Kapittel 2

Vanessa

It was raining heavily that day. The clouds were thick and grey, attacking the quiet, wet, and smelly road with little raindrops while the wind howled and swished profoundly back and forth. I couldn't be any more annoyed that I was not helping dad with our financial problems that caused him to sell our car and buy a cheap motorcycle. With a helmet on his head, he held on to the clutches tightly, trying to remain his balance with the tires slipping smoothly on the road, while I, on the other hand, was only hugging his huge stomach tightly. It was a silent, cold trip when I noticed dad accelerating the motorcycle's speed.

"Dad, slow down," I told him, fear laced in my voice through my clattering teeth. If he kept on doing this, he might lose control of the brakes, and God knows what would happen. Thinking of horrific repercussions was already enough to make my spine shiver in fear.

"Can't, sweetheart," he told me, causing my fear to crawl up to my chest. "I'm enjoying the fast pace," he added with his warm peal of a cackle, but I did not miss a slight tinge of something that I could not name. I embraced him tighter when he increased the speed. Jesus!

"Dad!" I interjected, finally getting afraid more than ever. "Slow down, please!" I begged while mentally praying for him to slow down literally. I knew I shouldn't have turned down his request and drove this damned thing instead.

"Okay, okay, princess," he laughed heartily. I know that I was supposed to feel relieved because he was finally going slow down, but I timorously wriggled when I realized that his laugh wasn't mirthful at all but nervous and shaky. I knew it. Something terrible was about to happen, "But first, take this helmet off. It's kinda tight, makes me feel uncomfortable," he told me and began tilting his head to the right side a little, acting as if he was incredibly uncomfortable.

I gave the back of his head a bewildered look before removing my arms from his large tummy and reaching out to the straps of his helmet, unfastening them with my shaky, cold fingers until I've finally released them. I shrieked when I felt the vehicle suddenly hop as if it went over a rock, scaring me. Despite being afraid, I earned the courage to ask Dad, "O... okay, now?"

He nodded and then told me, "Now, wear it." His words rendered me confused. I tilted my head perfectly in the rearview mirror to show him my bewildered loo. "Seriously, dad. What's going o—"

"Just wear it, Vanessa," he cut me off, his voice firm and his eyes straight on the road. I nervously gulped as I felt the hair-raising arms of fear embrace me from behind. I stared at the helmet for five good seconds before raising it over my shoulder and slowly sliding it over my head. Dad's fresh-scented cologne wafted its way into my nose, making me inhale and exhale dreamily. I always liked dad's cologne. It was a good musky scent. His cologne wasn't too strong that could make someone's nose hurt, and it was not too plain that it couldn't be smelled at all.

"Good," I heard him mumble and swerved his head a little, showing me a good angle of a side of his face that has a wide smile etched on it, "Now, I want you to remember that I love you, Vanessa, sweetheart," my heart skipped a beat when he told me those words, "Please tell your mom and your brother that I love them so much. Always keep in mind that the three of you are my life."

My eyes widened, "Wait. Dad, what d—"

"Dad!" I cried, opening my eyes, revealing the fuzzy grey clouds to my sight. I looked around, my heart racing fast, shaking and breathing at an unsteady pace— panicking. Where am I? What happened? The rain. The motorcycle. Dad—

"Vanessa, honey, you okay?" a familiar voice asked. Mom.

At that moment, I immediately recalled the prior events; the accident. It happened two months ago. Dad's dead, and we're moving back to our old house. I drew a deep breath in and out. Calm down, Vanessa. Calm down, I vehemently repeated in my mind, soothing myself.

I set my back straight, learning that I was crouching on the seat. My face and neck were drenched with hot tears, which I hastily wiped. I embraced myself, sniffing and rubbing my cold arms with one thought in my mind: another bad dream. Nightmares had haunted me since I woke up from the accident. It always started with the scenario before the accident and always ended with me staring at dad's dead face. It repeatedly played like a broken cassette tape.

I gritted my teeth at the thought of dad's death. It was all my fault. If only I could have taken control of the motorcycle, or if I had asked him to stop at the nearby shelter because it was raining, he could still be alive by now.

"Vanessa?"

I turned around, looking for the voice that called my name, leading me to face mom, who was wearing a worried expression. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded. She was heaving a heavy load right now, and I didn't want to be another sack of burden added to that same load. The least I could do to not make things hard for her was the pretend that I was okay and was just normally grieving when I wasn't.

"I'm fine," I spoke with a tight-lipped smile when I noticed she didn't look convinced. I brushed my sight across the view outside the window and realized we were parked at a gas station.

"I'm going to the store and get us some snacks. Anything particular you'd like me to buy for you?" mom said and popped another question, her voice deeply caressed with care, making my heart melt. Oh, mom.

This time, I let out a genuine smile and answered, "No, I'm fine. I don't wanna end up holding my pee or loo while we're on a ride."

"Okay. Your choice." She shrugged and stepped out of the car, heading her way to the store.

"Nie... Van... Nie..." I turned my attention to my little brother, Zach, who called my name, and found him munching his little fingers. I sighed adoringly. Just the plain sight of him made all the heavy feelings I was carrying in my chest squander away. But wait— why was he munching his fingers? I remembered giving him his pacifier after his lollipop ran out.

Wondering where his pacifier was, I looked around and found it on the floorboard, making me click my tongue and think that I shouldn't have slept on him.

I bent down to pick up the pacifier. When I successfully picked it up, I put it in the small bag where mom kept Zach's things, then laid my back flat on the couch, playing with the little boy's drool-saturated hands. It was a little peaceful moment when I heard a faint whistle.

