The flight home was long and uneventful, mostly everyone sleeping because it was such an unfortunate hour to be awake. There were the few morning people, reading newspapers, just like the old man sitting next to me and I think he was happy to see that I wasn't going to disturb him anytime soon due to the exhaustion taking over. One layover later, I was on a smaller, louder plane, this time with crying children who wanted dinner and I was ready to scream at the parents to give them something, but apparently at that moment in time it was out of my control. The only sane girl was a girl named Al who was on her way home from London. Apparently she visited some big boy band that I'm not very familiar with. She said that they weren't that special.

When the plane touched solid ground and the seatbelt sign switched off, I don't think I ever moved so fast in my life. My bag was out of overhead storage and I shuffled down the aisle before people could even get out of their seats. Once the door opened and people were allowed to exit the cabin, I booked it out of there, probably faster than I ever moved. When I finally exited the gate, I saw my family standing there.

"Hey! There's our girl!" I heard my dad call and I weaved through the few people blocking my path until I finally released my bags and wrapped my arms around my parents.

"Hey guys," I said, pressing my chin right between both of their shoulders.

"Alright, alright, hand her over. Jeez, we get it, you love her, I want to hug my baby sister," I heard my brother say, pushing my parents back as he hugged me tightly.

"How you've been, kiddo? Chicago treating you well?" He asked, still hugging me.

"I've been doing really well and Chicago is great."

"It's nothing compared to Florida."

"We'll see about that." I released him, taking a step over to hug my sister. "How's New York?"

Eva's face lit up as she began to talk about New York animatedly, "It's awesome. I love how lively it is and the job is great. My apartment is a little tiny, but it's good."

"Don't complain about a tiny apartment when you're living in New York. I have to share a dorm room." My dad and brother took my bags as we headed out of the airport and into the dry, hot air.

"Tal, you're going to New York in a month," Dad said as we made our way to the car.

"So?"

"So you shouldn't be complaining about your dorm room now because you'll be sharing an apartment with Eva." My face lit up as I turned to my sister.

"I get to live with you?"

Eva shrugged. "Yeah, sure, if you don't already have a place to stay."

"I don't, but I am so excited now," I nearly squealed, while doing this little awkward hop.

We split into cars, the siblings in one and parents in the other. We all exchanged stories of what had happened in the past few months. My brother kept on shaking his knee and tapping his fingers against the steering wheel and Eva continued to raise an eyebrow at him, but said nothing.

"John... why are you so nervous?" I asked my brother, leaning over the back of his seat.

"I'll tell you when we get home," he said smiling and I just rolled my eyes and settled back into my seat. "Anyway, Eva, tell me. How's being an X-ray technician?"

"A lot of hard work, something you'd never understand," Eva said, never failing to make John feel like the dumb one of the family.

"Excuse me, being married is a lot of work. And I work plenty at the school. I teach P.E. remember?"

"Gross," Eva and I said simultaneously. Eva and I were the scholars of the family; the ones who were more concerned about graduating with honors and a career than our health or getting married. That could all come later.

"You two should be happy that you have a natural high metabolism, because I'm pretty sure you would both be fat otherwise," John told us.

"Wow, thanks."

"You know, Johnathan, it's a good thing you're pretty, because I'm pretty sure Leslie never would have married you otherwise," Eva retorted and John made a pouty face.

"It was a compliment and then you just had to go get mean."

"You know I love you."

"Being a gym teacher is hard work! High schoolers are evil and the last thing they want to know is how to be healthy."

"Just be glad you didn't teach my gym class, John," I sat, patting his shoulder. My physical education classes throughout high school held the rowdiest of students, not even bothering to really try. All the jocks just wanted to play football and basketball despite what the teacher had planned and I just wanted to sit and read Great Expectations. Sometimes I'm honestly surprised I even passed gym class.

We pulled into the driveway at home and when we pushed the doors open, Mom was already busy making fajitas, with Leslie beside her, stirring the vegetables in the pan.

"Hey Leslie!" I called, making my way into the kitchen.

"Talia, hey! How was your flight?" She wiped her hands on the towel and rounded the counter to give me a proper hug.

"The first one wasn't bad, everyone was sleeping. But by the second flight, all the kids wanted food and it wasn't pleasant."

"Well, now you're here and you can eat some good food and we can all hang out. It's going to be great. As for now, I need to make sure the veggies don't burn." Leslie turned back to the stove as John came in carrying my luggage.

"Hey hun," he said, going over to Leslie and pecking her on the cheek. Leslie smiled into it and then she gave him a look that I was certain meant something more than just a "hey babe, how's it going?" I narrowed my eyes at the two of them.

"What?" John asked, noticing my piercing gaze.

"Something's up with you two that you aren't telling me."

"What? Nothing's up," John said, shrugging it. He usually was a convincing liar, but I didn't dare believe him now.

"Tell me."

"There's nothing to tell, Tal, you're going crazy," Leslie said.

"Hey Talia, why don't we go unpack? I want to discuss New York with you," Eva said from the fridge as she grabbed a glass of iced tea.

Glaring at the couple one last time, I reluctantly turned to head upstairs with Eva. My room was exactly the same, my parents never bothering to convert it to a craft's room as Mom had been wanting. I dropped my suitcase on my bed and then sat down on the edge while Eva perched on my desk chair.

"So how's it going?" Eva asked, twirling in my chair like a child.

"It's going. I'm really enjoying classes this semester, but working at the library is bliss. Well. Until I get an idiot who doesn't know anything and just wants me to find books that summarize books. It makes me sad," I told her and she laughed.

