Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Warnings: slight language.
Luna wanted to fully surprise her parents and did not let them know she would be arriving home that day. She took a cab outside of the airport and headed home for a 2 week stay before finally going to Hollywood University for the next 4 years of her life. She was nervous just thinking about it, everything happened so unexpectedly and fast that she was just really thinking about it, and the more she thought about it the more nervous she was getting. Finally, the cab parked on the side of the curve in front of her house. It was a regular Sunday afternoon; her parents were on the garden in the back taking care of their flowers and different kinds of herbs and veggies. They were chatting as usual when their conversation was suddenly interrupted.
"Wow, you guys are doing a great job, I don't remember the garden being this beautiful" she said with a huge grin on her face.
Her parents stopped immediately as soon as they heard the familiar voice.
"Luna?! Is that you?! What happened? What are you doing here?!" asked her mom in disbelief. Her father just stood there not knowing how to react.
"I thought you guys would be happier to see me than that…"
Both parents ran to hug her, her mother with tears in her eyes.
"I can't belief you're here baby! We missed you so so much!" said her mother with the biggest smile on her face. "But tell us, what happened, why are you here? Is there something wrong? Did something happen?"
"You have no idea mom… come, let's go inside, I have a lot to tell both of you." They looked at each other with curiosity and concern, and followed her daughter inside.
After a few hours of explaining everything in detail, from the mysterious letters to the offer, how she hesitated and even about Guillermo's visit, her parents were so surprised that they didn't know what to think.
"But Luna, why did you accept such an offer? You don't even know this person, what are his true intentions, what does he want from you? Hollywood U is a very expensive school; no one throws away that kind of money in someone they don't know just for the sake of it. I know that you are an adult capable of making her own decisions, but that might be dangerous. I'm not sure I like where this is going baby" said her mother with her usual worrying tone.
"Mom, don't you think I've thought about that? I've considered all the possibilities, and this is a risk I'm willing to take, I have little to loose and everything to gain" she replied determined. Her parents saw this and knew her daughter well enough to understand that she was going to go through with this, there's nothing they could do but support her.
"Princess, all we want is for you to be happy and safe. Just promise us this, if at any point you feel insecure, threatened or just don't want to keep going, let us know and we'll go for you anytime, you have a family that is going to support you and protect you till the end" said her father, expecting her answer.
"I promise Dad, you know I can take care of myself, and I know I can count on you… but let's speak of something else… where's my Leo?" Luna looked around searching for her younger Brother.
"He went to the movies with his girlfriend"
"Girlfriend?! What are you talking about? He's too young to have a girlfriend" Luna has always been very protective of her young brother, to the point that she forgot he wasn't a kid anymore.
"Luna, he's 16 now, you act like he's 5 years old and that you forgot what it was to be 16" her mother replied with a smile. "You were worst!".
"Well, that's just not true, and for me, he'll always be my baby brother… I gotta meet this 'girlfriend' of his, what's her name, by the way?"
"Ashley, she's very sweet and appears to be a good girl, nothing to worry about"
"Humm… we'll see…" Luna was skeptical.
A couple of hours later his brother arrived with his girlfriend Ashley, both joking and laughing, while Luna and her parents were on the back having a cookout. Leo searched for his parents all over the house until he heard laughter outside. They headed out to the back patio and he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his sister flipping burgers on the grill.
"Luna?! Is that you?! What, whe, why are you here?!" Leo was so excited and surprised he didn't know what to say.
"Missed you too bro" Luna replied jokingly.
She threw the spatula on the table and ran to hug his little brother. She missed him so much she could hardly believe she was there hugging him. After a long hug Luna turned to her brother's girlfriend and gave her a measured look, she was always, like her mother said, overprotective towards his younger brother, and this time it was no different.
"I'm Luna, Leo's sister… and you are?" Luna asked with a defiant look.
"Hi! I'm Ashley, nice to meet you! I've heard so much about you!" replied the younger girl with an innocent tone of voice.
