21
Theresa clutched the armrests tightly as the plane descended above the wispy clouds. She shut her eyes and took deep calming breaths to soothe her frayed nerves. The beauty revealed through her window seat offered Theresa a serene scene to help ease her nervousness. As the minutes ticked away, Theresa was coming closer to Harmony. She was finally returning home where she belonged.
Out of the corner of her eye, Theresa could see Paloma watching her warily. Her lips were slightly open as if prepared to say something.
"I'm fine." Theresa smiled reassuringly before her sister could mutter a word. "Stop looking at me like my head is about to pop off."
"I just want to make sure that you're all right." Paloma said worriedly. "You've been through a lot."
Theresa nodded. "I have, but it's made me stronger. I won't allow the bad things that have happened to hinder my life."
For the first time in a long time, Theresa finally felt better about her situation. Of course her life was not the epitome of perfection, but she finally allowed herself to release the negativity that had kept her pulled back for so long. No longer did she feel asphyxiated with pessimism. Theresa could finally breathe.
"We Lopez-Fitzgerald's are fighters." Paloma said squeezing her sister's hand. "And my dear big sister I believe you've won the battle with your inner demons."
Theresa took a long deep breath. "I guess you could say that." Theresa smiled.
Throughout the flight Theresa could only think of three certain individuals. She thought of Pilar and how relieved her mother would be once she returned home. Although Pilar would be glad to see her, Theresa knew that she could still receive some motherly reprimanding for leaving home in such a rash manner.
Theresa looked around the flight and watched the various people surrounding her. She turned her head in the direction of children's laughter and instantly thought of her own precious son. She hoped that her little boy would understand her reasons for leaving and would harbor no resentment towards her. The last thing Theresa wanted was for her son to think she had abandoned him.
The only other individual Theresa's thoughts often wandered to was none other than Fox. It was often late at night right before she found her eyelids succumbing to sleep that Fox entered her mind. From then on he would appear in her dreams.
Theresa felt her heart flutter with nervousness as she thought about facing him once again. His last words of "I'll be waiting for you," were embedded in her heart. Every time Theresa thought about the day he came to Mexico, she remembered the feel of his breath upon her cheek as he whispered words that brought hope to her fragmented soul.
Although she had been furious and hurt by the secrecy of his so-deemed love for Whitney Russell, Theresa still found that Fox had yet again come to her aid. Fox never failed her, and she found it difficult to harbor resentment towards him for keeping secrets.
Like clockwork, Theresa found her eyelids slowly fluttering shut. Why Theresa always fell asleep after thinking about Fox was simple. The thought of him relaxed her comforted her, and soothed her- just the way Fox always did whenever he was with her.
When Theresa awoke from her peaceful slumber the plane was nearing its final destination. Theresa yawned and stretched.
"Sleeping beauty awakes," Paloma mumbled.
Theresa took the pillow behind her head and smacked her sister playfully. "Umph!" Paloma grunted. "Theresa!" She sputtered.
Theresa laughed heartily attracting the attention of the passengers around them. "Theresa," Paloma said eyeing the strangers around them. "Everyone's staring at you."
"And?" Theresa said shrugging. "Let them." She said. "You know you should have seen the look on your face." Theresa began giggling at the sight of her sister's distorted expression of mixed horror and surprise.
"Whatever," Paloma said throwing the pillow back at Theresa. "You wait till we get home. I'm going to get you back."
"Uh-huh. Sure." Theresa said still giggling.
While the pilot announced their arrival in Harmony, Theresa closed her eyes. She turned to her religion to provide her with the strength to make it off the plane and face her loved ones. As the plane made its bumpy landing onto the runway, Theresa pressed her palms together. "Here we go." She thought as the plane finally rolled to a stop.
People bustled around them while the two sisters made their way through the busy terminal. Theresa was oblivious to the noise around her. She kept her vision focused on finding the familiar faces of any of her family members or for Fox. As they rounded the corner, Theresa's desperation to find someone she knew almost ignited panic-stricken feelings.
Wasn't anybody going to meet them at the airport? The thought ran circles in Theresa's mind as she walked around slowly making sure she took in every face around her. Paloma informed her sister that she had told their family of their arrival in Harmony. "So where are they?" Theresa thought worriedly.