"That's how most people graduate college, Tal. Lots of Spark Notes and cheat sheets."

"That's terrible. I read everything that I'm given."

"Because you're an English major. I'd be concerned if you didn't read. See, for science and all the classes I had to take, it was a lot of reading. But it was mostly diagrams and equations and – "

"Yeah, yeah, a bunch of boring stuff. But you like your job."

"It's great. I mean, it's sad because I have to x-ray people who shattered their leg and it's a bit gruesome, but I enjoy it nonetheless."

"Sadist." She laughed some more.

"Okay, but we need to discuss living arrangements."

"I'm living with you, aren't I?"

"Yeah, but I'm not letting you just crash at my place. You'll have to share the rent."

"I expected as much."

"And you'll be put in my tiny extra bedroom. All my apartment is, is two rooms the size of Mom and Dad's bathroom, a tiny bathroom, a tiny kitchen, and a tiny sitting area. Are you going to be okay with that?"

"Yes, of course I'm okay with that. Eva, I'll be living with you in New York for my internship with my favorite magazine ever," I emphasized everything that was important and Eva cocked an eyebrow.

"Okay," she said, "I'm glad that you are happy with this situation," she mocked and I rolled my eyes, smiling a little. "So let's discuss how this is going to work," Eva said, clapping her hands together and began describing payments, the neighborhood the apartment was in, and the like. The metro stop apparently wasn't very far away from the apartment, which was good because I never felt like walking much. The area was relatively safe, but Eva warned me that you could never be completely certain of New York City at night, so if you had to go outside, it was better to just travel in groups.

"When do you start anyway?" Eva asked me after she gave me the low-down.

"Mid-January? I'll be catching the end of their publishing process for the February magazine," I told her. "Or at least that's what the letter said. I have to come in apparently for an orientation with four other interns and then by the next week, I'll be on the payroll!"

"Sort of. I mean, you get paid minimum wage, right?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. But I'll make due. If I have to get another job on top of it, I will."

Mom called us all down for dinner and I was suddenly extremely excited to be eating real Mexican food and not the so-called "tacos" they make at school.

We all sat around the table, chatting amongst ourselves before John cleared his throat and asked for everyone's attention.

"Hey everyone, so Leslie and I have an announcement," he began, reaching over to grab her hand. She smiled encouragingly at him as he continued. "Two weeks ago, I had to take Leslie to the hospital."

"Seriously? Are you okay, Les?" Dad asked, looking particularly concerned.

"I'm better than okay, actually. I'm..." she smiled at the table and then looked up at John. He beamed. "I'm pregnant!" She announced and everyone's faces dropped in surprise.

"No way!" I said, a smile beginning to take over my face.

"Johnathan! I am so happy!" Mom said, getting up to hug and kiss the both of them.

"Ew, John did the do," Eva whispered from beside me.

"Eva, gross," I said, slapping her shoulder as she laughed.

From there, the house turned into a giant celebration. Mom whipped up a cake and Dad broke out his hidden wine that he only has for special occasions. Leslie was grinning from ear to ear the entire time and would look back at John lovingly every few seconds. It was sickeningly adorable.

"So do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?" Eva asked, sipping her wine. I never really liked alcohol. A sip of my brother's Jungle Juice when he was in his early years of college was more than enough to make me decide that I would never drink in my life.

"No, we won't be knowing for the next few months. We're only two months so far, anyway," Leslie responded.

"Do you have names in mind?" I asked. It always baffled me how a series of sounds dictated what you'd be known as for the rest of your life.

"LeBron," Johnathan instantly responded.

"Absolutely not," Leslie shot down the idea and I smiled at the two of them. "We haven't discussed it seriously, as you can tell."

"I don't know, Les, LeBron is a pretty cool name," Eva chirped, looking completely serious.

Leslie laughed humorlessly. "You two are hilarious! But no."

"Talia's a good name. You should name your baby Talia," I told her and she merely shook her head.

"If it's a boy?"

"Talio!"

"Like from the Road to El Dorado?"

"That's Tulio."

"Then it's decided. John, our kids are going to be Talia and Talio," Leslie said, shrugging as if she had no choice.

"Wonderful! June can't come fast enough to meet our son, Talio LeBron Parker!"

"You are not naming my first grandson that, Johnathan," Mom said as she came back from the kitchen, only hearing the end of our conversation.

"Don't worry, mama, I won't," he got up and kissed her temple. "As for now, I'm going to bed. Good night everyone."

The room chorused in "good-nights" until Leslie left and then slowly everyone dissipated to their respective rooms.

As I braided my hair to keep it from major knotage, I smiled at how great these past few days had been. Completed midterms (hallelujah finally), got my internship, and John and Les were expecting their first child. Life was going so well and I doubted how it could get any better.

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Hey lovelies!

I've been selected as one of the top ten in the Pencil Prize under the Romance category! I'm super excited and can't wait for you all to read this and enjoy. Even if I don't carry on in the competition (which I hope I do), I will still continue this on, because I'm really excited about this one. Starbird is still in the works, so look out for that one!

Things are just getting started here, but I'm very excited for upcoming chapters already. What do you think of Talia and her family?

Also, a nice little nod to @MyHeartsMistake with the mention of Al from "Take Me As I Am". If you enjoy One Direction, check out her fanfiction and if you don't, that's great too! She has wonderful teen fiction works that I adore to this day.

Stay classy and let me know what you think in the comments below!

- Kate