As soon as breakfast was over and everything packed up, Carlos called the kids, “Alright, Alex, Alexa, let’s go. Mississippi isn’t gonna wait for us!” The kids, still buzzing with excitement, darted toward the front door. Olivia followed close behind, her smile radiant. Carlos jingled the car keys in his hand and glanced at Olivia with a playful grin."Think we can survive the long road trip with these two?" he teased, nodding toward the kids.Olivia chuckled, tossing her bag over her shoulder. "Barely. But let’s get on with it before we change our minds."As they loaded up the car, Alex insisted on having the window seat while Alexa wanted to sit in the middle. Olivia stepped in with her arms crossed. "Alright, kids, no fighting. Alex, you’ll sit by the window for the first half, and Alexa will switch when we stop. Fair?”Alexa pouted. "I don't wanna sit in the middle!" "You'll get your window seat soon, sweetheart," Carlos interjected as he strapped them in. "Now, who's ready for
As soon as the front door opened, Carlos and Olivia stepped into the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Mississippi home. Raymond and Angelina were already waiting by the entrance, their faces lighting up with joy as they saw their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren standing before them.“Carlos!” Angelina exclaimed, rushing forward with open arms. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she embraced him tightly. "Oh, my boy, you're finally home!"Carlos wrapped his arms around his mother, lifting her slightly off the ground as he held her close. “I’ve missed you, Mom,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.Raymond, not one for grand displays of affection, patted Carlos’s back with a firm, fatherly gesture. “It’s good to have you back, son,” he said in a deep, steady voice, his stoic expression barely concealing the pride and relief he felt.Angelina pulled away just enough to look up at Carlos, her hands still gripping his arms. “And you’ve brought us Olivia!” She turned to Oli
'THE FOLLOWING MORNING'The early morning light seeped through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the guestroom. Carlos stirred, his body relaxing in the comfort of the bed, while Olivia lay beside him, stretching lazily before reaching for her phone on the nightstand. She pressed the power button, but nothing happened. Her phone was completely dead.She sighed, nudging Carlos lightly, "Babe, my phone’s dead. Where can I plug it in?"Carlos, still half asleep, mumbled, "There’s a socket behind the nightstand... and another one under the window across the room." He rubbed his eyes, blinking awake slowly as Olivia sat up."Okay, let me find my charger," Olivia said, rummaging through her overnight bag. Her brow furrowed after a few moments of searching. "Carlos, have you seen my charger? I can’t find it."Carlos sat up, stretching his arms above his head. "I haven’t touched it," he replied. "Are you sure you packed it?""I’m sure. I double-checked before we left," Olivia said, now
Carlos pushed his chair back slightly, rubbing his stomach. “That was some breakfast, Mom,” he said with a grin, leaning back. “Thanks again.”Raymond chuckled softly, dabbing at his lips with a napkin. “You should thank your wife too, son. She certainly knows her way around the kitchen.”“Thank you, Olivia,” Carlos added with a smile. Olivia returned his smile with a nod, but her focus quickly shifted as the kids were still squirming in their seats, their faces filled with excitement and impatience.“Grandad,” Alex spoke up again, his voice barely containing the energy within him. “Is it true you and Dad used to play baseball together when he was our age?”Raymond’s eyes twinkled as he glanced between his grandson and Carlos. “Is that what your father’s been telling you?” he teased, glancing at Carlos with a mock suspicious look.Carlos laughed, taking a sip from his glass. “I might’ve mentioned it once or twice.”The kids leaned in, their eyes wide with excitement. “So, it’s true?”
As the sun started its slow descent, casting a golden glow through the windows of the house, the day was winding down. Carlos, Olivia, Raymond, Angelina, and the kids, Alex and Alexa, were all huddled in the living room, moving between there and the kitchen as they prepared dinner and caught up on the day’s events. The air was thick with laughter and chatter, the kind of noise that only a close knit family could create.“Dad! Dad!” Alex’s voice rang out, cutting through the animated conversation in the living room. He was tugging on Carlos’s arm, a hopeful look in his eyes. “Can we play baseball again tomorrow? Please?”Carlos chuckled and shook his head. “Alex, we’ve already talked about this. Baseball tomorrow is not happening, buddy.”“But why not?” Alex asked, his voice rising in pitch, clearly on the verge of throwing a tantrum. His sister Alexa joined him, echoing the sentiment.“Yeah, Daddy! We wanna play again tomorrow! It was fun!” Alexa jumped up and down, her enthusiasm inf
The following day...The morning light began to filter softly through the curtains, casting delicate shadows on the bedroom walls. Olivia stirred beneath the covers, feeling the warmth of Carlos's body beside her. It was peaceful, almost tranquil, yet that serenity did nothing to soothe the storm brewing within her. The gentle hum of an alarm buzzed to life on the nightstand, snapping her out of her thoughts.Her hand fumbled clumsily across the bed, brushing the sheets as she blindly reached for the phone. The incessant sound continued as her fingers finally found it, silencing it with a swift tap. A deep sigh escaped her lips, her body settling back against the pillows for a brief moment.Carlos stirred beside her, his eyes still heavy with sleep as he turned toward her, voice groggy yet affectionate. "Good morning," he murmured, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.Olivia forced a smile in return, her gaze never quite meeting his. "Morning," she replied softly, almost
A few hours later....The smell of sizzling bacon filled the air, mingling with the warmth of freshly brewed coffee. Carlos stood in the kitchen beside his mother, Angelina, stirring a pot of scrambled eggs while his father, Raymond, toasted bread at the counter. The gentle clatter of plates and the hiss of the stove created a comforting, homey background. It was a rare and peaceful morning, the kind Carlos had longed for. He hadn’t been back here in so long, and after 13 years away, it felt like a small piece of home had returned to him.Angelina turned toward Carlos with a fond smile, her hands busy chopping vegetables. “I never thought I’d see you back here in this kitchen, helping me make breakfast again. It feels like old times, doesn’t it?”Carlos grinned, his heart warmed by her words. “Yeah, it does. You know, you always made the best breakfasts. Olivia tries, but no one does it like you.”Angelina chuckled, her eyes twinkling. “I hope you’re not telling her that, are you? You
Nearly an hour later...Olivia’s fingers gripped the steering wheel as she turned into the driveway of their family home. The soft hum of the car’s engine quieted, leaving only the excited voices of her two children, Alex and Alexa, who were both animatedly chatting about their time at the beauty shop. Alexa had chosen a two sided pony, and Alex was still giddy about his hair trim. “Mama, look! Do you think Daddy will like my ponys? And nails?” Alexa asked, holding her tiny hands up to admire the glittery pink polish as the sunlight glinted off them. Her wide eyes sparkled with joy, and Olivia forced a smile onto her face.“Yes, sweetheart, Daddy will love them. I’m sure he’ll be so proud,” Olivia replied, her voice betraying none of the turmoil churning inside her. She parked the car, the engine’s quiet purr cutting off abruptly, leaving the driveway still and eerily silent.Alex unbuckled his seatbelt with the speed of a child who couldn’t wait to share exciting news. “I can’t wait