Paloma stopped walking and placed her bags on the ground. Theresa saw the frown plastered on her sister's face. "Oh no." Theresa mumbled.
"I wonder where everybody is." Paloma said with a puzzled look on her face.
Theresa set her things down and blinked her eyes rapidly. "Maybe they're just running late." She said her voice already quivering with impending sobs becoming trapped in her throat. "They're just late." Theresa kept repeating in her mind, but her heart was being continually filled with dread. "They're coming." Theresa repeated. "They have to." Theresa failed to give into the negative thoughts.
"Theresa are you crying?" Paloma asked worriedly.
Theresa wiped her eyes. "Uh-no of course not." She mumbled. "I'm just happy to be home."
Paloma's look of disbelief wordlessly sent Theresa the message. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm fine." Theresa insisted.
Paloma sighed. "I think I have something to make you feel better." Paloma picked up her bags and tugged gently on Theresa's hand. "C'mon. It should be right over that corner there. Hopefully I'm right."
"Hopefully?" Theresa thought with raised eyebrows. "What do mean, 'hopefully'?" Theresa wanted to ask.
Wondering what her sister was up to, Theresa followed reluctantly. As they made it around the corner, Theresa almost froze in her tracks. "There they are," Paloma said relieved.
A large 'Welcome Home' stuck out sorely in the crowded airport. Theresa's mother and brothers as well as dozens of family and friends stood underneath the sign wearing beaming smiles. Happy tears filled Theresa's eyes as relief overcame her temporarily panic-stricken heart.
"C'mon!" Paloma said enthusiastically as she tugged her sister's hand. Paloma almost skipped to her mother's awaiting arms while Theresa still tried to get over her feelings of shock. "Hey, Theresa!" People greeted her happily. Theresa smiled and nodded unable to say anything. She stood back and watched the crowd that came to greet her and her sister. As she watched everyone crowding around her family Theresa felt familiar hands place themselves lightly on her shoulder. In the same manner as he had in Mexico, Fox leaned close enough to Theresa to send shivers up and down her spine. "Welcome home, Theresa. I missed you."
"Fox." Theresa whispered as she closed her eyes to savor the moment.
Theresa clutched the armrests tightly as the plane descended above the wispy clouds. She shut her eyes and took deep calming breaths to soothe her frayed nerves. The beauty revealed through her window seat offered Theresa a serene scene to help ease her nervousness. As the minutes ticked away, Theresa was coming closer to Harmony. She was finally returning home where she belonged.
Out of the corner of her eye, Theresa could see Paloma watching her warily. Her lips were slightly open as if prepared to say something.
"I'm fine." Theresa smiled reassuringly before her sister could mutter a word. "Stop looking at me like my head is about to pop off."
"I just want to make sure that you're all right." Paloma said worriedly. "You've been through a lot."
Theresa nodded. "I have, but it's made me stronger. I won't allow the bad things that have happened to hinder my life."
For the first time in a long time, Theresa finally felt better about her situation. Of course her life was not the epitome of perfection, but she finally allowed herself to release the negativity that had kept her pulled back for so long. No longer did she feel asphyxiated with pessimism. Theresa could finally breathe.
"We Lopez-Fitzgerald's are fighters." Paloma said squeezing her sister's hand. "And my dear big sister I believe you've won the battle with your inner demons."
Theresa took a long deep breath. "I guess you could say that." Theresa smiled.
Throughout the flight Theresa could only think of three certain individuals. She thought of Pilar and how relieved her mother would be once she returned home. Although Pilar would be glad to see her, Theresa knew that she could still receive some motherly reprimanding for leaving home in such a rash manner.
Theresa looked around the flight and watched the various people surrounding her. She turned her head in the direction of children's laughter and instantly thought of her own precious son. She hoped that her little boy would understand her reasons for leaving and would harbor no resentment towards her. The last thing Theresa wanted was for her son to think she had abandoned him.
The only other individual Theresa's thoughts often wandered to was none other than Fox. It was often late at night right before she found her eyelids succumbing to sleep that Fox entered her mind. From then on he would appear in her dreams.
Theresa felt her heart flutter with nervousness as she thought about facing him once again. His last words of "I'll be waiting for you," were embedded in her heart. Every time Theresa thought about the day he came to Mexico, she remembered the feel of his breath upon her cheek as he whispered words that brought hope to her fragmented soul.
