As the car came to a stop, I spotted Dad, Jerry, and Mark waiting at the entrance. They had clearly been there for a while, their anticipation palpable. The moment they saw us step out, all three rushed forward, each vying to be the first to reach me.
Dad, towering and broad-shouldered, led the charge, with Jerry and Mark hot on his heels. Their faces lit up with joy, but before they could smother me, Jacqueline stepped in, raising her hands like a traffic cop.
"Hey, hey, hey! Behave yourselves!" she scolded, her tone sharp but playful.
They skidded to a halt, suddenly looking sheepish. Jacqueline gave them a pointed look, daring them to challenge her authority, but they stayed put. Satisfied, she handed me over to Dad, who wasted no time scooping me into a warm hug.
"Welcome back, sweetie," he whispered, his voice trembling.
Jerry and Mark hovered nearby, visibly restraining themselves.
"Dad's favorite, as always," Jerry teased, earning a playful elbow from Mark.
"Hey, don't be jealous!" I shot back with a grin, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.
The boys trailed us to Dad's study the one Mom used to claim as her own. Since her passing, Dad had taken refuge there. They gave me quick hugs and words of encouragement before leaving us alone, sensing we needed time to talk.
Jacqueline, meanwhile, disappeared into the kitchen. I could hear her moving around, pots clinking as she prepared something.
Dad sat beside me on the couch, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him, craving his comfort.
"Daddy," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I miss Mommy."
Dad's arm tightened, and I felt his chest rise and fall heavily. He tilted his head back, blinking rapidly to keep his tears at bay.
"I miss her too, baby," he said, his voice breaking. "I keep thinking I should have done more, should have made her take better care of herself. I should have at least laboured and take care of her. She always put everyone else first…"
"Dad, stop," I said, looking up at him. "Mom was happy taking care of us. She loved us."
He sighed, guilt clouding his features. "I just feel like I let her down. But I promise you this I'll do better. I'll take care of you, your sister, and your brothers. I won't let anything happen to this family."
Before I could respond, Jacqueline reappeared with a tray of soup and pasta.
"Hey, baby," she said, placing it on the table. "You need to eat and take your meds."
I smiled faintly. "Thanks, big sis."
As she sat beside me, her presence filled the void Mom left behind. Watching her fuss over me, I realized Mom's efforts hadn't been in vain. Jacqueline was ready.
Dad watched us, his expression softening. In that moment, I knew no matter how hard things got, we'd make it through. Together.
****
I had just gulped down the last bite of my pasta when the door creaked open. Grandpa walked in, with Emily following closely behind. Like his son-in-law, or rather, his son, he was tall and broad-shouldered, with a well-defined muscular build. These were all traits my brothers had inherited, though they hadn't quite matched the muscular part yet. Despite being in his late sixties, Grandpa carried himself with the energy of someone in their thirties.
For the past six months, he had been serving as the interim CEO. That explained why Emily was with him. Dad was always the obvious candidate for the role, but he had consistently refused to take it up, offering excuses at every turn. Even as a young man, Dad was meant to inherit the position, but somehow, Mom had ended up as CEO instead.
This was one of the reasons Dad blamed himself for Mom's death. He believed that if he hadn't hesitated and taken on the role, Mom might still be alive.
Their unexpected arrival caught us off guard, as no one had anticipated their visit. Before anyone could react, Grandpa sighed theatrically, a mixture of sadness and playfulness in his voice.
"And now here is my son," he began, pointing dramatically at Dad as if introducing him to a crowd, "who, after killing my daughter, wants to kill my granddaughter, one of my only two granddaughters!"
His exaggerated gestures sent the room into fits of laughter. While the words were heavy, we all knew he was joking. Grandpa had adored Mom, and her death left a void in him that nothing could fill. But he also loved Dad deeply, even if he sometimes teased him for not taking better care of his wife, one of the only two daughters Grandpa had.
Once the laughter subsided, Emily hurried over to me and scooped me into a tight hug. The last time I had seen her and Grandpa was at Mom's funeral.
"Hey, baby," she said softly, holding me close. "How are you feeling? I'm so sorry I didn't visit you at the hospital."
She smiled warmly and handed me a box of chocolates, my favorite treat.
"Look what I brought you," she added with a wink.
"Hey, kiddo, did you forget your manners?" Grandpa teased Emily, wagging a finger at her.
Quickly, Emily put me back in my seat next to Dad and turned to greet him. Then, she moved over to where Jacqueline was sitting, and the two exchanged warm hugs and smiles.
Grandpa took the seat next to me, pulling me into a big, comforting hug. His embrace radiated warmth and love.
"How are you, sweetie?" he asked, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.
"I'm doing alright," I replied quietly.
Jacqueline joined in, her face lit up with a wide grin. She threw her arms around both Grandpa and me, her enthusiasm nearly crushing our bones.
"Missed you, Grandpa!" she exclaimed.
"Don't flatter me," he replied with a chuckle. "It's only been a few days."
Sleepiness began to creep over me, and I made sure everyone noticed by yawning and rubbing my eyes.
"Feeling sleepy?" Grandpa asked gently.
"Yes," I murmured.
"Hey, kiddos!" Grandpa called to the girls seated on the opposite couch. "Come take your sister to bed."
The two girls jumped up immediately, each eager to be the first to carry me, as if it were a competition. But Emily, using her older-sister authority, asserted herself and won the unspoken contest. She scooped me up and began sauntering out of the room, while Jacqueline trailed behind, sulking over her defeat.
My room was upstairs, the first door on the right after the stairs. Jacqueline's room was next to mine. The boys' rooms were at opposite ends of the hallway, Jerry's on the right and Mark's on the left.
Between our rooms were several guest rooms. Emily often stayed in one of them, the fourth room from mine, directly across from the guest room next to Jerry's. She would spend the night whenever it was too late to drive back to her flat. Of course, most times, it wasn't really about the time. It was just an excuse to be near Jerry.
"You've gotten so heavy," Emily teased as she carried me. But I was already fast asleep, barely aware as she gently laid me on my bed and tucked me in.
Jacqueline stood at the door, watching silently.
"It's so sad she had to go through all of this," she said softly.
Emily sighed, her voice heavy with emotion. "It really is," she replied.