"Cool car."

"Huh?" I turned my head to the rear.

A tall, pale, chinky-eyed guy in streetwear was eyeing the car with his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker jacket and lips folded together. The way his chinky eyes slanted made me assume that he was of Japanese descent, but I could be wrong though. I watched him as he lazily strolled around the car, whistling coolly and scrutinizing our vehicle. His black orbs brushed past the half-open window, and our eyes met. I curled my lips into a fake smile and raised a hand for a little wave. He, on the other hand, looked immensely startled.

"The heck!" he exclaimed loudly, taking two steps back and bending his body a bit. What a bizarre reaction.

"I'm sorry?" was all I could reply as a response to his surprised reaction.

Finally realizing his awkward pose, the guy stood straight, keeping it cool with his still hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised o someone beautiful in such a slick car," he said, giving off a charming smile that revealed a deep dimple on his left cheek.

"I see that you're quite the flatterer."

"No cap. You're beautifu— oh," he stopped his sentence midway and drooped his head down, then squinted his phoenix-shaped eyes. "Your kid?" he asked, pointing his index finger at Zach.

I shook my head no and replied, "My brother."

"Oh, I see. Sorry."

"That's okay," I shrugged. "I usually get that a lot."

He nodded a few times before popping another question, "Do you live around here?" then added: "Maybe we could hang out... and get to know each other, yeah?" he raised his shoulders, looking quite hopeful. It made me feel a tad bit sad that I was about to break his hope into forlorn.

"No, sorry. I'm just on a trip with my fam."

"Oh, I see." He whistled again, turned his back, and I heard him whisper in a crispy manner, "Thought I was gonna get myself a pretty girl," before turning to me again. "At least I could get to know your name then? I'm Toshiro, but you can call me Tanner or Tan," he said with a small smile and offered his hand through the open space. Even though I was too tired for physical pleasantries, I gathered all my energy to take it for a handshake.

"I'm Van," I answered shortly, still wearing my fake smile, internally begging him to go away already since this would just be a plain encounter and we wouldn't see each other again.

"Happy meeting you, Van," he said, his lips curling into a genuinely happy smile, which made me feel a bit guilty for my previous ill-mongered thoughts.

I made my smile curl wider. "Likewise."

Our little introduction quickly ended, much to my relief, when a ringing sound emerged. He released my hand and took out his phone from his jacket. He then looked at me as if he was asking permission. "May I..."

"It's okay," I told him—finally, some bit of leverage.

He gave me another elated smile before turning on his back and answering the phone call, walking away to create some distance and privacy. I let out a sigh of relief before pushing the button that'd make the window rise to shut close. In the nick of the moment, mom came back with paper bags filled with snacks and drinks.

"Who was that?" she asked as she placed the paper bags down on the shotgun seat and comfortably set herself on the driver's seat.

"Just some guy I'll forget later on and never meet again," I answered, proceeding to play with little Zach.

"We never know if you'll meet him again or not, so don't say such things, honey. Fate works the trickiest," she said with an unknowing smile before switching the ignition on.

Scarsendale county had changed way far from my expectations. As soon as my eyes darted on huge blocks with humongous letters that spell the name SCARSENDALE made out of gracefully carved, fine marble, I immediately knew that life would be new. As new as mom's newly bought Cruze that dad bought for her for their anniversary. It made my stomach sick to its pits for the nth time. I clutched Zach's arm tightly as we passed by the greeting sign after talking to a person whose face I couldn't see clearly. I felt nervous and anxious at the same time. This was what I have feared; when everything you've left changed.

"Wow," I heard my little brother mutter breathlessly. I could not help but do the same when my eyes lay on a glorious sight. It wasn't only the welcome sign that had changed but also what lay behind it!

I roamed my eyes around with my jaw ajar as mom drove to God knew where. I could not put into words how magnificent what was set before my eyes.

"I never thought that dad could afford to buy back our old house. Especially that everything's gone luxurious now," I found myself coughing out those words. God, now I was starting to believe that dad was our personal Santa.

"I know, right? Buying a house here must've cost a fortune, especially ours, because I heard the previous owner renovated drastically it a year ago," mom stated, her eyes plainly focusing on the road. "I might get confused about where our old house is," she added, which I found confusing whether it was a joke or a worry. Nevertheless, I shook it off my mind and gave my attention back to the glorious sight around us.

Time flew so fast that I didn't realize or expect that we'd finally arrived at our destination. I only noticed we'd arrived when mom chirped, "We're here!"

I didn't mind her, though. I kept myself busy by scrutinizing the view outside the window. I couldn't deny that everything around me was just so beautiful. I'm pretty sure. Sightseeing around the whole village would take me forever.

I heard Zach gasp. Through my peripheral vision, I saw him gazing outside the window. Curious and craving to see more, I turned my head to follow his gaze. That was when my eyes widened as they landed on a beautiful facade waiting for us to enter. It was our old house but now furnished and renovated that I almost mistook it for another home. The houses here in Scarsendale had a variety of designs, every house was unique, and none of them looked alike. The neighbors often made sure that no one had the same brand of roof tiles or flowers in the backyard. They were a pretty competitive crowd. I remembered how mom would gnarl her teeth sometimes whenever she saw a house across from us would have the same fence color as our home.

"I... is this... our home...?" I looked at mom, asking for reassurance, and she nodded eagerly in response. "It is!" she chirped before opening the door on her side and leaving us, probably to take care of the movers.

"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 Love's Deception, 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 work, future works, and endless frustrations, you can find me on my Wattpad and social media accounts:

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