CHAPTER 4

Kapittel 4

Vanessa

"Vannie! Vannie!" Zach cried. I looked at him and almost laughed. He was wriggling on his booster seat, his face forming beet red like he was about to cry. Zach was a mama's boy. He always clung to mom on every chance he could get and then cried when she was out of sight. I understood him, though. I've been like that with dad back when I was young.

My mood soured, and the small smile that crept on my face turned into a wince when a familiar, painful pang hit my chest like venom. I remembered him again. I remembered dad again.

"Vannie! Vannie!" Zach called for my name again, pulling me away from my reverie.

I shook my head and looked at him with a smile. "You want to get out or go to mom?" I asked, trying to compose myself and stop the tears that were warning me to fall any time soon.

"Go in new home... go in new home!" he tried to muster, flailing his cute little arms up in the air hopelessly, his lips soaking with bubbles of saliva, his eyes pleading, and his face becoming red. His adorable baby talk and flushing face was enough to sweep the melancholic thoughts of dad off my mind.

"Okay, okay. Stay still," I said, and being the cute, obedient younger brother he was, he obliged. I took the straps of my seatbelt off me before I did the same to his booster seat.

"Yay!" he cheered and flailed his arms up in the air once again. But this time, more cheerfully.

I laughed. Subconsciously thanking God and the odds for giving Zach to us. The little guy right in front of me was the one who made me happy and cheered me through his little gestures was actually a menopausal baby. Mom and dad did the nasties when she was in her premenopausal phase, and then boom! Her womb inflated, her tummy went big, and Zach came into the world nine months later. He was a huge blessing, all right. He was what we had been asking for so long.

"Vannie!" he cried. "Leggo!"

"All right. All right," I smiled at the relentless child and carried him to my lap with one arm and the other, reaching for a grip on the door's handle. I took hold of my necklace's pendant for a while, muttering myself some encouraging words before taking a deep breath and turning the handle, pushing the door open.

I stepped my feet out and landed the soles of my sneakers on the lane, then slowly led my body out next, careful not to hit Zach's head on the opening. The cold gust of wind hit my face, making me wince a little. I forgot that it was a bit colder here compared to Washington.

I looked at my brother before letting out a small giggle. He had his arms in the air while opening and closing his hands like how'd we do when I sing him Twinkle Twinkle Little Star every night as I cajole him to fall asleep. I pinched his cheek and walked over to the porch, my eyes only fixed on him. When we got closer and were only a step away, I noticed a set of familiar people by the doorstep holding a banner that had the statement WELCOME HOME! in bold letters.

"Wait, who are tho— " my eyes widened in shock when I realized who those people by the doorstep were.

"Auntie Rebecca? Angie? Angel?"

"Welcome back home!" they exclaimed, and before I knew it— two pairs of arms engulfed me in a warm bearhug.

"Woah!" I staggered back, almost losing my balance. I kept my tight grip on Zach, who burrowed his face and wrapped his tiny arms around my neck and his cheek resting on my shoulder blade in fear because of the twins' sudden attack.

I heard a loud thump! behind us, then mom's voice came next. "Oh. My. God."

Mom's cousin and our closest relative, Auntie Rebecca, walked over to us, holding the banner, and said with a small smile. "Surprise...?" holding up the banner up to her jaw. Mom's figure flashed before my sight, and the next thing I saw, she engulfed Auntie Rebecca with a tight hug.

My sweet auntie just laughed and hugged her back before they both pulled away from each other. She then spoke to the twins. "Time to let go, girls. You two are choking Vanessa to death."

The two obliged. They released me from their tight embrace and looked at me like I was the best Christmas gift they've ever received. I pursed my lips into a small smile and attempted to speak, but Angelene said eagerly. "We missed you! It has been three long years!"

Her perkiness made me laugh for the nth time. The familiar feeling of nostalgia hit me hard. Angelene, or Angie, was always the cheerful twin. At the same time, Angeleca or Angel was the mature one, but not in a way that she was like a serious and emotionless person. She made jokes and hung out with us fine, but she tended to control everything she said or reacted to, unlike Angie, who was reckless and often let her emotions lead her.

"Angie," Angel chided her sister with a warning tone and her eyes glaring at the latter before turning to me and saying, "Welcome back home, V."

My smile grew wider. "Thank you."

I felt Zach shuffle his head on my shoulder. I glanced at him and saw him taking a little peek at Angel and Angie, who noticed his tiny presence just now. I lowered my head to him until my nose reached his chubby cheek. "It's okay, big boy. They're friends," he just nodded, but instead of pulling away, he nuzzled his face on my shoulder even more. What a clingy kid.

"Is he your son?" they asked in unison, their eyes widening in horror. I mentally shook my head in disappointment with a thought in my mind: Oh God, not them too.

Because of the considerable age gap between Zach and me, most people, especially those who barely knew me, often mistake us as mother and son when the truth is, we were actually siblings. One time, a senior schoolmate of mine who was rumored to have a massive crush on me tried to harass me since he thought that I was actually an easy to get and a slut, and even defended himself by using Zach as the proof. Since he was of legal age, I was able to send him to jail and press charges of sexual harassment.

"Silly!" I heard mom laugh behind them. Soon, a pair of arms coiled on each of their shoulders. "Girls, meet Zach. My menopausal baby."

"Menopausal baby?" Auntie Rebecca butted in the conversation, looking at mom with questioning eyes. Mom nodded in confirmation, which caused Auntie Rebecca to clap her hands joyously in the air. "How wonderful!"

Meanwhile, Angie and Angel looked at Zach and me with their jaws on the floor, probably surprised that Zach wasn't mine, or rather the fact that he was a menopausal baby.

"Wow," Angel muttered, completely bewildered a few moments after staring at us like we were extraterrestrial creatures. Angie took a step forward and offered her arms out. "May I hold him?" she asked.

"Uh, sure, I guess," I mumbled and tried to reach Zach to her, but he kept his grip on me fine and strong.

"Shh, it's okay, big guy. She's a friend," I cajoled, but he only shook his head. I tried to reach him to Angie, who was now close to pouting, but again but he struggled. I sighed. This kid wouldn't easily let any person carry him. He only wanted to be carried by the person he was fond of or the one he had spent the most time with. She immediately caught Zach's attention. He slowly lifted his face and looked at her.

Angie's pouty face vanished. She smiled and held her hand up. A little fluttering feeling rose in my stomach's pits as my brother loosened his grip on my neck, I reached him to Angelene, and he just let me.

Once Angie had him in his arms, she held him tightly with care and said, "Hi." She drew her face close to my brother. The two were looking at each other like they were the only people in the world. Meanwhile, mom, Auntie Rebecca, Angel, and I only looked at them like we were watching a touching scene in a movie.

"Pweety," he said, saliva bubbles bursting on his lips as he reached his little hands to her rosy red cheeks.

Angie giggled and pulled her face away slightly. "I know, right?"

We all laughed before deciding to get inside the house.

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To those who read HADES, Zavia Angelene and Zavia Angeleca are Rebecca and Brent's daughters. :>

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Thank you for reading Bubble Gum Kisses! To keep up with my works, future works, and endless frustrations on Twitter:

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