Although she had been furious and hurt by the secrecy of his so-deemed love for Whitney Russell, Theresa still found that Fox had yet again come to her aid. Fox never failed her, and she found it difficult to harbor resentment towards him for keeping secrets.
Like clockwork, Theresa found her eyelids slowly fluttering shut. Why Theresa always fell asleep after thinking about Fox was simple. The thought of him relaxed her comforted her, and soothed her- just the way Fox always did whenever he was with her.
When Theresa awoke from her peaceful slumber the plane was nearing its final destination. Theresa yawned and stretched.
"Sleeping beauty awakes," Paloma mumbled.
Theresa took the pillow behind her head and smacked her sister playfully. "Umph!" Paloma grunted. "Theresa!" She sputtered.
Theresa laughed heartily attracting the attention of the passengers around them. "Theresa," Paloma said eyeing the strangers around them. "Everyone's staring at you."
"And?" Theresa said shrugging. "Let them." She said. "You know you should have seen the look on your face." Theresa began giggling at the sight of her sister's distorted expression of mixed horror and surprise.
"Whatever," Paloma said throwing the pillow back at Theresa. "You wait till we get home. I'm going to get you back."
"Uh-huh. Sure." Theresa said still giggling.
While the pilot announced their arrival in Harmony, Theresa closed her eyes. She turned to her religion to provide her with the strength to make it off the plane and face her loved ones. As the plane made its bumpy landing onto the runway, Theresa pressed her palms together. "Here we go." She thought as the plane finally rolled to a stop.
People bustled around them while the two sisters made their way through the busy terminal. Theresa was oblivious to the noise around her. She kept her vision focused on finding the familiar faces of any of her family members or for Fox. As they rounded the corner, Theresa's desperation to find someone she knew almost ignited panic-stricken feelings.
Wasn't anybody going to meet them at the airport? The thought ran circles in Theresa's mind as she walked around slowly making sure she took in every face around her. Paloma informed her sister that she had told their family of their arrival in Harmony. "So where are they?" Theresa thought worriedly.
Paloma stopped walking and placed her bags on the ground. Theresa saw the frown plastered on her sister's face. "Oh no." Theresa mumbled.
"I wonder where everybody is." Paloma said with a puzzled look on her face.
Theresa set her things down and blinked her eyes rapidly. "Maybe they're just running late." She said her voice already quivering with impending sobs becoming trapped in her throat. "They're just late." Theresa kept repeating in her mind, but her heart was being continually filled with dread. "They're coming." Theresa repeated. "They have to." Theresa failed to give into the negative thoughts.
"Theresa are you crying?" Paloma asked worriedly.
Theresa wiped her eyes. "Uh-no of course not." She mumbled. "I'm just happy to be home."
Paloma's look of disbelief wordlessly sent Theresa the message. "Don't lie to me."
"I'm fine." Theresa insisted.
Paloma sighed. "I think I have something to make you feel better." Paloma picked up her bags and tugged gently on Theresa's hand. "C'mon. It should be right over that corner there. Hopefully I'm right."
"Hopefully?" Theresa thought with raised eyebrows. "What do mean, 'hopefully'?" Theresa wanted to ask.
Wondering what her sister was up to, Theresa followed reluctantly. As they made it around the corner, Theresa almost froze in her tracks. "There they are," Paloma said relieved.
A large 'Welcome Home' stuck out sorely in the crowded airport. Theresa's mother and brothers as well as dozens of family and friends stood underneath the sign wearing beaming smiles. Happy tears filled Theresa's eyes as relief overcame her temporarily panic-stricken heart.
"C'mon!" Paloma said enthusiastically as she tugged her sister's hand. Paloma almost skipped to her mother's awaiting arms while Theresa still tried to get over her feelings of shock. "Hey, Theresa!" People greeted her happily. Theresa smiled and nodded unable to say anything. She stood back and watched the crowd that came to greet her and her sister. As she watched everyone crowding around her family Theresa felt familiar hands place themselves lightly on her shoulder. In the same manner as he had in Mexico, Fox leaned close enough to Theresa to send shivers up and down her spine. "Welcome home, Theresa. I missed you."
"Fox." Theresa whispered as she closed her eyes to savor the moment.