Chapter 3 - Calista

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"I wouldn’t sleep that long," I replied, stretching as I adjusted my seatbelt. Then curiosity got the better of me. "So, what did you buy at the supermarket?"

He glanced over at me, a small smirk on his lips. "Didn’t you ask me to buy yarn?"

"Yes, I did," I said with a nod. "But besides the yarn, what else did you get?"

"Yarn, fluffy cotton, and a novel, of course," he replied, sounding rather pleased with himself, almost like a child showing off his good behavior.

"A novel?" I perked up, intrigued. "What’s the title?"

As I reached to unbuckle my seatbelt, ready to inspect his choice, something suddenly felt off. I froze mid-motion, realization dawning on me. “Wait… did you forget to take your umbrella?”

He stared at me blankly for a moment, clearly puzzled, before his eyes widened. “Umbrella—oh shoot!” he cursed under his breath. “I left it at the supermarket.”

Before I could react, he had already flung the car door open and bolted out into the rain, sprinting toward the store. I couldn’t help but smile, shaking my head as I watched him run. He looked almost like a kid who’d just remembered he’d forgotten his favorite toy. With a sigh, I leaned back into my seat, debating whether to close my eyes again. Just as I was about to drift off, my phone rang, snapping me back to reality.

Glancing at the caller ID, I saw it was my brother. "Hello, my dearest brother," I answered, trying to sound more cheerful than I felt.

“Where are you?!” Carl’s voice came through, sounding oddly urgent.

I frowned. “Carl, don’t tell me you’re drunk again…”

“I’m not,” he insisted, though his tone didn’t inspire much confidence. “But I need your help with something.”

“What ‘one thing’ are you talking about?” I asked, exasperated.

There was a pause on the other end. “I… What was the topic I was just talking about?” he asked, his voice trailing off. And then, before I could respond, the line went dead.

I stared at my phone in disbelief. “Did he just hang up on me?” I muttered to myself. A prank call? Really? Oh, I was going to give him a piece of my mind when I saw him next. Maybe even slap him upside the head for good measure.

A few minutes later, the car door opened again, and there he was, dripping wet but grinning, holding an umbrella that wasn’t the one he’d left with. “Did you buy a new one?” I asked as he settled back into the driver’s seat.

“Yeah,” he admitted, shaking his head with a rueful smile. “I accidentally lost my umbrella again… You know, this is like the hundredth time I’ve lost one.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Really? When I was a kid, I wouldn’t dare lose anything, or else my mom would have been furious. If she knew how careless I was, she’d probably lecture me for hours.”

He chuckled, shrugging as he closed the umbrella and placed it on the floor. “It’s all in the past now, though. But yeah, I know… Next time, I’ll try not to be so careless.”

He gave me a mock stern look. “You think I’m a kid?” he teased.

“Nope,” I replied, smirking at him.

He shot me a playful glance before putting the car in gear. As we started driving, the silence between us stretched on, thick and heavy. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, just… quiet like neither of us knew what to say. The rain continued to beat down on the roof of the car, creating a rhythm that almost lulled me back to sleep. The journey felt long, almost never-ending, and the atmosphere was so still it almost felt like we were strangers sharing the same space.

Finally, the car slowed as we approached my house. I peered out the window and saw that my family was bustling about, preparing for some kind of party. The sight of it made my heart swell with a mixture of nostalgia and longing. It had been so long since I’d been home, what with my work as a scientist taking up most of my time.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out into the cool evening air. The sounds of laughter and music drifted toward me, filling me with a sense of warmth and belonging that I hadn’t realized I missed so much. I turned back to Evander, who was watching me with a soft smile.

“You sure you don’t want to come in?” I asked him, feeling a little guilty about leaving him out in the rain.

He shook his head. “Nah, I’ve got to get back to the hospital soon. But you go ahead. Enjoy the party.”

I nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment but understanding his reasons. “Thanks for the ride… and everything.”

“Anytime,” he said, his smile widening as he put the car in reverse. “Oh, and don’t forget to take the yarn with you.”

I grabbed the shopping bag from the back seat and waved as he drove off, disappearing into the rain. As I turned to face my house, I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar comfort of home wrap around me like a warm blanket.

Stepping inside, I was immediately greeted by the sight of my family bustling about, setting up decorations and arranging food. My mom spotted me first, her face lighting up with a smile. “You’re home!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug.

“Yeah, I’m home,” I said, hugging her back, feeling a sense of peace settle over me. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this—the chaos, the laughter, the love that filled every corner of this house.

As the evening went on, I mingled with my family, catching up on everything I’d missed while I was away. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking about my brother’s strange call. I’d have to confront him about it later. But for now, I was content just being here, surrounded by the people I loved, feeling more at home than I had in a long time.

As the last guest waved goodbye and left the house, I took a deep breath, surveying the aftermath of the party. The living room was a mess—empty plates, crumpled napkins, and confetti littered every surface. The warmth of the evening lingered in the air, but now it was time to tackle the cleanup. Rolling up my sleeves, I joined my family in tidying up. We moved in a comfortable rhythm, laughing as we picked up stray party hats and wiped down sticky countertops.

As I was stacking a few plates in the kitchen, the front door creaked open. I turned around and saw Dad standing in the doorway, a broad smile spreading across his face as soon as he spotted me. His eyes sparkled with a happiness I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“My baby is finally home,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Daddy misses you so much…”

He opened his arms wide, waiting for me to come to him. The warmth in his voice and the familiar scent of home wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. I dropped the dish towel in my hand and hurried over, sinking into his embrace.

“I missed you too, Dad,” I murmured, feeling his strong arms envelop me. He held me tightly as if he was afraid that if he let go, I might disappear again. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my cheek.

After what felt like a long, comforting moment, he finally pulled back, holding me at arm’s length to get a better look at me. “You’ve been working too hard,” he said, concern lacing his words. “It’s time you took a break and spent some time with your old man.”

I smiled, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I’ll stay as long as I can, Dad. I promise.”

His eyes softened, and he ruffled my hair, just like he used to when I was little. “That’s my girl.”

The two of us spent the rest of the evening helping Mom and the rest of the family clean up the house. Even though there was a lot to do, it didn’t feel like a chore. It felt good to be back, to be surrounded by the people who knew me best, and who loved me unconditionally. Every once in a while, Dad would glance over at me, a proud smile on his face, and it made all the hard work I’d been doing worth it.

By the time the house was back in order, it was late, and everyone was ready to call it a night. But as I climbed the stairs to my old room, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of peace. I was home, and for the first time in a long time, everything felt exactly as it should be.

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