"I wish I could say the same, but I did even know of you existence"
"Luna… behave" her mother warned.
Suddenly, the mood of the room changed from happiness to awkwardness. Leo was very happy to see his sister, but that was over the top and Luna could see it in his eyes. She was very bold and sometimes talked without thinking, which was often a problem. She knew she had to fix the situation.
"Sorry Ashley, it's been a long trip and I'm kind of exhausted, I apologize if I made things weird" her excuse was not very convincing but Ashley decided to let it go.
"No problem, I understand" she said in a neutral tone of voice.
"Good… so, let's go ahead and eat while the food is still hot! Come on Ashley, grab a plate and I'll tell you all kind of stories about these two" their father, as always, rescued the whole situation with his witty sense of humor.
They enjoyed the evening eating, talking and telling jokes. Steven, Luna's dad, was making everybody laugh while Luna and her mother enjoyed a few bottles of wine. Luna still had her doubts about Ashley, but too decided to let it go and just enjoyed the evening. It was around 11 pm and time for Ashley to go, not before helping Stella clean up the table. Leo and Luna were left alone for a few moments.
"Luna, what's gotten into you? You can't come here and be all control freak over everyone's life" Leo sounded pissed.
"I'm sorry bro, it's just that the news took me by surprise. You didn't mention anything about her in any of your emails, so I was just surprised"
"So? You didn't tell me about you coming back"
"Well, it was so sudden I didn't have time, not even to think"
"Well… there you go, I didn't have the time either" replied Leo coldly.
They were interrupted by Ashley.
"Are you ready to go, babe?" she asked.
"Sure… I'll be right back, 'mom'" he said sarcastically, referring to his sister.
Luna and Ashley said their good byes and Luna watched her little brother walk away. It was shocking to her that he behaved that way, even if she was the one over the top. Wow, things have changed, she thought.
She went back inside, grabbed another glass of wine and sat in the couch next to her dad.
"I missed you so much daddy" she said, cuddling next to him.
"And I missed you too princess… But so much has changed around here baby, you can't come and pretend no time has passed since you went away. This is the first time in 4 years that you are back, and even though we visited you, things are not the same, be more understanding with your brother, it was very hard for him when you left. He struggled a lot and now he's finally starting to go out and have friends. Just be more considerate"
"I know Daddy, I know I was out of line, and I apologized. I just love my brother very much and would hate to see him suffer" there was sadness in her eyes.
"Well, that is part of life Luna, without suffering there's no way you can appreciate happiness" her father didn't speak much, but when he did, he was always right.
"Yes, that's true" without saying anything else, she lay on her father lap and quickly fell asleep. Just like when she was a child, her father carried her to her bedroom, which was exactly the same way she left it.
Days passed, Leo quickly forgot the incident with his sister and they both just enjoyed each day, talking, watching movies, going camping, and even getting to know Ashley, which was much better than what Luna thought. The two weeks she had before going to Hollywood U quickly passed and it was time for her to go… again. She was very sad, but she remembered her father's words, everything had indeed changed. Although she will always love her family and her home, she did not belong there anymore. She sat down in front of her vanity set, the same vanity set that she used to play when she was a child and gave herself a long, measured look. She didn't know where her place in life was, yet, but that wasn't it and never would be again. She went downstairs with her luggage: 3 big cases were everything she had in the world that belonged to her; she was going to start a new life.
"Mom, dad, please sell everything in my room and do with it whatever you want" she said determined.
"But baby, that's your room, and it'll always be" answered her father confused.
"Don't worry Luna, we will" said her mother with a small smile on her lips.
Luna's relationship with her mother was weird; they fought a lot, maybe because they were so alike. But there was something between them, some sort of unspoken communication, and her mother just knew what she was talking about and feeling. She knew that her daughter was not planning on coming back, ever. She stepped out of her home, that place that saw her grow and where she was so happy. She turned back to see it one last time, and it was so beautiful she just knew she would always remember it with love and happiness, and a little sadness.