"Reconciliation is more beautiful than victory," a phrase that comes to mind after recalling what happened three months ago. That's right, three months have passed since that accident happened. Our effort to go back to how we used to be has finally paid off, and mine and Chris' families can act normally with each other now.
I go down from my room towards the dining hall and sit down. My mother saw me and seemed surprised.
"You're early today; I haven't finished preparing breakfast yet," she said.
"Are you excited because this is the day that William is coming home?" She asked teasingly.
"Of course not," I shouted to her, just to not let my real feelings out.
"You're not being honest again." "Wait just a moment; I'll finish preparing breakfast," she said before going back to the kitchen.
My father sent us a letter last week saying that he would arrive a week after we received the letter, and that day is today. I just feel embarrassed to say it to Mother, but in reality, I'm really excited to see Father again after a year. I'm also worried: What if he experiences something on the battlefield that makes him change, just like what happened to Uncle Philip?
All of that worry comes to an end when the door suddenly opens. My mother and I quickly head to the door, and what greets us is his smiling face.
"I'm back," he said.
"Welcome back," my mother said.
I quickly ran towards him and hugged him tightly. He was surprised for a second, but it quickly faded, and he hugged me in return.
"I'm glad you're back safe," I said, hiding my face against his chest because I didn't want him to see me crying.
"Yeah, and I'm glad to see that you and your mother are safe too," he replied.
"Did you know that Will is so excited to see you again that he got up so early and waited for you at the dining table?" Said by my mother teasing me.
"Come on, Lily, don't tease Will so much or he will cry," said my father, who started to tease me too.
"No, I won't," I shouted, and what follows is the three of us laughing.
In these kinds of times, I sometimes forget about my past life and just enjoy the moment as a 9-year-old boy.
After that, the three of us ate breakfast together. While eating, Father told us that there's something that he will show us after we finish eating.
We finished our breakfast in an instant because we couldn't wait to see what he would show us. He led us to the backyard, and to my surprise, a carriage that was not supposed to be there was there.
"This is the fruit of my three months in the capital," he said proudly.
"A carriage?" "What is it for?" asked the mother.
"I'm glad you asked that," he said.
"Will is turning 10 next year, and he needs to go to the capital to enter the academy." "The road to the capital from here takes a week at the earliest." "I can't just let Will sleep in some unknown carriage and maybe he will get hurt; that is why I complete some tasks in the capital and wish this as a reward," he explained.
So he did it for me. He endured not seeing his family for three months just so he could give me a safe trip to the capital. I was so happy that, if I'm not afraid of being teased, I already started crying.
"Father, thank you." I thank him.
"You're welcome," he replied.
"Also, I tied the horse in that tree," he said before pointing at the tree that is just outside our backyard.
"Where should we place him?" he asked.
"Maybe we need to create a shed for that horse," mom said before heading straight inside the house.
When she returns, she already has the tools and materials that we need to create a shed.
Where did she get that pile of wood?
"These are the leftover materials that we used when creating our house." She explained as if hearing what I just asked in my mind.
After that, we started working on the shed that will serve as the house of the horse that we will use in traveling to the capital. After that, time flew by, and we finished the shed before it got dark. And that's how the day my father returns from the battlefield ends.