dress she was sure her mother would love. The put on very light make up just to look alive, and she let her hair down.
She went back outside and sat on one table with her brothers. She had three brothers: Roman, Richard and Rafael and a sister, Regina whom she hadn't seen in so long, she couldn't really remember her. She had gotten married by someone no one approved of when she was still very young, and she never came back home. Her brothers were all married with families of their own. Rafael was expecting his first child. He was married to Gloria. And he dotted on her so much, the rest of the family kept rolling their eyes every time he stumbled trying to make her more comfortable.
She had dinner surrounded by the laughter of friends and family and she felt so whole and at peace with the world. She even thought Rafe was adorable being such a nuisance and tripping over himself to make his wife happy.
She was home. This, she thought, is where I belong. These were her people. She was so grateful.